The American Bald Eagle

America's national symbol draws crowds
美國白頭鷹 - 美國的國鳥吸引眾人觀看.

On a cold winter morning, I boarded a bus in Tennessee's Reelfoot Lake State Park. Thousands of tourists visit the park each year because of its unique beauty and interesting history. The lake was formed in 1812 when a very strong earthquake struck. Because official records weren't kept then, no one knows exactly how strong it was. But two things are certain. The landscape was changed completely, and Reelfoot's 18,000-acre lake was formed.

Winter's guests of honor
On this day, though, everyone arrived to see something other than the lake - the bald eagles. During the winter, hundreds of eagles fly south to Reelfoot Lake from the northern U.S. and Canada. They're searching for water where they can get their daily supply of fish Eagles eat one half to one pound of food a day, and fish is their favorite. Most of the visiting eagles will fly north again when spring arrives. But for a few shot months, tourists flock here to see America's national bird.

Did you know?
The bald eagle is one of America's largest birds of prey and has keen vision, spotting objects a mile away.
The birds mate for life and usually return to the same nest every year. Their nests, some of the world's largest, are often cone-shaped. In the spring, the female will lay one to three eggs. Then she and her male take turns warming the eggs and guarding the next.

It is believed that at one time there were half a million eagles in North America. By 1963, though, their numbers had dropped to 417 nesting pairs in the lower 48 states. There were many causes, but the major reason was the use of the pesticide DDT. In 1972 the U.S. forbade the pesticide, and bald eagles now number around 9,800 nesting pairs.

While bald eagles are no longer endangered, there are still laws that provide protection for them. People everywhere hope this proud bird will fly free in the skies for many years to come.

Grammar Gym:
It is believed that at one time there were half a million eagles in North America.
"It is believed that" - Here does not have exactly number, no one really physically count it, whatever the number is talk about just a guessing. If you going to say something you are not knowing the exactly, just guessing or heard from other people saying, you may use this language pattern.
It is believed that this bakery was the first one to sell this special kind of cake.
It is believed that the hero in the story came from this town.

Vocabulary Tips:
tourist - people who are travel and visit different places. 观光客。
*The town attracts thousands of tourists every weekend.
tourism -观光业，旅游观光。
landscape - the place where you are has mountain, river, tree, grass and flowers..景色，风景。
*The photographer loves to shoot landscapes of different deserts.
*The rugged landscape of the mountain was breathtaking.陡峭景色。
guest of honor - people whom you invited to join the event, you want to honor them.贵宾，主客。
*The doctor was invited to be the guest of honor of this award ceremony.
*The ambassador is the guest of honor at tonight's banquet.
flock (n) - a large group of people or something.群，人群 。
*Flocks of tourists waited for their buses outside the park.
flock (v) - to come in a large group.聚集，群聚。
*Sport fans flocked outside the auditorium asking for player's autographs.
draw a crowd - you do something to attract people come. 吸引大众。
draw - draw pictures with a pen.
strike/ stuck - hit. 受创。受到袭击。
vision - sight, seeing ability. 有“看见”之意。视力。
*Jane's vision improved a lot after she began wearing eyeglasses.
*My dad has 20/20 vision.
vision - 远景，洞察力。
*Hank is a man of vision.远景，洞察力
keen - precisely, sharp, exact.
keen vision - very sharp vision can see far.
cone - round shape, large at the bottom, the top is narrow to the point.圆锥形，圆锥体。
*a cone-shaped roof 圆锥形屋顶。
*The driver of the car that had broken down put cones on the road as a warning sign.圆锥筒。
forbid -禁止( forbade 过去式, forbidden过去分词 ) -stop something happen or stop someone from doing something.。
*Tanya's parents forbade her to go out on weekdays because of her falling scores.
*The company forbids employees from making personal phone calls.
protect (v) -保护，警戒。protect for someone or protect from someone or something.
protection (n)- to keep someone or something safe.
*The software provides good protection against most computer viruses.
bird of prey - a specific type of bird with keen vision.
mate for life -being faithful to their mate. Eagles are pairs up for their rest of life. Human is faithful to their spouse. We will not use "mate for life on human.
pesticide - a chemical that kill pests.
guard - watch and protect.
endangered species - species is facing extinction. 将要绝种的种类。 endanger-危险，危害。
extinct (extinction) - no more, disappear.

Language Tips:
national symbol :代表国家的象征物。如国花，国旗（早年国旗只是都用在战场上，直到后期才作为和平的表征。
American bald eagle -美国白头秃鹰-是美国国家的象征物。
national symbol: 也可以广义的把代表性建筑物用来作为国家的象征物，如：U.S.A's statue of liberty, China 's Great Wall are also national symbol.
national anthem :国歌 is a national symbol.
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the American bald eagle -白头鹰其实全身连腿脚都是毛，头上并不秃。他们成对的建筑他们的窝，有时因为树枝不够粗壮，难以承受窝的重量而折断，鹰巢坠楼而毁，他们就一次次的重新再来。因为i白头鹰的天生具有不屈不挠的精神，以及他们天性的精，准，快的捕食手法，加上他们的精壮体格，能掠食，捕捉与他们身体相同重量的掠物。美国以此来作为美国国家的象征，代表。
bald -秃头。
bald eagle - 秃鹰但是the American bald eagle 并不秃。