大家都知道美国的国徽是一只 bald eagle，但要注意，可不是“秃鹰”哦，它其实是一只“白头鹰”。这只象征独立、自由精神的白头鹰胸前是一面盾牌状的国旗，右爪抓着代表希望和平的橄榄枝，左爪抓着决心自卫的利箭，这个图案构成了美国的国徽。

In 1782, US Congress selected the bald eagleas the emblem of the newly formed United States, because it symbolized courage and might, and because it was indigenousonly to the United States and to Canada.

The national seal depicts the bald eagle with its wings spread, with one claw clutching an olive branch, and the other claw grasping arrows. The eagle, however, strikes different poses on other national depictions.

The bald eagle owes its name to the early American colonists, and is bald in name only. As the white-headed American eagle differed from the European gray eagle, the colonists used their word for white, which translated into bald, in describing it. Unfortunately for the eagle, the literal translation, bald-headed, stuck like a toupee.

Since ancient times, men have identified themselves with the eagle, because it creates an impression of majesty and of power while in flight. As early as 5,000 years ago, ancient Sumerians chose the eagle, in spread eagle form, as their emblem symbolizing their power. Ancient Romans followed suit, as did Emperor Charlemagne, and finally Napoleon. No doubt, Congress considered the eagle's historical pedigree as being the animal representing a nation's power, when selecting it to be the national emblem of the United States.

bald eagle: 秃头鹰
indigenous: 本土的
toupee: 假发
follow suit: 跟着做
pedigree: 血统

（来源：coolquiz.com 英语点津 Annabel 编辑）

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