英語視頻暢談歐美人文風情05：一段煙火的歷史

I love fireworks!

我愛煙火!

They are awesome!

它們超棒的!

And they go "BOOM."

而且它們會“砰”地爆開。

Even after thousands of years, fireworks still captivate, amaze, and terrify spectators around the globe. Fireworks date back to ancient China before the invention of gunpowder. Over the centuries, the desire for bigger and better explosions has fueled much experimentation.

即便過了幾千年，煙火仍吸引、驚艷、且震懾著世界各地的觀眾。煙火起源于火藥發(fā)明前的古代中國。幾世紀來，對于更壯觀、更精彩爆炸的渴望激發(fā)了許多實驗。

Fireworks made their way to Europe when Italian explorer, Marko Polo, brought them from the Orient in 1292. During the Renaissance in Europe, the Italians developed fireworks displays into a true art form. And when they came to America, they brought their fireworks with them.

在意大利探險家--馬可波羅--于 1292 年將它們從東方帶回時，煙火得以前進到歐洲。在歐洲文藝復(fù)興期間，意大利人將煙火秀發(fā)展成一種真正的藝術(shù)形式。而當他們來到美國時，他們帶著他們的煙火一起。

One such man was Vincenzo Sorgi, who came to America in 1899. In 1902, he started the American Fireworks company. Today, the Sorgi family continues his legacy, bringing smiles to another generation of Americans. Eric Stewart is the company's lead technician.

這樣的一個人是 Vincenzo Sorgi，他在1899 年來到美國。在1902 年，他創(chuàng)立了美國煙火公司。如今，Sorgi 家族延續(xù)他的留下的產(chǎn)業(yè)，將歡笑帶給另一代的美國人民。Eric Stewart 是公司的首席技師。

That is uh... Right now, I have the crew, basically running the guns out to build the show.

那是，唉...現(xiàn)在，我要工作人員，基本上是要把抱筒運出去打造這場秀。

On this day, his crew is hard at work in the town of Colonial Beach, Virginia. The set-up for a spectacular fireworks display not only takes muscle but teamwork. After all, these pyrotechnicians are handling explosives, and enjoying every bit of it.

這天，他的組員在維吉尼亞州殖民海灘的小鎮(zhèn)里努力工作著。一場精彩煙火表演的搭建不只花費力氣還要團隊合作。畢竟，這些煙火專家正在處理的是爆裂物，并且享受其中的一點一滴。

At first, of course you get the jitters, but then that all works out. And now, it's show time.

起初，當然你會有些緊張不安，但然后那一切都順利進行。而現(xiàn)在，好戲上場了。

Eric said that in his 10-plus years of experience with pyrotechnics, fireworks displays choreographed with music are hands down the favorite with Americans. While pyrotechnic crews will at times still light the shells by hand, most of them are ignited electronically, which makes them safer. Like the Colonial Beach show, it's all done by switch panel.

Eric 表示，在他十多年來的煙火經(jīng)驗中，加上音樂編排的煙火表演毫無疑問是美國人的最愛。盡管煙火技術(shù)員們有時仍會手動點燃抱彈，但大多數(shù)抱彈是電子引燃的，那使它們更加安全。像殖民海灘這場表演，一切就是經(jīng)開關(guān)控制板完成的。

What makes a perfect show would be when the show goes off flawlessly, and the crowd goes crazy at the very end of the show.

成就一場完美演出的，會是當表演完美無瑕地進行，然后群眾在演出的最后一刻陷入瘋狂之時。

Today, we celebrate our country's independence, and we'll end our celebration with this spectacular fireworks display, just as those early patriots did over 200 years ago.

今天，我們慶祝我們國家的獨立，而我們會用這場壯觀的煙火演出為我們的慶祝結(jié)尾，就像超過兩百年前那群早期的愛國者們做的一樣。