Fall Colors Not Only Red and Blue(翻译)

Americans often identify the two major political parties by the colors red and blue. The practice began with the 2000 election.Media organizations liked the idea because it made easy use of voting maps.It helped show the winner of each state as the results came in.
美国人通常通过红色和蓝色来辨识两大政党的颜色。这一实践始于2000年的选举。主流媒体非常喜欢这个想法，因为人们可以很方便地使用投票地图。结果出来的时候，也方便向各大洲展示获胜者。

The Democratic Party is blue.The Republican Party is red.
民主党是蓝色。共和党是红色。

For the last 16 years, there has been a lot of talk about red states and blue states.Since elections take place in autumn, red and blue have become “fall colors.”
过去的16年里，人们会谈论很多有关红州和蓝州的话题。因为大选日期为秋季，所以红色和蓝色便成为了美国的“秋色。”

But this time of year, people on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are also talking about true fall colors – like those found in nature.
不过在每年的这个时候，人们在脸书和推特等社交媒体上也会谈论真正的秋色，也就是大自然中的颜色。

The colors are orange, yellow, red, and brown.Why?
橙色、黄色、红色和棕色是大自然的秋色。为什么呢？

Huge numbers of trees change color in the late fall in the U.S.Their leaves go from green to shades of orange, red, brown and yellow.
美国深秋，许多树木都会改变颜色。树木的叶子由绿色变成了橙色、红色、棕色和黄色。

A chemical called chlorophyll is responsible. Chlorophyll helps trees make sugar from sunlight.This feeds the tree and keeps the leaves green.
这是由于一种叫做叶绿素的化学物质在起作用。叶绿素可帮助树木从阳光中生产糖分。糖分会滋养树木，让叶子常青。

But, as sunlight decreases in the fall, the trees produce less chlorophyll.This is when the leaves show what some people call their “true colors.”
然而，随着秋天阳光的减弱，树木生产出的叶绿素越来越少。到那时，叶子会变成人们所称的“本来的颜色。”

The website SmokyMountains.com has a Fall Foliage Map.It predicts when people will see the best fall colors.
大烟雾山国家公园网站有一张秋天树叶的地图。它可以预测人们看到最佳秋色的时间。

The best time to see the colorful leaves, also known as foliage, was in mid-October, but some areas in the U.S. still have colorful trees.
十月中旬是人们看到多彩叶子的最佳时间，不过目前美国许多地方仍然有彩色的树木。

Twitter user, Chris Duncan shared a photo he took earlier this week in Washington, D.C.It shows a bright red tree and the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument.
推特用户克里斯·邓肯分享了一张他本周早些时候在华盛顿拍的照片。照片上是一颗亮红色的树、林肯纪念堂和华盛顿纪念碑。

One person shared a photo taken high above the Virginia Tech campus, a university in southwest Virginia.
还有一名用户分享了一张弗吉尼亚理工大学校园的俯瞰图，该校位于弗吉尼亚西南部。

Inga Sarda-Sorensen is a photographer in New York City.She posted some stunning photos of Central Park.
因加·萨尔达·索伦森是纽约的摄影师。她分享了中央公园美丽的照片。

But you do not have to be in the U.S. to see the color change.
不过，即使不在美国也可以领略到颜色的变换。

Ewan Gunn posted a photo from Scotland showing the Craigellachie Bridge with beautiful green, orange and yellow leaves in the background.
尤恩·冈恩分享了一张苏格兰克莱拉奇铁桥的照片，背景是美丽的绿色、橙色和黄色叶子。

And that’s What’s Trending Today.
以上是今日新鲜事。