GreeceTheHellenicRepublicIris08Hellas(希腊)Hellenes(希腊人)GreeceislocatedinthesoutheastofEurope.TheHellenicRepublic(Greece)BelongstoEuropeTheofficiallanguageisGreekThecapitalisAthens(雅典)ThepoliticalsystemisParliamentaryRepublic(议会制共和制)Thepopulationisnearly10,000,000ThenationalflowerisOlive(橄榄)ThenationalmottoisGivemelibertyorgivemedeath.(不自由,毋宁死)sceneryculturemythology(神话)ThespectacularviewoftheMediterranean(地中海)includingbrightcolorofskyandsea,whitewalls,thefragranceoflavender(薰衣草),roseandjasmine(茉莉).ThereisanotherfamousspotisAegeanSea(爱琴海)——likewine,romanticandmellow(醇厚).Actually,AegeanSeaisapartoftheMediterranean,butitwaschangedbypeoplewhopreferredromantic.ThestoriesaboutAegeanSeaarenumerous,butultimately,itrepresentsloveandsymbolizesforever.ThebesttouristseasonisApriltoOctober,SpringandSummerarethemostfascinatingtimeforpeopletakingweddingphotosorbeingonhoneymoon.Therearemorethan3000islandsontheAegeanSea,manyareverycharming.CastleintheSky(空中之城)—Meteora(迈泰奥拉).OneofthethreemostbeautifulplacesinGreeceandanamazingarchitecturalwonders(奇观).Arealpurelandonearth.Olympus(奥林匹斯山).Therewere12godsinthismountain,andit’sthehighestpeakinGreece.AncientGreeksthoughtitwasthegodswholivedintheOlympuscreatedthefirstOlympicGames.Athens(雅典)IstheoldestcityinEuropeevenintheworld.ParthenonTemple(帕特农神庙)TheParthenonTempleisthemostfamousandtherecognizableancientGreekbuilding.ThenationspeaksGreekandthelanguagehasbeenusedforthousandsofyrs,andhasneverbeenchangedsinceitwasspoken..ChurchandbuildingThenationalreligionofModernGreeceisEasternOrthodoxy(东正教),itisafaction(派别)ofChristian.ThethreescholarsofancientGreeceSocrates(苏格拉底)HisstatusinthewestjustlikeConfuciusintheeast.Plato(柏拉图)OneofSocrates’students,Plato,wasanothermajorfigureinthehistoryofWesternphilosophy.Aristotle(亚里士多德)StudentofPlato,teacherofAlexanderofGreat(亚历山大大帝).Homer’sEpic(荷马史诗)OnewasIliad(伊利亚特)andtheotherwasOdyssey(奥德赛).ItwasthehighestandearliestachievementofancientGreekliterature.Aesop’sFables(伊索寓言)Ashortstoryinformedofprose(散文)orverse(韵诗),illustratedmoralmaxims(准则),andthecharacterinthestoryisoftentheanimals.TheGreekstaketheirdressesseriously,theyaregracefulespeciallyoldpeople,theypaymoreattentiontotheirclothing.Thytaboo13andFriday,theythoughttheywereominous.Andtheydon’tlikeblackandcat.Theirmainfoodispasta(面食)andsometimestheyhaverice.Theylikebeefandmutton,ofteneattomatoes,potatoesandsoon.Aboveall,theyarealcoholic.GreekMythologyGreekMythologyisagroupoftraditionaltalestoldbytheancientGreeksaboutthedeedsofgods,heroesandtheirrelationswithhumanbeings.Zeus(宙斯)ThethirdKingoftheskyandtheearth.RuleroftheOlympiangods.Hewastheraingod,andthecloudgathererwhoholdstheterriblethunderbolt.Hisbirdistheeagle(鹰),histreeistheoak(橡树).Hera(赫拉)Zeus'wifeandsister.Queenofthegods.Goddessofmarriageandchildbirthandtakesspecialcareofmarriedwomen.ZeuswasmarriedtoHera,butheisfamousforhismanyaffairs.HeanddifferentwomengavebirthtomanychildrenwhowerethegodsofOlympusandmanyGreekheroes.Heisalsoknowntopunishthosethatliedorbrokeoaths.MoststoriesconcerningHerahadtodowithherjealousrevengeforZeus‘sinfidelities(不忠实).Apollo(阿波罗)SonofZeus.Godofsun.Godofhealingwhotaughtmanmedicine.Godoftruth,whocannotspeakalie.Apolloalsowasthegodofmusicandpoetry.Athena(雅典娜)DaughterofZeus.Goddessofwisdomvictoryandwar.Shesprangfullgrown(突然成年)inamour(盔甲)fromhisforehead,thushasnomother.ShewasZeus‘sfavoritechildandwasallowedtousehisweaponsincludinghisthunderbolt(雷电).HerfavoritecityisAthens.Hertreeistheolive.Theowl(猫头鹰)isherbird.That’sall!GalisistheMichaelJordanofGreeceOnMay14,theNewYorkTimesdedicateda1,244-worddithyrambictribute(热情洋溢的致敬)toNickGalis,thelegendarybasketballplayerwho“changedthefaceofbasketballinGreece.”TheAmericannewspapercallsGalisthe“MichaelJordanofGreece,”andremindsthatGalisledtheGreeknationalbasketballteamtotheEuroBasket(欧洲篮球锦标赛)1987goldmedal.Galisscored40pointsinthefinalagainsttheSovietUnionnationalbasketballteamfora103-101victory.“Itwasthecountry’s‘Doyoubelieveinmiracles?’moment.”Galis’effectonGreece’spsyche(精神)andeconomyisimmeasurable.“NickGalisbasicallygavealotofpeopleareasontoexist.Peopleowealottohim.Basketballbefore1987wasjustasport.Immediatelyafter1987,itbecameacommodity,”saidGregoryIoannidis,asportslawyerintheUnitedKingdom.NewYorkTimesparticularlymentionedtheceremonyfor55-year-oldGalisorganizedbyhisformerclubArisintheThessaloniki塞萨洛尼基(希腊古城)arena.5500fanscametohonorandapplaudhim.“I’mlookingatitasthepeopledon’tforget.Don’tforgetthegoodtimesweallhad,andhappinessIhopeIgavethem,”Galissaidaboutthetribute.Finally,thenewspapermentionsthatGaliswillattendthesoccer’sChampionsLeaguefinalonMay25attheWembleyStadiumasaspecialguestoftheUEFApresident,MichelPlatini,alongtimefanofhis.