The Mighty Mississippi

The Mighty Mississippi. Written by Karen Swark.

雄伟的密西西比河 作者：卡伦·斯瓦克

A long journey. Rain falls on Lake Itasca. It mixes into the clear waters of a river so small that a child could wade across it. So begins the mighty Mississippi River.

一段漫长的旅程 雨水落在艾塔斯卡湖上。 它汇入一条极小的河流的清澈水流中，这条河小到一个小孩子都能蹚水走过去。 雄伟的密西西比河就这么诞生了。

Over the next three months, the water will take a 2 ,350 -mile, 3 ,781 -kilometer journey through 10 U .S. states. At last, it will reach the Gulf of Mexico.

在接下来的三个月里，水流将踏上一段2350英里， 也就是3781公里的旅途，沿途穿过美国的10个州。 最终，它会抵达墨西哥湾。

The Upper River. At first, the river flows through dozens of locks and dams. Together, they make it safe for boats to travel. They hold back water so boats don't hit the river bottom.

上游河段 一开始，河水流经数十道船闸和水坝。 它们共同保障船只的航行安全。 它们拦截水流，这样船只就不会撞到河底了。

Boats on this part of the river carry corn and soybeans south. Much of this food is shipped around the world.

这段河道上的船只载着玉米和大豆向南航行。 这些粮食有很多都会被运往世界各地。

More than 50 kinds of mammals live along the upper river. River otters love to play here.

上游河段沿岸生活着50多种哺乳动物。 水獭可喜欢在这里玩耍啦。