Queen Elizabeth sets date for Va. visit

Elizabeth II

　　Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip will visit Virginia May 3-4 to help commemorate the founding of Jamestown 400 years ago, but they'll be here a week before the official anniversary events for America's first permanent English settlement.

　　The monarch and her husband will visit the United States from May 3-8, Buckingham Palace announced Wednesday. "America's Anniversary Weekend" is May 11-13.

　　The first two days of the trip they will be in Virginia for the Jamestown commemoration. They also will attend the Kentucky Derby on May 5, then spend time in Washington May 6-8 for a visit hosted by President Bush and first lady Laura Bush, according to the palace, which earlier had announced that the queen would visit Virginia sometime in May.

　　The royal couple will be welcomed with "true southern hospitality," Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said in a statement Wednesday.

　　"This royal visit speaks to the importance of Jamestown to both of our countries, reaffirms the strong, historic ties between our nations, and demonstrates a mutual commitment to reinforce these connections as we go forward together," Kaine said.

　　The trip will be the queen's fourth state visit to the U.S. During her first visit, she went to Jamestown in October of 1957, the year of Jamestown's 350th anniversary. Organizers are looking forward to showing the queen the many changes that have taken place since then.

　　英国女王伊丽莎白二世将与丈夫菲利普亲王于5月3日至4日访问美国弗吉尼亚州，以纪念英国在美洲的第一个永久殖民地詹姆斯敦建立400周年。但官方的周年纪念活动将于女王访问后一周开始。

　　据白金汉宫上周三公布，女王和菲利普亲王将在5月3日至8日访问美国，而“美国的周年庆祝周末”则将从5月11日持续至13日。

　　据白金汉宫消息，女王访美之行的前两天将访问弗吉尼亚州的詹姆斯敦；5月5日，她和菲利普亲王将参加肯塔基州的赛马会；然后将在6日至8日前往华盛顿会见布什总统及第一夫人劳拉。此前，白金汉宫公布女王将于5月份访问弗吉尼亚。

　　弗吉尼亚州州长蒂姆·M·凯恩在上周三的一份声明中称，女王夫妇将受到“真正的南方款待”。

　　凯恩说：“女王的来访将充分说明詹姆斯敦对美英两国的重要性，将再次肯定两国之间稳固的、历史性的联系，并将表明在共同前进过程中加强这些联系的共同承诺。”

　　这将是女王第四次对美国进行国事访问。女王曾于1957年10月詹姆斯敦建立350周年纪念时首次访美。组织者希望能向女王展示这些年来詹姆斯敦发生的众多变化。

　　Vocabulary:

　　true southern hospitality : “南方款待”；大多数美国人都认为他们很好客，尤其是美国的南方人更以款待客人自豪。