The Cardinal is sometimes called the Winter Redbird because it is most noticeable during the winter when it is the only “redbird”present．A year－round resident（居民）of North Carolina，the Cardinal is one of the most common birds in our gardens，meadows（草地，牧场），and woodlands（森林地，林地）．The male Cardinal is red all over，except for the area of its throat and the region around its bill which is black；it is about the size of a Catbird［［动］猫声鸟，猫鹊（产于北美的一种鸣禽）］only with a longer tail．The head is conspicuously（显著地，超群地）crested and the large stout bill is red．The female is much duller in color with the red confined mostly to the crest，wings，and tail．This difference in coloring is common among many birds．Since it is the female that sits on the nest，her coloring must blend more with her natural surroundings to protect her eggs and young from predators（掠夺者，食肉动物）．There are no seasonal changes in her plumage（鸟类羽毛，翅膀）．
The Cardinal is a fine singer，and what is unusual is that the female sings as beautifully as the male．The male generally monopolizes（独占，垄断）the art of song in the bird world．
The nest of the Cardinal is rather an untidy（不整洁的，不整齐的）affair built of weed stems，grass and similar materials in low shrubs，small trees or bunches of briars（［植］石南），generally not over four feet above the ground．The usual number of eggs set is three in this State and four further North．Possibly the Cardinal raises an extra brood（（动物中鸟或家禽的）一窝，（同种或同类的）一伙）down here to make up the difference，or possibly the population is more easily maintained here by the more moderate winters compared to the colder North．
State Flower州花
1941年本州议会指定山茱萸花为本州州花。多花狗木是美国用与装饰的树种之一。人们只知道这种树叫狗木，其实它还有其他的名字，包括黄杨木和山茱萸。核果椭圆形，熟时深红色。花期3—4月，果期9—10月。它的果实对人体有害，但却是野生动物们的食物。这种木材质地光滑、结实且有织纹，现在是用于特制产品的材料。
The General Assembly of 1941designated the dogwood as the State Flower．
Flowering dogwood（Cornus florida）is one of America’s most popular ornamental（装饰性的，装饰用的）trees．Known to most people simply as dogwood，it has other common names，including boxwood（黄杨木材，黄杨木）and cornel．The species name florida is Latin for flowering，but the showy petal－like bracts（［植］苞叶，苞）are not in fact flowers．The bright red fruit of this fast－growing short－lived tree are poisonous to humans but provide a great variety of wildlife with food．The wood is smooth，hard and close－textured and now used for specialty products．
Flower：Flowers are highly modified leaves that perform reproductive functions for plants that bear them．A flower petal is merely a special leaf that typically through brightly colored pigment（［生］色素，颜料）may attract a pollinator．The actual reproductive work of the flower is conducted by the stamens（雄蕊，雄性花蕊）（which bear pollen）and the pistil（［植］雌蕊）（which receives the pollen（花粉）and allows it to contact the flower ovary［（生物）卵巢，（植物）子房］，where a fruit is produced）．
The small flower clusters（串，丛）on the Flowering Dogwood are surrounded by 4large，showy bracts that are often mistaken as petals．Each quarter－inch flower has four tightly curved petals，plus two stamens and a single pistil．Flowers that have dropped their petals is a sign they likely have been pollinated（对……授粉）．Eventually，after all the white bracts and tiny petals have fallen，the remaining flower parts will wither and turn brown，giving rise to several fertilized ovaries，the bright green berries that turn scarlet（鲜红的，深红的）as they ripen（成熟）．
Flowering dogwood blooms in either white or pink，depending on the cultivar（栽培变种，培育植物），and 2inches in diameter．Appearing March to April in the south，June in the north．
Leaf：Opposite，simple，arcuately veined，3to 6inches long，oval（卵形的，椭圆的）in shape with an entire margin．
Fruit：A shiny，oval red drupe，1／4to 1／2inch long，in clusters of 3to 4．Maturing in September to October．
Twig：Slender，green or purple，later turning gray，often with a glaucous（绿灰色的，覆有白粉的）bloom．The terminal flower（顶生花）buds are clove－shaped，vegetative buds resemble a cat claw．
Bark：Gray when young，turning very scaly（有鳞的，劣等的）to blocky（短而结实的，斑驳的）．
Form：A small tree with a short trunk that branches low，producing a flat－topped crown．Branches are opposite，and assume a “candelabra（枝状大烛台）”appearance．
State Flag州旗
北卡罗来纳州州旗是由三个长条组成，在竖立的蓝色长条上中心有一颗白色的星星，它的左边是大写字母“N”，右边是“C”，它们是本州名字的首字母。在星星的上面写着“1775年5月20日”，下面写着“1776年4月12日”。右边紧连蓝条的是两条水平相等的长条，颜色分别为红色和白色。本州在1885年开始使用本州旗。
That the flag of North Carolina shall consist of a blue union，containing in the center thereof a white star with the letter N in gilt on the left and the letter C in gilt on the right of said star，the circle containing the same to be one－third the width of the union．The fly of the flag shall consist of two equally proportioned bars；the upper bar to be red，the lower bar to be white；that the length of the bars horizontally（地平地，水平地）shall be equal to the perpendicular（垂直的，正交的）length of the union，and the total length of the flag shall be one－third more than its width．That above the star in the center of the union there shall be a gilt scroll in semi－circular form，containing in black letters this inscription（题字）“May 20th，1775，”and that below the star there shall be a similar scroll（卷形物）containing in black letters the inscription：“April 12th，1776．”
State Song州歌
The Old North State
Carolina！Carolina！Heaven’s blessings attend her！
While we live we will cherish，protect and defend her；
Tho’the scorner（藐视者）may sneer at and witlings
（自以为嘴巧的人，玩弄小聪明的人）defame（诽谤）her，
Still our hearts swell with gladness
（欢乐，喜悦）whenever we name her．
Hurrah！Hurrah！The Old North State forever！
Hurrah！Hurrah！The good Old North State！
Tho’she envies not others，their merited glory（荣誉，光荣），
Say whose name stands the foremost，in Liberty’s story，
Tho’too true to herself e’er to crouch
（蜷缩，蹲伏）to oppression，
Who can yield to just rule a more loyal submission（屈服，服从）？
Hurrah！Hurrah！The Old North State forever！
Hurrah！Hurrah！The good Old North State！
Plain and artless（朴实的）her sons，but whose doors open faster
At the knock of a stranger，or the tale of disaster．
How like the rudeness（粗蛮，无礼）
of the dear native mountains，
With rich ore in their bosoms and life in their fountains．
Hurrah！Hurrah！The Old North State forever！
Hurrah！Hurrah！The good Old North State！
And her daughters，the Queen or the forest resembling
