Flags of the World
FoundationA flag stands for a nation, its colours and patterns full of meaning — know the flags, respect them, and be a little world citizen.
- A flag is a nation's symbol and name card.
- The five-star red flag represents China.
- Patterns record history, like Canada's maple leaf.
文體小知識：說明文帶你環遊世界，認識幾面著名國旗的顏色、圖案和背後的意思。
§Text Passage
1Every country has its own flag. A flag is a nation's name card, raised at schools, sports grounds and international meetings. See the flag and you know the country; when champions are crowned, their national flag rises and their anthem plays.
2China's flag is the five-star red flag: a red field with five yellow stars at the upper left, symbolising the unity of the people. Japan's flag is a red circle on white, the circle like the sun — Japan is called the land of the rising sun. Canada's flag is red and white with a maple leaf in the middle, for the maple trees that cover the country.
3France's flag has three vertical bands of blue, white and red; South Korea's flag is white with a red-and-blue taiji in the centre and black trigrams at the corners; the United Kingdom's flag was designed by overlapping several flags. Every flag's colours and patterns record a nation's history and hopes.
4A flag is sacred and must be treated with dignity: stand solemnly at the flag-raising, eyes on the flag, no giggling or playing; keep flags clean and flat when storing and using them. Next time you watch international news or a match, try naming the country: whose flag is that?
1Summary 重點摘要
A flag stands for a nation, its colours and patterns full of meaning — know the flags, respect them, and be a little world citizen.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
The flag that represents a country.
To stand for an idea by means of a thing.
The name of China's flag: five yellow stars on a red field.
A flag of three colours, such as France's.
The leaf of the maple tree, the emblem on Canada's flag.
The round interlocking pattern, in red and blue on South Korea's flag.
The ceremony of raising the flag up the pole.
To stand with respect and solemnity.
The song that represents a country.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Know your own country's flagTo know the flags of the world, begin with your own country. China's flag is the five-star red flag: the red field stands for the revolution, and five yellow stars sit at the upper left, one large star with four small ones around it. Some people think having seen the flag is the same as knowing it, but only when you can describe its colours and layout have you truly learned it. At the Monday flag-raising we watch it rise slowly with respect in our hearts, and its image stays firmly in mind.
- Step 2: Match flags with countriesNext, match each flag with its country. A red circle on white is Japan; a red-and-white maple leaf is Canada; blue, white and red bands are France; and the Union Jack is the United Kingdom. Some people think all flags look alike, but start with the most distinctive ones and add more slowly, and matching becomes ever easier. Each flag learned is like a new friend made — great fun along the way.
- Step 3: Read the patternsThe patterns on flags all carry meanings. The maple leaf stands for Canada's maple forests that blaze red in autumn; Japan's red circle stands for the sun, which is why its flag is called the sun-disc; France's three colours stand for liberty, equality and brotherhood. Some people think patterns are mere decoration, but once the stories behind them are known, a flag becomes a country's storybook — easier and surer to remember.
- Step 4: Mind the flag-raising etiquetteFollow solemn manners at a flag-raising. When the anthem plays, stop what you are doing, face the flag, stand still and watch with respect until the ceremony ends; do not whisper, run about or make noise. Some people think watching on television may be casual, but even at home we should stand to show respect. Solemn manners honour the country and fix this solemn moment in our memory.
- Step 5: Play to rememberGames make memory strongest. Print five flags as cards and race a classmate to match them all within one minute; or play a quick-answer game where one person holds up a flag and the others race to name the country. Some people think reciting is the only way to memorise, but learning through play turns dull memorising into game time to look forward to, and the memory lasts longer — two gains at once.
- Step 6: Spot flags in daily lifeKnowledge should be used in daily life. Watching the Olympics or the World Cup, spot the flag raised for each medallist and name the country; when you shop, look for the flags of different lands, and check a flag book at home for any you cannot recognise. Some people think knowledge belongs only to textbooks, but the more flags you know, the bigger and friendlier the world becomes, and the keener your love of learning grows.
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Example: watching an international football match, Long sees a flag — white, with a round red-and-blue pattern in the middle and black symbols at the four corners. Whose flag is it?
- The field is white, with a red-and-blue taiji pattern in the centre.
- Each of the four corners carries a black trigram symbol.
- These features match the flag of South Korea exactly.
- Check a flag book to confirm, and the memory deepens at the same time.
- Answer: The flag is that of South Korea: a white field with the red-and-blue taiji in the centre and black trigrams at the four corners. Confirming it in a flag book fixes the memory more firmly.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1What is China's flag called?
Q2What does the red circle on Japan's flag represent?
Q3Which country's flag bears a maple leaf?
Q4Which three colours are on France's flag?
Q5What should we do during the flag-raising?
8Recap Recap
- A flag is a nation's symbol and name card.
- The five-star red flag represents China.
- Patterns record history, like Canada's maple leaf.
- Stand solemnly at the flag-raising to show respect.
- Look and learn — be a little world citizen.