Reading.mp34:59
來自英語快樂嗑English
英漢對照課文文本
FESTIVALS AND CELEBRATLONS
節日和慶典
Festivals and celebrations of all kinds have been held everywhere since ancient times. Most ancient festivals would celebrate the end of cold weather, planting in spring and harvest in autumn. Sometimes celebrate would be held after hunters had caught animals. At that time people would starve if food was difficult to find, especially during the cold winter months. Today’s festivals have many origins, some religious, some seasonal, and some for special people or events.
自古以來，世界各地就有各種各樣的節目和慶典。大多數古老的節日總是慶祝嚴寒的結束，春季的種植和秋天的收割。有時，在獵人捕獲獵物後，也舉行慶祝活動。在那個時代，如果食物難以找到，特別是在寒冷的冬月，人們就會捱餓，現在的節日有很多由來，一些是宗教上的，一些是季節性的，一些是紀念特殊的人和事件的。
Festivals of the Dead
亡靈節
Some festivals are held to honour the dead or to satisfy the ancestors, who might return either to help or to do harm. For the Japanese festival. Obon, people should go to clean graves and light incense in memory of their ancestors. They also light lamps and play music because they think that this will lead the ancestors back to earth. In Mexico, people celebrate the Day of the Dead in early November. On this important feast day, people eat food in the shape of skulls and cakes with “bones” on them. They offer food, flowers and gifts to the dead. The Western holiday Halloween also had its origin in old beliefs about the return of the spirits of dead people. It is now a children’s festival, when they can dress up and to to their neighbours’ homes to ask for sweets. If the neighbours do not give any sweets, the children might play a trick on them.
這些節目，是為了紀念死者，或使祖先得到滿足，因為祖先們有可能回到世上（給人們）提供幫助，也有可能帶來危害。在日本盂蘭盆節，人們要掃墓、燒香，以緬懷祖先。人們還點起燈籠，奏響樂曲，因為他們一位這樣做可以把祖先引到世上。在墨西哥，亡靈節是在月初。在這個重要的節日裡，人們會吃製成顱骨形狀的食物，和裝點有“骨頭”的蛋糕。他們向亡者祭獻食物、鮮花和禮品。西方的萬聖節也源自人們古老的信念，以為亡者的靈魂會返回人間。萬聖節如今成了孩子們的節目，這天他們可以喬裝打扮上鄰居家要糖吃。如果鄰居什麼糖也不給，那麼孩子們就可以捉弄他們了。
Festivals to Honour People
紀念名人的節目
Festivals can also be held to honour famous people. The Dragon Boat Festival in China honours the famous ancient poet, Qu Yuan. In the USA Columbus Day is in memory of the arrival of Christopher Columbus in New World. India has a national festival on October 2 to honour Mohandas Gandhi, the leader who helped gain India’s independence from Britain.
也有紀念名人的節目。中國的端午節（龍舟節），是紀念古代著名詩人屈原的。美國的哥倫布日是紀念克里託斯．哥倫布發現“新大陸”的日子。印度在10月2日有個全國性的節目，紀念莫漢達斯．甘地，他是幫助印度脫離英國而獨立的領袖。
Harvest Festivals
慶豐收的節日
Harvest and Thanksgiving festivals can be very happy events. People are grateful because their food is gathered for the winter and the agricultural work is over. In European countries, people will usually decorate churches and town halls with flowers and fruit, and will get together to have meals. Some people might win awards for their farm produce, like the biggest watermelon or the most handsome rooster. China and Japan have mid-autumn festivals, when people admire the moon and in China, enjoy mooncakes.
收穫與感恩節是非常喜慶的節目。越冬的糧食收集起來了，農活結束了，人們都心懷感激。在歐洲國家，人們通常用花果來裝飾教堂和市政廳，在一起聚餐。有些人還可能因為他們的農產品（參加各種評選）而獲獎，比如最大的西瓜或最帥的公雞。中國和日本都有中秋節，這時，人們會賞月。在中國，人們還品嚐月餅。
Spring Festivals
春天的節日
The most energetic and important festivals are the ones that look forward to the end of winter and to the coming of spring. At the Spring Festival in China, people eat dumplings, fish and meat and may give children lucky money in red paper. There are dragon dances and carnivals, and families celebrate the Lunar New Year together. Some Western countries have very exciting carnivals, which take place forty days before Easter, usually in February. These carnivals might include parades, dancing in the streets day and night, loud music and colourful clothing of all kinds. Easter is an important religious and social festival for Christians around the world. It celebrates the return of Jesus from the dead and the coming of spring and new life. Japan’s Cherry Blossom Festival happens a little later. The country, covered with cherry tree flowers, looks as thought it is covered with pink snow.
最富生氣的而又最重要的節日，就是告別冬天，迎來春天的日子。中國人過春節要吃餃子、魚和肉，還要給孩子們送紅紙包著的壓歲錢。（他們）舞龍燈、狂歡，全家人聚在一起歡慶陰曆年。在一些西方國家有激動人心的狂歡節，通常在二月，復活節前的四十天。狂歡節期間，人們身著各種豔麗的節日盛裝，伴隨著鼓譟的音樂，在街頭遊行，晝夜跳舞。復活節是全世界基督教徒的一個重要的宗教和公眾節日。它慶祝耶穌復活，也慶祝春天和新生命的到來。在晚些時候，日本就迎來了櫻花節，（節日裡）整個國度到處是盛開的櫻花，看上去就像是覆蓋了一層粉紅色的雪。
People love to get together to eat, drink and have fun with each other. Festivals let us enjoy life, be proud of our customs and forget our work for a little while.
人們喜歡聚在一起吃、喝、玩耍。節日讓我們享受生活，讓我們為自己的習俗而自豪，還可以暫時忘掉工作中的煩惱。
（以上內容來源於人民教育出版社，版權歸人民教育出版社所有。由本號進行整理分享，旨在方便師生使用，侵聯刪。）
