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Weird Welcome to the New Year 迎接新年，世界大不同

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

The New Year is perhaps the closest thing to a universal holiday. In many Western countries, New Year’s Eve is celebrated with a big meal followed by parties. When the clock strikes twelve, people cheer and toast each other with champagne. Many also go out for public celebrations. The most famous are probably the fireworks show at Sydney Harbor Bridge in Australia, and the big countdown in New York City’s Times Square.

「新年」，大概几乎是全球同庆的节日，许多西方国家在新年前夕都以大餐和餐后派对来庆祝。当钟敲十二点，人们就会欢呼，并以香槟相互干杯。很多人也会参加公众的庆祝活动，最有名的大概就是澳洲雪梨港湾大桥的烟火秀，以及纽约时代广场的盛大倒数活动。

The New Year is a winter holiday in the northern hemisphere, but a summer one in the south. While partygoers in New York won’t go out without heavy coats, gloves, and hats, people in Brazil might head to the beach! In Rio De Janeiro, the fireworks display at Copacabana beach attracts up to two million partiers each year with the Saint Silvester Marathon, which is shorter than a real marathon but quite difficult because of the tropical heat.

「新年」在北半球属于冬季的节日，但在南半球却是在夏日。在纽约，参加派对的人一定得穿戴厚重的大衣、手套和帽子才能出门；而巴西的民众却能前往海滩！在里约热内卢的科巴卡巴那海滩绽放的烟火，每年都能吸引高达200万的派对常客。而在圣保罗市则以圣西尔维斯特马拉松赛来标记一年的尾声，这场马拉松的距离较正式赛程短，但因热带的高温，使比赛也有相当的难度。

Historically, most of East Asia celebrates the Lunar New Year, which falls in late January or February. In Taiwan, the Western New Year became popular during the 1990s. Today, the Taipei 101 fireworks show and concert in front of Taipei City Hall are one of the biggest celebrations in the world. Other local cities hold similar events on a smaller scale. Since the festivities are linked via the Internet, the whole island can count down together. But parties and pyrotechnics aren’t the only ways to celebrate!

历史上来说，大多数的东亚国家庆祝的是在一月底或二月份的农历新年。在台湾，国历新年的庆祝在90年代才蔚为流行。现今，台北101的烟火秀和台北市政府前的演唱会，也成为世界上最大的庆祝活动之一。其他地方政府也以较小规模举办类似的活动。自从新年的庆祝活动能经由网络串连后，全台湾的民众就能一同倒数。然而，派对和各式烟火表演并非唯一的庆祝方式。

Vocabulary

单词发音

weird [wɪrd] adj.【口】奇特的; 【非正式】古怪的﹐奇异的

universal [͵junəˋvɝs!] adj. 普遍的; 全世界的

cheer [tʃɪr] v. 欢呼，喝采

toast: [tost] v. 举杯为……祝酒; 为...干杯 to drink to the health or honor of

celebration [͵sɛləˋbreʃən] n. 庆祝; 庆祝活动

firework [ˋfaɪr͵wɝk] n. 烟火﹐烟花﹐焰火

head to 出发，去

head [hɛd] v.（向特定方向）出发，（船）驶往

up to 多达

tropical [ˋtrɑpɪk!] adj. 热带的

via [ˋvaɪə] prep. 经由；取道; 透过，凭借

More Information

单词发音

champagne [ʃæmˋpen] n. 香槟酒

countdown [ˋkaʊnt͵daʊn] n. 倒数计秒

hemisphere [ˋhɛməs͵fɪr] n.（地球的）半球

partygoer [ˋpɑrtɪ͵gor] n. 社交聚会常客

partier [ˋpɑrtɪɚ] n. 派对常客 =partyer; a person who celebrates or carouses at or as if at a party, especially regularly or habitually

concert [ˋkɑnsɚt] n. 音乐会，演奏会

festivity [fɛsˋtɪvətɪ] n. 庆典 any festival or other celebration

pyrotechnics [͵paɪrəˋtɛknɪks] n.【正式或术语】烟火[花]表演; 放烟火[花]

课文朗读

课文讲解

Around the world, the New Year is welcomed with an astonishing variety ofcustoms and traditions. Naturally, many of them involve food, friends, family, and fireworks, but a few can seem just a bit strange.

世界各地用各种习俗与传统来迎接新年，种类之多令人惊奇。其中当然离不开美食、亲朋好友和烟火，但是有些活动看起来却有那么一点奇怪。

One Mexican custom, for example, is to wear brightly-colored underwear. Red means that one is looking for love, while yellow indicates a wish for money. It is also popular to share a large loaf of sweet bread with a small coin or lucky charm baked inside. Whoever gets the item in their piece is sure to have good fortune.

举例来说，墨西哥的一项习俗是穿色彩鲜艳的内裤，身穿红色代表正寻求爱情；而身穿黄色则象征对金钱的渴望。另一项普遍的习俗是大家一同分享一大条甜面包，面包里头包有一枚小硬币或是幸运物，无论是谁在他所分到的面包里发现这些东西就一定会有好运气。

Many unusual practices are also found in Europe. In Spain it’s common to eat twelve grapes, one for each month of the year. Celebrations in Denmark can get a little out of hand, as people jump from chairs to frighten off spirits, and throw their old dishes at their friends’ door. Meanwhile, some Germans still drop molten lead into cold water, and try to predict the future from its shape.

很多不寻常的习俗也能在欧洲发现。在西班牙常见的习俗是要吃12颗葡萄，每一颗代表着一年中的各个月份。而在丹麦的庆祝活动则有些失控，因为人们不但会从椅子上一跃而下来吓跑鬼魂，还会将旧盘子砸向朋友家的门。同时，部分德国民众仍会将融化的铅滴入冷水中，并试图依其形状来预测未来。

On the last day of the year in Japan, people clean their houses to welcome the gods, and the bells in Buddhist temples are rung 108 times, to eliminate 108 kinds of impure thought. And in the Philippines, people eat round fruit and wear clothing decorated with circular shapes, like polka dots. Because they resemble coins, they symbolize a wish for prosperity.

在日本，民众会在一年的最后这天打扫他们的房舍来迎接神明；佛寺会响钟108下以消除108种不纯净的念头。在菲律宾，人们则会吃圆形的水果并穿着有饼图样的服装，像是圆点图案，因为圆形形似钱币，代表着对成功的渴求。

There are as many ways to celebrate the New Year as there are different cultures. So wherever you find yourself when the clock counts down, there’s sure to be something special happening nearby. Happy New Year!

有多少不同的文化，就有多少不同的方式来庆祝新年。所以，时间开始倒数之际，无论你身在何处，附近一定会有什么特别的事正在发生。新年快乐！

－by Dmitri Detwyler

Vocabulary

单词发音

variety [vəˋraɪətɪ] n. 种种[（+of）]

custom [ˋkʌstəm] n.（社会，团体的）习俗，惯例

fortune [ˋfɔrtʃən] n. 财富; 好运

out of hand 失去控制 out of control

frighten [ˋfraɪtn]  v. 嚇唬……使其……[O][（+away/off/into）]; to scare someone or something off

predict [prɪˋdɪkt] v. 预言；预料

eliminate [ɪˋlɪmə͵net] v. 排除，消除

circular [ˋsɝkjəlɚ] adj. 圆形的；环形的

symbolize [ˋsɪmb!͵aɪz] v. 象征

prosperity [prɑsˋpɛrətɪ] n. 兴旺，繁荣

More Information

单词发音

brightly-colored 色泽鲜艳的 having a bright color

lucky charm 幸运符 (good luck charm): something believed to bring good luck

molten lead 熔化的铅

Buddhist temple 佛寺

impure [ɪmˋpjʊr] adj. 不纯净的

polka dot（衣料的）圆点花纹

Reading Questions

1.  Which of these is NOT true of New Year’s celebrations in Brazil?

(A)  Some people run in a difficult race.

(B)  Large crowds gather at the beach.

(C)  People need to wear coats and hats.

(D)  Many people enjoy fireworks displays.

2.  Which of these statements best describes the New Year in Taiwan?

(A)  It has only recently become a very popular holiday.

(B)  It has become more important than Chinese New Year.

(C)  It is very different from New Year’s celebrations elsewhere.

(D)  It is still not considered a very important event.

3.  Based on the passage, which country has the wildest New York’s celebrations?

(A)  Mexico.

(B)  Germany.

(C)  Denmark.

(D)  Japan.

4.  Which of these traditions is NOT associated with Europe?

(A)  Some people eat a number of round fruit.

(B)  Some people put hot metal into water.

(C)  Some people scare away spirits.

(D)  Some people wear unusual clothes.

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Answer