口译节日总汇

1、阿Dragon Boat Festival端午节5th day of the 5th lunar monthThe Dragon Boat Festival, also called the Duanwu Festival, is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month according to the Chinese calendar. For thousands of years, the festival has been marked by eating zong zi (glutinous rice(糯米)wrapped to f

2、orm a pyramid using bamboo or reed leaves) and racing dragon boats.The festival is best known for its dragon-boat races, especially in the southern provinces where there are many rivers and lakes. This regatta(赛舟会)commemorates the death of Qu Yuan , an honest minister who is said to have committed s

3、uicide by drowning himself in a river.Qu was a minister of the State of Chu situated in present-day Hunan and Hubei provinces, during the Warring States Period (475-221BC)(战国时期). He was upright, loyal and highly esteemed for his wise counsel that brought peace and prosperity to the state. However, w

4、hen a dishonest and corrupt prince vilified Qu, he was disgraced and dismissed from office. Realizing that the country was now in the hands of evil and corrupt officials, Qu grabbed a large stone and leapt into the Miluo River on the fifth day of the fifth month. Nearby fishermen rushed over to try

5、and save him but were unable to even recover his body. Thereafter, the state declined and was eventually conquered by the State of Qin.The people of Chu who mourned the death of Qu threw rice into the river to feed his ghost every year on the fifth day of the fifth month. But one year, the spirit of

6、 Qu appeared and told the mourners that a huge reptile(爬行动物)in the river had stolen the rice. The spirit then advised them to wrap the rice in silk and bind it with five different-colored threads before tossing it into the river.During the Duanwu Festival, a glutinous rice pudding called zong zi is

7、eaten to symbolize the rice offerings to Qu. Ingredients such as beans, lotus seeds(莲子), chestnuts(栗子), pork fat and the golden yolk of a salted duck egg are often added to the glutinous rice. The pudding is then wrapped with bamboo leaves, bound with a kind of raffia and boiled in salt water for ho

8、urs.The dragon-boat races symbolize the many attempts to rescue and recover Qus body. A typical dragon boat ranges from 50-100 feet in length, with a beam of about 5.5 feet, accommodating two paddlers seated side by side.A wooden dragon head is attached at the bow, and a dragon tail at the stern(船尾)

9、. A banner hoisted on a pole is also fastened at the stern and the hull is decorated with red, green and blue scales edged in gold. In the center of the boat is a canopied shrine behind which the drummers, gong(铜锣)beaters and cymbal(铙钹)players are seated to set the pace for the paddlers. There are a

10、lso men positioned at the bow to set off firecrackers, toss rice into the water and pretend to be looking for Qu. All of the noise and pageantry creates an atmosphere of gaiety and excitement for the participants and spectators alike. The races are held among different clans, villages and organizati

11、ons, and the winners are awarded medals, banners, jugs of wine and festive meals.St. Valentines Day情人节February 14St. Valentines Day has roots in several different legends that have found their way to us through the ages. One of the earliest popular symbols of the day is Cupid(爱神丘比特), the Roman god o

12、f love, who is represented by the image of a young boy with bow and arrow.Three hundred years after the death of Jesus Christ, the Roman emperors still demanded that everyone believe in the Roman gods. Valentine, a Christian priest, had been thrown in prison for his teachings. On February 14, Valent

13、ine was beheaded(斩首), not only because he was a Christian, but also because he had performed a miracle. He supposedly cured the jailers daughter of her blindness. The night before he was executed, he wrote the jailers daughter a farewell letter, signing it From Your Valentine. Another legend tells u

14、s that this same Valentine, well-loved by all, received notes to his jail cell from children and friends who missed him.Another Valentine was an Italian bishop who lived at about the same time, AD 200. He was imprisoned because he secretly married couples, contrary to the laws of the Roman emperor.

15、Some legends say he was burned at the stake.February 14 was also a Roman holiday, held in honor of a goddess. Young men randomly chose the name of a young girl to escort to the festivities. The custom of choosing a sweetheart on this date spread through Europe in the Middle Ages, and then to the ear

16、ly American colonies. Throughout the ages, people also believed that birds picked their mates on February 14!In AD 496 Sain Pope Gelasius I named February 14 as Valentines Day. Although its not an official holiday, most Americans observe this day.Whatever the odd mixture of origins, St. Valentines D

17、ay is now a day for sweethearts. It is the day that you show your friend or loved one that you care. You can send candy to someone you think is special. Or you can send roses, the flower of love. Most people send valentines, a greeting card named after the notes that St. Valentine received in jail.

18、Valentines can be sentimental, romantic and heartfelt(真心真意的). They can be funny and friendly. If the sender is shy, valentines can be anonymous.Americans of all ages love to send and receive valentines. Handmade valentines created by cutting hearts out of colored paper, show that a lot of thought wa

19、s put into making them personal. Valentines can be heart-shaped, or have hearts, the symbol of love, on them. In elementary schools children make valentines for their classmates and put them in a large decorated box, similar to a mailbox. On February 14, the teacher opens the box and distributes the

20、 valentines to each student. After the students read their valentines they have a small party with refreshments.For teenagers and adults, major newspapers throughout the country have a Valentines Day offer. Anyone can send in a message, for a small fee of course, destined for a would-be sweetheart,

21、a good friend, an acquaintance or even a spouse of fifty years. The message is printed in a special section of the newspaper on February 14. Christmas圣诞节December 25The history of Christmas dates back over 4000 years. Many of our Christmas traditions were celebrated centuries before the Christ child

22、was born. The 12 days of Christmas, the bright fires, the yule log, the giving of gifts, carnivals(parades) with floats, carolers who sing while going from house to house, the holiday feasts, and the church processions can all be traced back to the early Mesopotamians.Many of these traditions began

23、with the Mesopotamian (美索不达米亚) celebration of New Years. The Mesopotamians believed in many gods, and as their chief god - Marduk (马杜克,古代巴比伦人的主神,原为巴比伦的太阳神). Each year as winter arrived it was believed that Marduk would do battle with the monsters of chaos. To assist Marduk in his struggle the Mesopo

24、tamians held a festival for the New Year. This was Zagmuk, the New Years festival that lasted for 12 days.The Mesopotamian king would return to the temple of Marduk and swear his faithfulness to the god. The traditions called for the king to die at the end of the year and to return with Marduk to ba

25、ttle at his side.To spare their king, the Mesopotamians used the idea of a mock king. A criminal was chosen and dressed in royal clothes. He was given all the respect and privileges of a real king. At the end of the celebration the mock king was stripped of the royal clothes and slain, sparing the l

26、ife of the real king.The Romans celebrated their god Saturn. Their festival was called Saturnalia which began the middle of December and ended January 1st. With cries of Jo Saturnalia! the celebration would include masquerades (化妆舞会) in the streets, big festive meals, visiting friends and the exchan

27、ge of good-luck gifts called Strenae (lucky fruits).Jo Saturnalia! was a fun and festive time for the Romans, but the Christians though it an abomination (深恶痛绝) to honor the pagan (异教) god. The early Christians wanted to keep the birthday of their Christ child a solemn and religious holiday, not one

28、 of cheer and merriment as was the pagan Saturnalia.But as Christianity spread they were alarmed by the continuing celebration of pagan customs and Saturnalia among their converts. At first the Church forbid this kind of celebration. But it was to no avail (徒劳). Eventually it was decided that the ce

29、lebration would be tamed and made into a celebration fit for the Christian Son of God.Some legends claim that the Christian Christmas celebration was invented to compete against the pagan celebrations of December. The 25th was not only sacred to the Romans but also the Persians whose religion Mithra

30、ism (密特拉教，奉祀密特拉神的宗教，纪元后最初3世纪内传至罗马帝国) was one of Christianitys main rivals at that time. The Church eventually was successful in taking the merriment, lights, and gifts from the Saturanilia festival and bringing them to the celebration of Christmas. New years day新年January 110.9.8. The lighted ball in

31、 New Yorks Times Square(时代广场)starts picking up speed(加快速度). 7.6.5. Its almost time. 4.3.2. Everyone holds their breath for the last few seconds. Were about to jump that seemingly large but invisible gap that separates the years. 1.0. Happy New Year!We made it. The old year, for better or worse, is g

32、one for good. The new year has begun with fresh promise. Heres our chance to start again, to do it right this time, to have another shot at success.at glory.at just accomplishing what we resolve to. Its time to shed that baggage from the year long gone and celebrate what can be in the 365 untouched

33、days to come. Happy New Year!We can trace the origins of a new years celebration back to the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians, at least 4,000 years ago. In Egypt, the Nile river signaled a new beginning for the farmers of the Nile as it flooded their land and enriched it with the silt(淤泥)needed to

34、grow crops for the next year. This happened near the end of September.The Babylonians held their festival in the spring, on March 23, to kick off the next cycle of planting and harvest. Symbolically, the king was stripped of his robes and sent away for a few days while the people whooped it up(庆祝).

35、He then returned in all his finery(华丽的服饰)for a grand parade, and the normal activities of life would return for the new year.So how did we get to January 1 as the start of the year? That date was picked by the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar when he established his own calendar in 46 BC. The Roman Senat

36、e had actually tried to make January 1 New Years Day in 153 BC, but it wasnt until Caesar stretched out 47 BC for 445 days that the date were familiar with was synchronized(同步)with the sun. Weve been on the Julian calendar ever since.There must be something inside of us that needs to unload the accu

37、mulated results of fate and our own decisions and start anew. The Romans knew this. The month of January was named for their god, Janus, who is pictured with two heads. One looks forward, the other back, symbolizing a break between the old and new. The Greeks paraded a baby in a basket to represent

38、the spirit of fertility. Christians adopted this symbol as the birth of the baby Jesus and continued what started as a pagan ritual. Today our New Years symbols are a newborn baby starting the next year and an old man winding up the last year.Around the world, different cultures have their own tradi

39、tions for welcoming the new year. The Japanese hang a rope of straw across the front of their houses to keep out evil spirits and bring happiness and good luck. They also have a good laugh as the year begins to get things started on a lucky note.In West Bengal, in northern India, the people like to

40、wear pink, red, purple and white flowers. Women favor yellow, the color of spring. Hindus(印度人)also leave shrines next to their beds so they can see beautiful objects when they wake up to the new year.In Vancouver, British Columbia, Canadians enjoy the traditional polar bear swim. People of all ages

41、don their swim suits and take the plunge, an event that is sure to get you started in the new year with eyes wide open.A fairly new tradition that is starting to spread worldwide is a community celebration of the visual and performing arts on New Years Eve. Started in Boston in 1976, an organization

42、 called First Night promotes alcohol-free festivals in 186 American cities, 16 in Canada, plus Hastings, New Zealand and Greenwich, England. Typical experiences include ice sculptures, dancing, storytelling, theater, poetry, films and, at the stroke of midnight, an elaborate fireworks display.Best w

43、ishes to you and your loved ones for a happy and prosperous New Year! Fathers Day父亲节Third Sunday in JuneThe United States is one of the few countries in the world that has an official day on which fathers are honored by their children. On the third Sunday in June, fathers all across the United State

44、s are given presents, treated to dinner or otherwise made to feel special.The origin of Fathers Day is not clear. Some say that it began with a church service in West Virginia in 1908. Others say the first Fathers Day ceremony was held in Vancouver, Washington.The president of the Chicago branch(分部)

45、of the Lions Club, Harry Meek, is said to have celebrated the first Fathers Day with his organization in 1915; and the day that they chose was the third Sunday in June, the closest date to Meeks own birthday! Thanksgiving Day感恩节Fourth Thursday in NovemberAlmost every culture in the world has held ce

46、lebrations of thanks for a plentiful harvest. The American Thanksgiving holiday began as a feast of thanksgiving in the early days of the American colonies almost four hundred years ago.In 1620, a boat filled with more than one hundred people sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to settle in the New Wor

47、ld(新大陆). This religious group had begun to question the beliefs of the Church of England and they wanted to separate from it. The Pilgrims settled in what is now the state of Massachusetts. Their first winter in the New World was difficult. They had arrived too late to grow many crops, and without f

48、resh food, half the colony died from disease. The following spring the Iroquois Indians(美国纽约州东北部易洛魁族印第安人)taught them how to grow corn, a new food for the colonists. They showed them other crops to grow in the unfamiliar soil and how to hunt and fish.In the autumn of 1621, bountiful crops of corn, ba

49、rley(大麦), beans and pumpkins were harvested. The colonists had much to be thankful for, so a feast was planned. They invited the local Indian chief and 90 Indians. The Indians brought deer to roast with the turkeys and other wild game offered by the colonists. The colonists had learned how to cook c

50、ranberries and different kinds of corn and squash dishes from the Indians. To this first Thanksgiving, the Indians had even brought popcorn.In following years, many of the original colonists celebrated the autumn harvest with a feast of thanks.After the United States became an independent country, C

51、ongress recommended one yearly day of thanksgiving for the whole nation to celebrate. George Washington suggested the date November 26 as Thanksgiving Day. Then in 1863, at the end of a long and bloody civil war, Abraham Lincoln asked all Americans to set aside the last Thursday in November as a day

52、 of thanksgiving.Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November, a different date every year. The President must proclaim that date as the official celebration.Thanksgiving is a time for tradition and sharing. Even if they live far away, family members gather for a reunion at the house of an

53、older relative. All give thanks together for the good things that they have.In this spirit of sharing, civic groups and charitable organizations offer a traditional meal to those in need, particularly the homeless. On most tables throughout the United States, foods eaten at the first thanksgiving ha

54、ve become traditional.Symbols of ThanksgivingTurkey, corn, pumpkins and cranberry sauce(酸果曼沙司)are symbols which represent the first Thanksgiving. Now all of these symbols are drawn on holiday decorations and greeting cards. The use of corn meant the survival of the colonies. Indian corn as a table o

55、r door decoration represents the harvest and the fall season.Sweet-sour cranberry sauce, or cranberry jelly, was on the first Thanksgiving table and is still served today. The cranberry is a small, sour berry. It grows in bogs(沼泽), or muddy areas, in Massachusetts and other New England states. The I

56、ndians used the fruit to treat infections. They used the juice to dye their rugs and blankets. They taught the colonists how to cook the berries with sweetener(甜味佐料)and water to make a sauce. The Indians called it ibimi which means bitter berry. When the colonists saw it, they named it crane-berry b

57、ecause the flowers of the berry bent the stalk over, and it resembled the long-necked bird called a crane. The berries are still grown in New England.In 1988, a Thanksgiving ceremony of a different kind took place at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. More than four thousand people gathered on Th

58、anksgiving night. Among them were Native Americans representing tribes from all over the country and descendants of people whose ancestors had migrated to the New World.The ceremony was a public acknowledgment of the Indians role in the first Thanksgiving 350 years ago. Until recently most schoolchi

59、ldren believed that the Pilgrims cooked the entire Thanksgiving feast, and offered it to the Indians. In fact, the feast was planned to thank the Indians for teaching them how to cook those foods. Without the Indians, the first settlers would not have survived. Halloween万圣节October 31On October 31st,

60、 dozens of children dressed in costumes(节日服装)knock on their neighbors doors and yell Trick or Treat when the door opens. Pirates and princesses, ghosts and popular heroes of the day all hold bags open to catch the candy or other goodies that the neighbors drop in. As they give each child a treat the