英语二翻译-7-圣诞节和感恩节
余年寄山水
509次浏览
2020年07月28日 20:04
最佳经验
本文由作者推荐
骈体-雷泽
Christmas 圣诞节
Christmas is a religious holiday．圣诞节是个宗教节日，It is celebrated on December 25 as the birthday of Christ．每年12月25日基督生日，人们欢庆圣诞。
Most churches have Christmas Eve services．大多数教堂都举办圣诞夜宗教仪式，The services usually begin just before midnight on Christmas Eve and end early Christmas morning．这些仪式一般从圣诞夜开始，一直持续到圣诞节大清早。
It was not until the 4th century that the church in Rome began to celebrate Christmas．直到公元4世纪，罗马教堂才开始庆祝圣诞。Midwinter festivals had always been celebrated by many peoples．各族人一直都在冬天欢庆节日。The approach of the winter time，as the days grew shorter and colder and the sun seemed to threaten to disappear entirely， was a time of fear．冬天是个让人害怕的时节，天变短了，变冷了，太阳好像有全部消失的危险。But the shortest day also meant that winter was leaving and that ahead were spring，但白天最短也意味着冬天即将离去，春天就要来了，the warmth of the sun and the return of vegetation to the fields．温暖的阳光，田野里植物返青也不远了。
Christmas is a family holiday．圣诞节是个家庭节日。Stores，post offices，banks，and businesses close for the day．店铺、邮局、银行、商行都要关门。Schools and colleges close between Christmas and New Year’s Day．中小学和大学在圣诞和新年间放假一周。People stay at home and spend the time with their families．人们在家里和家人团聚，Everybody tries to come home for Christmas．每个人都努力赶回家过圣诞。People send cards or Christmas greetings to their families and friends．人们给家人和朋友寄上贺卡，表达圣诞的祝福。Some families send and get dozens of Christmas cards through the mail．有些家庭要通过邮局寄送和接收成打的贺卡，They wish their friends“ A Merry Christmas’’and“A Happy New Year”．祝愿朋友“圣诞快乐”、“新年快乐”。
The day before the vacation begins，放假的前一天，schools have Christmas parties and programs．学校要举行圣诞聚会，表演节目。The children sing Christmas songs and recite Christmas poems．孩子们唱圣诞歌曲，朗诵圣诞诗篇，They trim their Christmas trees with strings of colored lights． They put glass ornaments on the trees．用一串串的彩灯装饰圣诞树。They throw little pieces of white paper over the trees and put white paper or a white sheet around the feet of the trees，so that they seem to be covered with snow．他们把玻璃装饰品挂在树上，把白纸片撒在树上和周围，用白纸包住圣诞树的底部，仿佛白雪皑皑。Sometimes they hang Christmas cookies and little candies around them．有时，他们也挂上圣诞点心和糖块。
The use of mistletoe as part of Christmas decorations in private houses is common in the United States．美国家庭普遍用榭寄生作为圣诞节装饰的一部分。A spring is fastened to a chandelier in the living room and the youths regard it as their privilege to kiss any pretty young girl who wittingly or unwittingly stands under it．把一个弹簧系在起居室的枝形吊灯上，小伙子们把亲吻有意无意地站在树下的漂亮姑娘看做他们的特权。Kissing under the mistletoe originated in Britain in the early 17th century．这一风俗源于17世纪的英国，The custom was for a berry to be removed from the bough every time a girl was kissed under it．最初是这样的：每当树下一个姑娘被亲吻时，人们就会从圣诞树枝上拿走一个浆果，When all the berries had been removed the kissing came to an end．浆果拿没了，亲吻活动也就结束了。
Little children hang up their stockings on Christmas Eve near their beds，小孩在圣诞夜把长筒袜挂在床边，and they believe that when they are asleep，他们相信睡着的时候，Santa Claus will come to visit them．圣诞老人就会来看他们。He comes down from the North Pole and drives a big sled．圣诞老人驾着大雪橇从北极来， In the sled are toys for all the good children．雪橇上放着给好孩子准备的礼物。Eight little reindeer pull the sled there through the air．八头小驯鹿在空中拉着雪橇，Santa gets out when he comes to the roof of the children’s house．到孩子家房顶时，圣诞老人走下雪橇，He comes down the chimney with a bag of toys．背着大口袋，顺着烟囱到屋里。If the children have been good。要是孩子表现好的话；he will fill their stockings with candies。他就会用点心、水果、玩具塞满长筒袜。fruits and toys，and he also puts some toys under the tree．树下，圣诞老人也放些玩具。
On Christmas morning，圣诞节清早，children look into their stockings．孩子们看各自的长筒袜内有什么，They open their Christmas packages and examine their gifts．他们打开圣诞包，看收到了什么礼物。Usually the whole family has a big Christmas dinner in the afternoon or evening．一般来说，在下午或晚上，整个家庭要好好地吃顿圣诞家宴。The Christmas dinner，which is similar to the Thanksgiving feast，这顿家宴和感恩节的宴席差不多，is traditionally distinguished by a plum—Pudding dessert．传统的特色是要有葡萄干、布丁甜食。
Sometimes American families trim trees outside their homes．有些美国家庭也要修剪装饰户外周围的树，They put electric lights in a tree growing near the door and at night，they turn on the lights. 在门口的树上挂起电灯，晚上打开电灯。 Many towns have very large Christmas trees set up outdoors in the parks．许多城镇在公园内的露天场地
上都竖起很大的圣诞树。In many rural sections of the country and in sections of some cities，在一些乡间和城市的地方，candles，placed near the windows，人们把蜡烛放在窗口，light the paths of singers who go from house to house singing．为挨家挨户唱圣诞歌曲的歌手照明道路。
The air is filled with Christmas songs，空气中弥漫着圣诞的歌声，and the stores are decorated in red and green，the traditional Christmas colors ．商店也装饰得红红绿绿——这是圣诞的传统颜色。Dozens of Santa Clauses welcome the customers．许多圣诞老人招呼着顾客。
The common people have created legends of Santa Claus as a symbol of their deep love for children．普通群众创造了关于圣诞老人的各种传说，以表达对孩子深深的爱意。However，the businessmen and the advertising companies on the main roads have turned Santa Claus into a cold commercial attraction．主要街道两旁的商人和广告公司则把圣诞老人当作了冰冷的商业诱惑。
Christmas is the biggest time for selling goods and American newspapers and magazines make a countdown before Christmas：圣诞节是最繁忙的销售季节，美国各报纸杂志在圣诞节前纷纷打出倒计时牌，“Twenty—one shopping days before Christmas，twenty days before Christmas．．．”．“距圣诞节还有21天购物时间”，“距圣诞节还有20天购物时间”，“Employ your time, for time glides on with speedy foot．” “抓紧时间购物，时间转瞬即逝”。
Text B
Thanksgiving Day 感恩节
Thanksgiving Day comes on the fourth Thursday in November．感恩节是11月的第四个周四。Every year，the president writes a letter to the people．每年，美国总统都要给美国人民一封信，He writes that the fourth Thursday in November will be a national holiday．信中说，11月的第四个周四是全国性的节日。All the stores． banks，schools and offices close。这一天，所有商店、银行、办公场所都不上班。The people can spend Thanksgiving Day with their families．人们同家人欢庆感恩节。
When the Pilgrims landed in 1620 near Cape Cod，Massachusetts． 1620年，英国首批清教徒在马萨诸塞的科德角附近登陆。their first year was very hard．他们在美洲的第一年非常艰难，The winter was much colder than they were used to and many people died．冬天很冷，他们不习惯，许多人死了。Fortunately，the Indians were friendly to them．They showed them how to plant corn and helped them with fishing and trapping． 幸运的是，当地印地安人对他们很友好，教给他们怎样种玉米，帮他们打猎、捕鱼。
Conditions began to improve in the spring of 1621．The Pilgrims planted a large crop and in the fall，they had a good harvest．1621年春天，情况有了好转，清教徒们种了很多庄稼，
秋天获得了大丰收。Besides, there were a lot of wild vegetables and fruits．Fish and game were plentiful．除此之外，当地野菜、野果很多，鱼和猎物也应有尽有。Therefore，they were able to get enough fresh meat despite their lack of skill or experience in hunting and fishing．虽然他们打鱼、狩猎的技能和经验并不多，但也能够吃上足够的鲜肉。Their health improved with the warm weather and their better diet．随着天气变暖，食物增多，他们的健康状况也有了好转。
In the fall，they looked over the past year and were both regretful and thankful．秋天时回想过去的一年，这些清教徒们既感到遗憾，又充满感激。Only fifty of the original one hundred passengers remained．The price in human lives and the tragedy had been great．最初的一百人仅活下来一半，生命和所遭受痛苦的代价十分巨大。0n the other hand，they saw new hope for the future．另一方面，他们看到了未来的希望，They were happy and thankful．既感到高兴，又充满感激。They knew they had enough food for the second winter with the splendid harvest．他们知道获得了丰收，第二个冬天的食物已经足够了。They had eleven crude houses for protection against the severe winter．他们建了十一座抵御严寒的简陋房屋，Seven were for families， and four for communal use．七个供家庭用，四个公用。 The Pilgrims wanted to celebrate the end of their first year in their new home with a real holiday．他们想在年底好好庆祝一下在新房子里度过的第一年。Governor Bradford decided on December13，1621，as the day of giving thanks to God．布拉德福总督决定在1621年12月13日庆祝，表示对上帝的感谢。
The Pilgrims fired a gun at dawn on that first Thanksgiving．第一个感恩节早上破晓时，清教徒们鸣枪表示对上帝的敬意，Afterwards they moved to the meeting—house in a procession and had a church service of thanksgiving．然后排成一队走进公用房屋，举行感恩节宗教仪式。 After that，they set long tables outdoors．宗教仪式之后，他们在户外摆上长桌，A great feast and three days of celebration began．盛宴开始了，欢庆持续了三天。They invited their Indian friends, 他们邀请了印地安朋友参加。who brought with them deer meat，pop-corn，turkeys，many kinds of vegetables，and especially pumpkins，印地安朋友带来了鹿肉、爆米花、火鸡、许多种蔬菜，还有南瓜。which are today both food and decoration for almost every Thanksgiving table． 如今，几乎在每一个感恩节的餐桌上，南瓜既是食品，又是装饰。
On the whole，it was a wonderful holiday for the Pilgrims after their winter of starvation and tragedy．总的来说，经过了一个冬天的饥荒和不幸，清教徒们这个节日过得很愉快。However，they paid for t
his luxury during the following winter．不过，下一年冬天，他们的“奢华”遭到了报应。There was little food for anyone，and they did not have a Thanksgiving feast until the next fall．他们没有吃的，直到又一年的秋天，才欢庆了第二个感恩节。
In the following decades，Thanksgiving Days were frequently held，sometimes a year，sometimes every other year, depending on the circumstances．以后的数十年间，人们经常过感恩节，根据不同的情况，有时一年两次，有时两年一次。
President George Washington proclaimed a Thanksgiving Day in1789 as an expression of gratitude for the establishment of the new government. 乔治?华盛顿总统1789年宣布庆祝感恩节以表示对新政府成立的感谢。Other presidents proclaimed such days for various reasons. 后来的总统也因各种原因宣布欢庆感恩节。
On October 3，1863，it was proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln as a national holiday to be observed on the last Thursday in November. 1863年10月3日，亚不拉罕?林肯总统宣布11月的第四个周四全国欢庆感恩节。At that time，the country was in the middle of a bitter civil war．那时，美国正处在残酷的内战当中， The states were under no obligation to accept the proclamation，虽然各州在法律上没有义务执行这一声明，but many of them cooperated．但大多数州都照办了。Each president since Lincoln has proclaimed a Thanksgiving Day for the nation as a whole．自林肯以后的每位总统都宣布感恩节是全国性的节日。In 1939 President F．D． Roosevelt moved the day to the third Thursday in November to stimulate 刺激business activities by separating it more widely from Christmas．1939年，罗斯福总统把感恩节移到了11月的第三个周四，以与圣诞节的间隔拉长，促进商业活跃。In 1941 he moved it forward again to the fourth Thursday and conceded that there had been no rise in holiday buying． 1941年，他又把感恩节移回11月的第四个周四，承认感恩节前移没有带来假日购物的增长。
Thanksgiving has hardly changed at all since 1621 in its intention and manner of celebration．自1621年，感恩节几乎没有改变它的初衷和庆祝方式。Thanksgiving is a family holiday，for it is customary for all members of the family to gather at the home of the father and mother.感恩节是一个家庭节日，家庭的所有成员都习惯这天聚在父母家中。 All over the country，husbands and wives,sons and daughters, grandchildren and great—grandchildren travel from city to town ，from town to village，or from village to farm to spend the day at their old homes. 全国上下，夫妻、子女、曾孙、玄孙从城市赶到乡镇、从乡镇赶到村庄、从村庄赶到农场在老家一起度过这一天。Many speak to their parents or grandchildren by 1ong distance telephone．许
多人通过长途电话同父母、孙子、孙女通话，祝他们节日快乐。
The family eats a large traditional dinner which is practically the same all over the country，no matter whether it is in the South or North．不管在南方还是在北方，全家人都要吃一顿传统的各地大致一样的感恩节晚餐。The table is always loaded with many different kinds of delicious美味的 food．餐桌上有各种佳肴， Naturally，the main course is the turkey．当然，主菜是火鸡，Pumpkin pie is often served in remembrance of the Indians’gift to the first settlers．也经常吃南瓜饼，以纪念印地安人最初的帮助。In most homes ,there are traditional games after dinner．大部分家庭晚饭以后，会有传统的游戏。Many people go to football games. 许多人去看足球比赛，The churches hold Thanksgiving services．教堂里举行感恩节宗教仪式。Thanksgiving is a chance to renew friendship．感恩节是一个加强友情的好机会。Above all，Thanksgiving Day is a time for remembrance and for giving thanks． 总之，感恩节是纪念和感谢的日子。