常春藤解析英语【49】Out with the Old, In with the Ne

Out with the Old, In with the New Year　除旧布新迎新年

by Levi King

"Three, two, one, Happy New Year!" Most people are familiar with the dropping of the ball of lights in New York City, along with the famous fireworks displays in Rio de Janeiro, Sydney, and Taipei. But here are a few lesser-known New Year's Day traditions from around the globe.

In Japan, people send postcards to friends and family. They also fly kites, play games, and read poetry. Some traditions related to Chinese New Year are banging gongs to drive away bad luck and spirits and giving money to children on January 1.

In Spanish-speaking countries around the world, wearing red underwear on New Year's Day is thought to bring good luck in love. In Ecuador, people burn dummies 1 stuffed with paper and firecrackers to symbolize 2 the death of the old year. In Spain and Mexico, people eat 12 grapes to ensure 12 lucky months.

In Scotland, home of the famous New Year song, "Auld 3 Lang Syne 4," people bring gifts to neighbors just after midnight. In Denmark, people smash old plates to attract new friends. Dutch people believe that doughnuts are good luck because their ring shape symbolizes 5 a complete year.

Around the world, it's common practice to give a loved one a kiss at midnight on New Year's Day. People of many countries also make resolutions, believing that the new year is a good time to leave bad habits behind. Common resolutions include dieting, exercising, or quitting smoking.

Throw a party, watch some fireworks, eat a special food, or make a resolution. No matter where you are, there are plenty of great ways to welcome the New Year.

1. Rio de Janeiro is known for its famous New Year's _____.

(A) resolutions

(B) fireworks show

(C) underwear

(D) ball drop

2. Which of the following is NOT a common New Year's resolution?

(A) Eating doughnuts.

(B) Working out.

(C) Giving up smoking.

(D) Going on a diet.

3. Some New Year's customs in Japan _____.

(A) are derived 6 from Chinese New Year traditions

(B) bring bad luck in other countries

(C) are a closely guarded secret

(D) actually take place in July or August

精解字词词组

1. be familiar with...　　对……熟悉，熟悉……

be familiar to sb　　对某人而言很熟悉

例: Are you familiar with the head librarian at our university?

（你跟我们大学里的图书馆馆长熟不熟？）

例: Rice paddies are familiar to me because I grew up in the countryside.

（我对稻田很熟悉，因为我是在乡下长大的。）

2. along with...　　连同……（一起）

= together with...

例: James, along with Tina, went to Victor's wedding.

（詹姆斯和蒂娜一同参加维克的婚礼。）

3. display n. 展示 & vt. 展现

fireworks display　　烟火秀

on display　　展示中

= on exhibition

例: Linda's sculptures are on display in the lobby of this hotel.

（琳达的雕刻作品正在这间饭店的大厅中展出。）

例: The locals tend to display hostility 7 toward strangers.

（当地人往往对陌生来客展现出敌意。）

4. be related to...　　与……有关

例: This TV series is related to the movie of the same name.

（这部电视影集与其同名电影是有关联的。）

5. drive away...　　赶走……

例: This device is guaranteed to drive away mosquitoes.

（这种装置保证能赶走蚊子。）

6. be stuffed with...　　塞满……

例: Cindy's suitcase was stuffed with new clothes when she came back from Paris.

（辛迪从巴黎回来时，皮箱里塞满了新衣服。）

7. symbolize vt. 象征

例: The red rose symbolizes love in most cultures.

（在大部分文化中，红玫瑰象征爱情。）

8. attract vt. 吸引

be attracted by/to...　　被……所吸引

例: The bull was attracted by the bullfighter's red cape 8.

（公牛被斗牛士的红色披肩吸引过来。）

例: Children are easily attracted to toys.

（小孩子很容易被玩具吸引。）

9. make resolutions/a resolution　　下决心

make a resolution to V　　 下决心做……

= be determined 9 to V

= resolve to V

＊ resolution n. 决心

＊ resolve vt. 下决心

例: I made a resolution to quit smoking this year.

（我下定决心今年要戒烟。）

10. leave...behind　　将……抛在后面；遗忘……

例: James accidentally left his cell phone behind in the cab.

（詹姆士不小心把手机遗忘在出租车上了。）

11. work out　　运动，健身

例: Todd lost a few pounds by working out every day.

（托德藉由每天运动减轻了好几磅。）

12. go on a diet　　节食，控制饮食

例: After a woman has a baby, she often needs to go on a diet.

（女人生完小孩后通常需要节食。）

13. be derived from...　　来自∕起源于……

例: The word "mother" is derived from the Latin word "mater."

（"mother" 这个字源自拉丁文的 "mater"。）

14. take place　　发生；举行

例: When did the Gulf 10 War take place?

（波湾战争是何时发生的？）

单字小铺

1.firework n. 烟火（常用复数）

set off fireworks　　施放烟火

2.lesser-known a. 较不为人知的

3.postcard n. 明信片

4.kite n. 风筝

fly a kite　　放风筝

5.poetry n. 诗（不可数名词）

poem n. 诗（可数名词）

6.bang vt. 敲击

7.gong n. 锣

8.spirit n. 鬼魂

9.underwear n. 内衣裤

10.dummy 11 n. 假人

11.firecracker n. 鞭炮（常用复数）

set off firecrackers　　放鞭炮

12.ensure vt. 确保

13.Auld Lang Syne n. 骊歌

注意:

auld lang syne 为苏格兰文，直译成英文是 "old long since" 或 "times gone by"，意思是『逝去已久的日子』，在很多西方国家，这首歌通常会在除夕夜演唱，象征送走旧年，迎接新年的来临。

14.smash vt. 砸碎

15.doughnut n. 甜甜圈

16.custom n. 习俗

17.guarded a. 受到守护的

词组小铺

1. throw a party　　举行派对

= hold/have a party

2. be known for sth　　以某事物闻名

3. give up...　　戒除……；放弃……

中文翻译＆标准答案

『三、二、一，新年快乐！』大多数人对纽约市降下的灯球很熟悉，对里约热内卢、雪梨和台北闻名的烟火秀也不陌生。但全世界还有一些较不为人知的新年传统。

在日本，人们寄明信片给亲朋好友。他们也放风筝、玩游戏并朗诵诗歌。他们与中国春节相关的一些传统是敲锣打鼓来赶走霉运和恶灵，并在元旦包红包给小孩子。

在全世界的西语系国家，穿红色内衣裤被认为会带来好的桃花运。在厄瓜多尔，人们焚烧塞满纸张和鞭炮的假人，象征旧年的逝去。在西班牙和墨西哥，人们吃十二颗葡萄，确保十二个幸运月份。

在著名的新年歌曲《骊歌》的发源地苏格兰，午夜一过，人们便会送礼物给邻人。在丹麦，人们砸碎旧盘子来吸引新朋友。荷兰人则相信甜甜圈象征好运，因为圆圆的造型象征完美的一年。

在新年午夜时分给心爱的人一吻在世界各地都很常见。很多国家的人们也会订下新年新希望，他们相信新的一年是摒弃坏习惯的好时机。常见的新年新希望包括减肥、运动或戒烟。

开派对、看烟火、吃某种特别的食物、订定新希望。不论你在哪里，都会有很多很棒的方式迎接过年。

1. 里约热内卢以其新年的 _____ 闻名。

(A) 新希望

(B) 烟火秀

(C) 内衣裤

(D) 球体落下

题解: 第一段提到人们对里约热内卢、雪梨和台北闻名的烟火秀也不陌生，由此可知，应选 (B)。

2. 下列何者不是常见的新年新希望？

(A) 吃甜甜圈。

(B) 健身。

(C) 戒烟。

(D) 减肥。

题解: 根据第五段，常见的新年新希望包括减肥、运动或戒烟，只有 (A) 未被提及，故选之。

3. 有些日本的新年习俗 _____。

(A) 源自于中国春节的传统

(B) 在其它国家会带来厄运

(C) 是严格守护的秘密

(D) 实际上在七、八月时发生

题解: 根据第二段，日本的新年习俗有敲锣打鼓来赶走霉运和恶灵，在元旦包红包给小孩子，而这些是与中国春节相关的传统，故选 (A)。

标准答案: 1. (B)　2. (A)　3. (A)