当代大学英语(Band3-2).doc

Unit 2 Public holidaysPublic holidays in the US The major holidays Christmas1 “Tis the season to be jolly,” says the Christmas song. December 25 commemorates the birth of Christ and is the biggest holiday of the year. Its celebration goes far beyond its religious origins, and most of the festivities have little to do with religion. In fact, the holiday may originally have been a pre-Christian celebration of the winter solstice (December 21), when the days start to get longer again.2 Christmas calls people home from far away to be with their families, and each family has its own Christmas traditions. Although Jews and members of some other religions may prefer not to, most houses have a decorated Christmas tree, and people cook (or buy) special foods for the season Christmas cookies, plum puddings, fruit cakes. Everybody is expected to have a family or family substitute at Christmas time; it is the only time of year that some families see each other. It is also a particularly depressing time for those who are alone.Words and Expressionsjolly: adj. happy, cheerful ( slightly old-fashioned) 快活的celebration: n. a party, feast or other event to celebrate something, eg a birthday 庆祝活动commemorate: v. to be a reminder of somebody or something 作为对。的纪念religious: adj. concerned with religion 宗教的origin: n. the place where something began 起源 No one knows the exact origin of th North American Native Americans.festivity: n. celebrations 节日，欢庆 I always enjoy the festivities during Chinese New Year.religion: n. a belief in th life of the soul or spirit, and usually in one ( or more) gods 宗教tradition: n. an old custom that some people still follow today 传统Jew: n. a person who believes in the same God as Christianity (and Islam), but is not a believer in Christ, or a follower of Muhammad 犹太人decorated: adj. made to look attractive, eg a wedding cake may be decorated. 经装饰的 cf the noun decoration: Christmas tree decorationscookies: n. small sweet snacks 曲奇饼 biscuits in British Englishplum pudding: a delicious and rich pudding made of fruit (but not usually plums) rather like a cake 干果布丁（圣诞节传统食物）substitute: n. a replacement, something you use instead of something else. eg some teams have players who are substitutes, and who may be called on to play if necessary. 代替者Some people put sugar in their tea; others prefer a sugar-substitute.Textbooks are no substitute for real life.3 The central tradition of Christmas is the exchanging of gifts which are intended to represent the “Goodwill towards men” that Christ preached. Every year, voices rise to protest the insane commercialization of Christmas, but nothing has dimmed the enthusiasm for gift-giving. As a nation of shameless consumers, a holiday centered round shopping suits us very well. Charitable giving is at a peak over Christmas as well.4 A fair proportion of the years parties are given at Christmas time. As Christmas takes place the week before the New Year begins, the holiday spirit does not diminish even after Christmas. Christmas parties can be given any time between December 12 and December 29. “Open houses” are popular, some given on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.5 Family traditions vary. Some people open their presents on Christmas Eve, and some wait until Christmas Day. There are many church services over the Christmas period. Throughout the Christmas season there is much singing of Christmas carols, lovely songs well-known to most Americans.6 Usually a big dinner makes its way to the family table some time between 1 and 8 on Christmas Day. If you are a foreigner visiting the US, far away from your family and home, everyone will feel sorry for you and may well invite you to one of these celebrations. If so, you may wish to bring a bottle of wine, or flowers, or a potted plant, as a gift.7 Often cards are exchanged at this time. Through an accident of the calendar, Christmas and New Year are very close to each other. A card may just offer “Seasonal greetings”; but many cards contain the message “A merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year”. New Years Eve8 Our calendar elects January 1 as the first day of the new year. The big celebrations are held the evening of December 31 “to see the new year in”. As soon as the clock strikes twelve midnight, people shake hands, and kiss, and often sing the traditional Scottish song Auld Lang Syne.9 While most companies only give workers a day or two off at Christmas, its a time when many people take personal vacation days. The week between Christmas and New Years Day is not a time any one should seriously expect to get much business done. In this respect it is very similar to Chinese New Year in China.Thanksgiving10 The fourth Thursday of November, Americans celebrate Thanksgiving and remember a supposed feast between the Native Americans and the Pilgrims in 1621. Had the Native Americans not befriended the Pilgrims during that winter, the Pilgrims would have starved. In recognition of this occasion,(and ignoring all the bloodshed that followed) and of the success of the Mayflower settlement, Americans have a harvest feast every year.11 A big turkey (wild turkey was a Native American delicacy) is central to Thanksgiving. Surrounding the turkey, one expects to see stuffing, cranberry sauce, potatoes, squash, and pumpkin and delicious pies filled with a sweet mixture called “mincemeat”. Whether or not the Pilgrims enjoyed the same foods we dont know, but mince pies and the other delicacies are all New England specialties that are served on nearly every table at Thanksgiving.12 It is as important to have somewhere to go on Thanksgiving as it is on Christmas. Some businesses are closed both on Thanksgiving, a Thursday, and the next day, a Friday, enabling people to travel great distances to join their families. However, other than wishing others a happy Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving is not nearly as demanding as Christmas. No gifts or celebrating other than the dinner itself are required. It is a generous holiday, and many families welcome those who havent family of their own nearby.Words and Expressionsintend: v. to aim to do something 打算，计划 I do not intend to fail this course.represent: v. to stand for something 代表，象征 My best friend is going to represent the College in the athletics test: v. to speak against something 抗议 The students protested the unfair test. (In British English, the preposition against is used: “The students protested against the unfair test.”)commercialization: n. from the verb commercialize: to manage on a business basis for profit 商品化dim: v. to make darker, to diminish 使。模糊不清 The lights dimmed, and the ply started.enthusiasm: n. a strong feeling of interest and enjoyment about something and an eagerness to be involved in it 热心 The students welcomed their new teacher with enthusiasm.shameless: adj. without shame, whithout feeling ashamed 无耻的consumer: n. a person who is keen on buying things 消费者charitable: adj. concerned with charities. Charities are voluntary (自发的) organizations that do a great deal to help the poor and sick.慈善的，仁爱的；慈善组织的at a peak (idiom): at their highest 在巅峰期 Illness is at a peak in Fportion: n. percentage 比例 A large proportion of that class is studying science.diminish: v. to reduce 减少merry: adj. happy (Like jolly,this word is slightly old-fashioned.) 欢乐的，愉快的prosperous: adj. doing well economically 兴旺的calendar: n. a way of keeping track of the passing of days and months 日历in this respect: Here,respect means”particular aspect or detail”. 在这方面，就这点而言 In many respects, I agreed with him; however, I could not agree with his views about the new science lab.pilgrim: n. a person who goes somewhere for a religious reason. The “Pilgrim Fathers” were a group of people (of both sexes!) who left England for religious reasons, and settled in North America. They were all “protestants”-Christians who did not agree with the teaching of the Catholic Church, and who protested against it. However, these das, both Catholics and Protestants celebrate Thanksgiving. 朝圣者befriend: n. to make a friend