Ｅａｓｔｅｒ

Spring is a time for new life.The most important holiday in spring， especially for Christians(n.基督徒)， is Easter. This Christian holiday is not on the same date every year， but it’s always on a Sunday. It can be any Sunday between March 22 and April 25. Many people celebrate Easter by buying new clothes. Children celebrate by hunting for colored eggs that their parents have hidden around the house. People also give Easter baskets filled with candy and other goodies (n.pl. 糕餅;糖果) to one another to celebrate the day.

But the holiday is more than new clothes and good things to eat. On Easter， many people go to church to celebrate Jesus’resurrection(n.復活) from the dead. The Bible tells about Jesus and His death and resurrection. Jesus died because of people’s sins(n.罪). But He rose again and gave forgiveness and new life to everyone who believes in Him. Isn’t that something to celebrate in spring?

From Honolulu to Helsinki， people from many different cultures celebrate Easter. In both America and Belgium， children look for Easter eggs hidden on lawns and in bushes. In America， children believe the eggs are hidden by the Easter bunny(n. phr.復活節兔子). But in Belgium， the hidden eggs are supposed to have fallen from church bells.

In Bulgaria， red Easter eggs are blessed in churches， people also hit these Easter eggs together to see who has the strongest shell(n.殼). The winner looks forward to good fortune(n. 運氣) that year.

Still dozens of other Easter traditions exist. In parts of Austria， for example， children sing from door to door and are rewarded with colorful eggs.

On this day， whatever tradition people follow， they’re sure to have an exciting time.

譯文：

復活節

春天是新生命的季節。春天最重要的節日，尤其對基督徒而言，就是復活節。這個基督教的節日，不見得每年都在同一天，但都是在星期日。從3月22日至4月25日之間的任何一個星期日都可能是復活節。許多人會買新衣來慶祝復活節，小孩子的慶祝方式則是尋找父母在家里四處藏好的彩蛋。人們也會互相贈送裝滿糖果和點心的復活節籃子，來慶祝這個節日。

但這個節日的意義不僅限于新衣和好吃的東西。在復活節，許多人會上教堂慶祝耶穌死而復生。圣經中談到耶穌，談到他的死和復活。耶穌因人們的罪而死，可是他又復活了，赦免每一個信仰他的人，并賜給他們新生命。這豈不是一件值得在春天慶祝的事？

從檀香山到赫爾辛基，許多不同文化的人都慶祝復活節。在美國及比利時，孩童尋找藏在草坪及矮樹叢中的復活節蛋。在美國，孩子們相信這些蛋是復活節兔子給藏起來的；但是在比利時，藏起來的蛋聽說是由教堂鈴鐺掉下來的。

在保加利亞，復活節紅蛋在教堂中被祝福，然后，大家一起敲打這些蛋，看誰的蛋殼最堅硬，贏者可以期待那一年獲得好運氣。

還有許多其他的復活節傳統存在著。例如，在奧地利的一些地區，孩童挨家挨戶唱歌而且以得著彩蛋為獎賞。

在這一天，無論人們遵循什么傳統，都一定會度過快樂的時光。