節日盤點:趣詞背后的故事

1. 萬圣節的慶祝活動來源于All Hallows Day 或 All Saints Day，每年的11月1日。原先是異教徒們紀念死者的節日，但是逐漸演變成一個紀念基督圣者的節日。

2. Halloween 這個字來自于All Hallows Eve，也就是All Hallows Day的前一天。人們認為在當天晚上，亡者的靈魂會重新復活。

3. Dressing up in costumes 是最受歡迎的萬圣節風俗之一，尤其受孩子們的歡迎。按照傳統，人們會dress up in costumes (穿戴著一些特別的服裝，面具或者裝飾)來嚇跑靈魂。

4. 流行的萬圣節服裝包括 vampires(吸血鬼)，ghosts(死者的靈魂)和werewolves(每當月圓時變成狼形的人)。

5. Trick or Treat 是現代萬圣節的風俗，孩子們穿著特殊的衣服走街串巷，討取treats (類似糖果和玩具之類)。如果他們要不到任何treats，他們可能就會對屋主 trick了(惡作劇或胡鬧)。

6. Jack o’ Lantern 的傳統來自于一個民間傳說，一個名叫Jack的人戲弄了惡魔，之后就不得不提著一盞燈在地球上流浪。Jack o’ Lantern是用蠟燭插在中間挖空且雕刻成臉形的南瓜做成的。

7. 和萬圣節有關superstitions （迷信）還有很多。superstition是一種不合常理的想法，比如認為13是不吉利的數字。

8. 萬圣節還和一些supernatural creatures(如鬼魂和吸血鬼)有關。這些生物不是自然界的一部分，他們實際上是不存在的，或者他們其實真的存在？

9. Witches 是萬圣節很受歡迎的人物，人們認為他們有強大的魔力。他們通常戴著尖頂的帽子，騎在掃帚上飛來飛去。

10. Bad omens 也是萬圣節慶祝活動的一部分。人們相信bad omen會帶給人類厄運，譬如黑貓，蜘蛛或者蝙蝠。

萬圣節前夕

Halloween is an autumn holiday that Americans celebrate every year. It means “holy evening”， and it comes every October 31st， the evening before All Saints’ Day. However， it is not really a church holiday， it is a holiday for children mainly.

Every autumn， when the vegetables are ready to eat， children pick large orange pumpkins. Then they cut faces in the pumpkins and put a burning candle inside. It looks as if there were a person looking out of the pumpkin!These lights are called Jack-o’-lanterns， which means “Jack of the lantern”.

The children also put on strange masks and frightening costumes every Halloween. Some children paint their faces to look like monsters. Then they carry boxes or bags from house to house. Every time they come to a new house， they say， “Trick or treat! Money or eat!” The grown-ups put treat-money or candy in their bags.

Not only children， but most grown-ups also love Halloween and Halloween parties because on this day， they can disguise themselves as personages or ghost as their imaginations will lead them. This bring them the satisfaction of being young.

Comprehension Questions

()1. Halloween is an autumn holiday mainly for _____.

A. grown-upsB. church people

C. menD. children

()2. The grown-ups give money or candy to the children because_____.

A. they want the children to go away quickly

B. they show pity on the children

C. they love Halloween

D. they are afraid of being cheated by the children

()3. The word “disguise” in the last paragraph means “ _____”.

A. to change the usual appearance

B. to disagree with someone

C. to put on

D. to protect

()4. The grown-ups disguise themselves on this day in order to _____.

A. get money or candy from the others

B. frighten the children

C. bring them the satisfaction of being young

D. become an actor or actress