?Different Christmas Parties

金家軍（譯）

◆語篇導讀

在西方國家圣誕期間，親朋好友通常是聚到一起，吃吃，喝喝，玩玩，樂此不疲！但在英國，同事間卻過著不一樣的圣誕節，他們通過舉辦圣誕聚會來捉弄秘密圣誕老人，抽簽買禮物，舞會上紳士們、女士們邁舞步、搞惡作劇等。

Workplaces all over the UK are busy for the festival period and all the traditions and customs that come with it.But will this Christmas be a cause for happiness and celebration,or disappointment and embarrassment(尷尬)?

One way that co-workers in Britain show their thanks for each other at this time of year is by giving a“Secret Santa”present.“Secret Santa”is people who work together buy each other gifts without saying who they are from.

Co-workers all write their names on a piece of paper and then put a lottery in which each workmate takes another workmate's name at random.Each person then has to buy a present for the person whose name they have picked,usually five or ten pounds(50 or 100 yuan).

As the gifts are given without a giver's name,presents can be different greatly.In an Internet survey of Secret Santa presents,gifts that people received are from tickets to the opera to an air-freshener hanger for a car.

Another common seasonal workplace tradition is the office Christmas party,when workmates put on their best clothes and enjoyed plenty of free booze(酒水).

While most parties go well,sometimes alcohol causes party-goers to regret their drunken behaviors.

The BBC invited people to share their most embarrassing Christmas office party stories,and received hundreds of funny stories,such as the man who split(剪開)his trousers back to front with his beautiful dance moves,or the lightly drunk lady who spent the whole night with back of her dress tucked into her trousers,and saw the photos that proved it later at work.

◆詞語積淀

co-worker共同工作者;同事

at random隨意

air-freshener空氣清新劑

alcohol/??lk?h?l/n.酒精；乙醇

drunken behaviors醉酒后的胡鬧行為

back to front（衣服）前后顛倒（或前后穿反）

lightly drunk微醉的

tuck into塞進

◆典句賞析

1.One way that co-workers in Britain show their thanks for each other at this time of year is by giving a“Secret Santa”present.在英國，同事們在每年這個時候互相感激的一種方式是送一個“秘密圣誕老人”禮物。

這是個復合句。“that co-workers...of year”是that引導的定語從句，修飾名詞way；介詞短語“in Britain”修飾名詞co-workers作后置定語；介詞短語“at this time of year”表明動詞show的時間。

【即時嘗試】我朋友學英語的方式是大量聽。

2.“Secret Santa”is people who work together buy each other gifts without saying who they are from.秘密圣誕老人是指那些在一起工作的人互相買禮物，卻不告訴對方是誰。

這是個復合句。“who work together”為who引導的定語從句，修飾名詞people；介詞短語“without saying...”修飾動詞buy作方式狀語；“who they are from”作動詞say的賓語。

【即時嘗試】他未向我們道別就離開了。

3....such as the man who split his trousers back to front with his beautiful dance moves,or the lightly drunk lady who spent the whole night with back of her dress tucked into her trousers,and saw the photos that proved it later at work.比如有人邁著優雅的舞步，褲子卻剪開了，前后反穿，還有微醉的女士整個晚上連衣裙后面都被塞在褲子里而不知,后來在工作中才看到這些照片。

such as后面列舉了兩個例子，其一是“the man...”，另外一個是“the...lady”；“who split his trousers...moves”為定語從句；“with his beautiful dance moves”和“back to front”都是方式狀語，修飾動詞短語“split his trousers”。

【即時嘗試】那天英語老師穿著一件T恤進來了。

譯文助讀

英國各地的工作場所都在忙著迎接圣誕節日的到來，以及隨之而來的傳統和習俗。但是這個圣誕節會成為歡樂和慶祝的源泉，還是失望和尷尬的源泉呢？

在英國，同事們在每年這個時候互相感激的一種方式是送一個“神秘圣誕老人”禮物。神秘圣誕老人是指那些在一起工作的人互相買禮物，卻不告訴對方是誰。

同事們分別把名字寫在一張紙上，投個樂透，每個同事隨機抽一位同事的名字。然后每個人都要為他們選中的同事買一份禮物，價格通常是5到10英鎊（約合人民幣50到100元）。

由于送禮物的人沒有寫上名字，所以禮物會有很大的不同。在一項關于神秘圣誕老人禮物的網上調查中，人們收到的禮物從一張歌劇票到車載空氣清新劑支架都有。

另一個常見的季節性工作場所的傳統就是辦公室圣誕派對，同事穿上他們最好的衣服，盡情地享受充足又免費的酒水。

雖然大多數聚會順利,但是有時酒精的刺激會讓參加派對的人后悔自己酒后的胡鬧行為。

英國廣播公司邀請人們分享他們最尷尬的辦公室圣誕派對的故事，并得到了數以百計的有趣的故事。比如有人邁著優雅的舞步，褲子卻剪開了，前后反穿，還有微醉的女士整個晚上連衣裙后面都被塞在褲子里而不知,后來在工作中才看到這些照片。