?The customs of the Dragon Boat Festival

江西 戴劍國（譯）

◆語篇導讀

端午節是中國古老的傳統節日之一，它始于春秋戰國時期，現已有2,000多年歷史。如今，端午節在每個中國人心中都是一個重要的節日。可是，你對端午節的習俗又知道多少呢？下面讓我們一起來了解一下吧！

The Dragon Boat Races

Traditions at the center of this festival are the dragon boat races.Competing teams drive their colorful dragon boats forward to the rhythm of beating drums.These exciting races came into being by the villager's brave ideas to save Qu Yuan from the Miluo River.This tradition has kept down for centuries.

Tzung Tzu

A very popular dish during the Dragon Boat Festival is Tzung Tzu.This tasty dish is made of rice dumplings with meat,peanut,egg yolk,red dates or other fillings wrapped in bamboo leaves.The tradition of Tzung Tzu is meant to remind us of the village fishermen scattering rice across the water of the Miluo River in order to appease the river dragons so that they would not eat off Qu Yuan.

Ay Tsao

The time of year of the Dragon Boat Festival,the fifth lunar month,has more importance than just the story of Qu Yuan.Many Chinese think this time of year is an especially dangerous time when extra struggle must be made to protect their family from illness.Families will hang some herbs,called Ay Tsao,on their door for protection.

Five-color Ropes

Tying five-color decorative ropes around children's wrists,ankles and necks during the Dragon Boat Festival is said to help the children keep away from pests.

Sachets

Sachets are also worn.These sachets contain all kinds of sweetsmelling medicinal herbs thought to protect the wearers from illness by people.

◆詞語積淀

wrap/r?p/v.包；裹

appease/??pi:z/v.安撫；平息

lunar/?lu?n?(r)/adj.月球的；月亮的

decorative/?dek?r?t?v/adj.裝飾性的；作裝飾用的

herb/hз?b/n.藥草；香草

ankle/???kl/n.踝；踝關節

pest/pest/n.害蟲

sachet/?s??e?/n.香囊；小香袋

◆典句賞析

1.Competing teams drive their colorful dragon boats forward to the rhythm of beating drums.比賽的隊伍在熱烈的鼓聲中劃著他們多彩的龍舟前進。

這是一個簡單句。competing和beating均為v.-ing形式作定語，但前者為現在分詞，后者為動名詞。

【即時嘗試】正在和我們英語老師談話的那位女士是誰？

2.The tradition of Tzung Tzu is meant to remind us of the village fishermen scattering rice across the water of the Miluo River in order to appease the river dragons so that they would not eat off Qu Yuan.而粽子的傳統則是為了讓我們想起汨羅江邊的漁夫們，他們將米丟入江中平息江中的蛟龍，希望它們不要將屈原吃掉。

“remind sb.of sb./sth.”是固定搭配，意為“使某人想起某人或某物”；in order to是固定短語，意為“為了……”，后接動詞原形，其否定式是in order not to。in order to結構可以用于句首，也可以放在句中。

【即時嘗試】為了在天黑前到達，我們很早就動身了。

3.These sachets contain all kinds of sweet-smelling medicinal herbs thought to protect the wearers from illness by people.這些香包中含有多種芳香的藥草，人們認為這些藥草可以保護佩戴者免生疾病。

thought to protect the wearer from illness為過去分詞短語，在句中作后置定語；protect...from...意為“保護……免于……”，from后接名詞或代詞作賓語。

【即時嘗試】那個穿紅色衣服的學生是我的女兒。

（答案見第63頁）

譯文助讀

龍舟競賽

端午節最重要的活動是龍舟競賽，比賽的隊伍在熱烈的鼓聲中劃著他們多彩的龍舟前進。這項活動的靈感是來自當時的居民在汨羅江上劃船打撈屈原尸體的故事，而這個傳統也一直傳承了數個世紀。

粽子

端午節非常受歡迎的食物是粽子，粽子是用米包著肉、花生、蛋黃、紅棗或其他食材，再用竹葉包裹制成的。而粽子的傳統則是為了讓我們想起汨羅江邊的漁夫們，他們將米丟入江中平息江中的蛟龍，希望它們不要將屈原吃掉。

艾草

對中國人而言，農歷的五月，也就是端午節的這個時候，除了有屈原的故事還有許多其他重要的意義。許多中國人認為五月是一年中容易引發疾病的危險時節，因此必須備有許多防止家人生病的措施。許多家庭會將一種特別的植物——艾草掛在門口，作為保護之用。

五彩線環

在端午節期間，人們會給孩子的手腕、腳踝和脖子系上五彩裝飾線環，據說這可以幫助孩子防止害蟲的侵害。

香包

香包也是用來佩戴的。這些香包中含有多種芳香的藥草，人們認為這些藥草可以保護佩戴者免生疾病。