美国国家公共电台 NPR--The Persian New Year marks the beginning of spring

The Persian New Year marks the beginning of spring

Transcript¹

Nowruz, commonly known as the Persian New Year, symbolizes² revival³ and renewal⁴ for its more than 300 million celebrants in modern-day Iran and beyond.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

I woke up yesterday morning. It was 26 degrees in Washington, D.C. But then by the afternoon, it was in the 50s and felt like spring because it is spring. And people around the world are celebrating what's called the Persian new year, Nowruz, which dates back thousands of years and is a holiday to mark the start of spring. Today, it is observed by people of multiple faiths and ethnicities.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

And this morning we'll spend a moment with people from one of those faiths. It's a group that celebrates despite persecution⁵ in Iran. For those of the Baha'i faith, like Iraj Kamalabadi, the holiday ends 19 days of fasting from dawn to dusk.

IRAJ KAMALABADI: Families are not always together. They're separated. Some are back home in Iran, and some are here.

INSKEEP: Kamalabadi should know because he came to the United States from Iran in 1977. We spoke⁶ with another man who practices the Baha'i faith and hopes to return to Iran, which is why he asked us to withhold⁷ his name.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: In Iran, there is always that fear of being recognized or being identified as a Baha'i in the public.

FADEL: About 300,000 people are of the Baha'i faith in Iran, but they're not allowed to practice their religion in public.

INSKEEP: In fact, Mr. Kamalabadi says his father was jailed and mistreated in Iran. His younger sister was imprisoned⁸ four times and is currently serving a 10-year sentence on spying charges, all of which makes his Nowruz experience in the United States hard.

KAMALABADI: It gives you a feeling of loneliness.

FADEL: Elham Abbassi says she was barred from higher education in Iran because of her Baha'i faith.

ELHAM ABBASSI: I had friends that - I saw them going to the university, getting their education. But I didn't have that privilege.

FADEL: She fled to Lahore, Pakistan, with her family and was finally able to celebrate openly with the Iranian community in her refugee camp.

ABBASSI: Baha'is have freedom in Pakistan. They had their celebrations, their feasts, their gatherings⁹ with no problems.

INSKEEP: And we should note again people of multiple faiths in multiple countries do celebrate Nowruz. I was at a Nowruz celebration once in Iraq. A typical Nowruz feast might feature dishes of rice with nuts or raisins¹⁰, barbecued lamb and beef kebab and lots of fresh herbs and yogurt. I'm hungry now.

FADEL: Me too. That sounds so delicious. It's also a time for prayer and reflection.

KAMALABADI: I am always hopeful. We don't hold any animosity towards our persecutors. We love all humanity equally.

FADEL: A spiritual journey that Kamalabadi says helps him see a future free of repression¹¹.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 symbolizes   

v.象征，作为…的象征( symbolize的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The use of light and dark symbolizes good and evil. 用光明与黑暗来象征善与恶。
• She likes olive because It'symbolizes peace. 她喜欢橄榄色因为它象征着和平。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 revival   

n.复兴，复苏，（精力、活力等的）重振

参考例句：

• The period saw a great revival in the wine trade.这一时期葡萄酒业出现了很大的复苏。
• He claimed the housing market was showing signs of a revival.他指出房地产市场正出现复苏的迹象。

4 renewal   

adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来

参考例句：

• Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。

5 persecution   

n. 迫害,烦扰

参考例句：

• He had fled from France at the time of the persecution. 他在大迫害时期逃离了法国。
• Their persecution only serves to arouse the opposition of the people. 他们的迫害只激起人民对他们的反抗。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 withhold   

v.拒绝，不给；使停止，阻挡

参考例句：

• It was unscrupulous of their lawyer to withhold evidence.他们的律师隐瞒证据是不道德的。
• I couldn't withhold giving some loose to my indignation.我忍不住要发泄一点我的愤怒。

8 imprisoned   

下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。
• They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。

9 gatherings   

聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集

参考例句：

• His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
• During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次，其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。

10 raisins   

n.葡萄干( raisin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These raisins come from Xinjiang,they taste delicious. 这些葡萄干产自新疆，味道很甜。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mother put some raisins in the cake. 母亲在糕饼中放了一些葡萄干。 来自辞典例句

11 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。