情人节

Valentine's Day is named for Saint Valentine,

瓦伦丁节(情人节)是为纪念圣.瓦伦丁而命名的。

an early Christian churchman who reportedly helped young lovers.

瓦伦丁是早期的一位基督教教士,传说曾经帮助过年轻的情侣们。

Valentine was executed for his Christian beliefs

瓦伦丁因信仰基督教被处死，

on February 14 more than 1700 years ago,

于1700多年前的2月14日。

but the day that has his name is even earlier than that.

但是情人节在他处死之前就以他的名字命名了。

More than 2000 years ago,the ancient Romans celebrated a holiday for lovers.

两千多年前,古罗马人为情侣们规定了一个节日。

As part of the celebration,

那天有一个活动是，

girls wrote their names on pieces of paper and put them in a large container

姑娘们把她们的名字写在纸片上,然后放在一个大匣子里。

Boys reached into the container and pulled one out.

小伙子从匣子里摸出一张纸片，

The girl whose name was written on the paper

名字写在那张纸上的姑娘，

became his lover of sweetheart for a year.

在一年内就是他的情人。

Lovers still put their names on pieces of paper

情人们至今仍将他们的名字写在纸片上，

and send each other Valentine's Day cards that tell of their love.

还相互寄送表达爱情的情人节卡片。

Sometimes they send gifts,like flowers or chocolate candy.

有时还寄赠礼物,如鲜花和巧克力糖片。

Americans usually send these gifts and cards through the mail system.

美国人通过邮政系统寄送这些礼物和卡片，

But some use another way to send this message.

但有些人也用另一种方式传达他们的爱意。

They have it printed in a newspaper.The cost is usually a few dollars.

他们把表达爱意的词句登在报纸上,费用只需几美元。

Some of these messages are simple and short:

有些词语很简短,如:

"Jane,I love you very much.Peter."

"简,我非常爱你。彼得。"

Others say more.This one for example:"Dan Roses are red, violets are blue.

有些则说得多些.例如:"丹,玫瑰是红的,紫罗兰是蓝的,

I hope you love me as much as I love you.Forever,Mary."

但愿你爱我像我爱你一样.永远爱你的玛丽。"

Most of the news- papers that print such messages are local,

登载这些爱情寄语的大多是当地报纸，

but one,USA Today,

但是一份叫<今日美国>的报纸

is sold throughout the United States and 90 other countries as well.

在美国各地及其他90个国家发行。

This means someone can send a Valentine messages to a lover

这意味着人们可以在情人节将爱情寄语传到情人那里，

in far away city or town almost anywhere in the world.

传到世界上任何一个遥远城镇。

These massages cost$80 and more.

而费用需要80美元或更多。

An employee of the USA Today

<今日美国>的一个雇员

says readers can have a small heart or rose

说,现在读者可以把一个小小的红心和玫瑰，

printed along with their messages nowadays.

印在爱情寄语旁。

Will this kind of Valentine's Day message reach the one you love?

你所钟爱的人能收到这样的爱情寄语吗?

Well,just make sure he or she reads the newspaper.

噢，你得肯定他或她是看这份报纸的。