英语听力精选进阶版 6149（在线收听）

Our Christmas Message 我们的祝语

Every week Take Away English reports on interesting events and fascinating people in the UK and around the world, but this week we are talking directly to you to tell you all about our Christmas and New Year Plans.

Firstly, let’s hear from Alison, the editor of the China Team, who is having a family Christmas followed by a wild New Year:

"For New Year, I'm taking a trip to Hamburg in Germany. I am going to a New Year's party in a restaurant, there'll be a gourmet menu with champagne and then dancing and fireworks at midnight outside. In Germany they like to let off fireworks that bang loudly," says Alison.

Emily, our broadcast assistant, is looking forward to some traditional Christmas fare with her family after exchanging presents.

"Before dinner we give each other presents around the Christmas tree. For dinner we eat all the traditional food such as turkey, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and Christmas pudding; and after dinner we play party games, eat chocolates, sweets, nuts, and drink wine," says Emily.

But what about our Chinese colleagues, how do they celebrate at this time of year? Producer Helen has a baby boy, who can complicate Christmas.

"I'm spending this Christmas with my family at my home in London. It's going to be my son Leonard's second Christmas, so we have made a bit of effort putting up a few baby-friendly decorations in our flat.

"We've got a few pots of poinsettias which are big red flowers with a very Christmas feel, and there are no prickly needles, so Leonard is safe from causing disasters," says Helen.

As for our writer Diarmuid, he is flying to France to visit his family there for a gastronomic yuletide celebration.

"Having Christmas in France means there will be a fantastic variety of delicious French wines to enjoy. Who knows? I might even bring some back for the team," he says.

GLOSSARY 词汇表

fascinating 精彩的，迷人的

editor 编辑

wild 疯狂的

gourmet 美食

fireworks 烟花

let off 放（烟花）

bang 突然巨响

broadcast assistant 广播助理

traditional 传统的

fare 可口佳肴 

turkey 火鸡

Brussels sprouts 抱子甘蓝（俗称小洋白菜）

nuts 坚果

decorations 装饰  

poinsettias 猩猩木

prickly needles 荆棘

disasters 灾难

gastronomic 美食学的

yuletide 圣诞节 （古语）

wines 葡萄酒