VOA慢速英语2020 新冠疫情改变了韩国秋夕节传统（在线收听）

Coronavirus Changes South Korean’s Thanksgiving Traditions

The coronavirus forced 84-year-old Chung Seong-ran to do something new to celebrate South Korea's Thanksgiving holiday.

冠状病毒迫使84岁的郑成然(Chung Seong-ran)为庆祝韩国的感恩节萌生了一些新思路。

This year, her daughter will not come to visit her during the holiday, which is called Chuseok. Instead, Chung sent a video message to her daughter for the first time in her life. A government worker helped her learn how.

今年的秋夕节，女儿无法来看望她了。相反，郑成然生平第一次给女儿发送了一个视频信息。一位政府工作人员帮助她学习如何操作。

"Please, always wear masks and be vigilant! Mommy is eating well and doing fine at home. I only worry about you. I love you," Chung said in the 15-second video.

“一定要记得戴上口罩，保持警惕！”妈妈我在家里吃得好，一切都好。我只是担心你。我爱你，”郑成然在这段15秒的视频中说道。

The Chuseok autumn holiday begins September 30. This year, many South Koreans are observing it differently than in past years.

韩国的秋夕节假期从9月30日开始。今年，许多韩国人对这一节日的看法与往年不同。

Usually, millions of people travel to visit their hometowns. But health officials have for weeks urged people not to travel during the three-day holiday. They say that increased movement could spread the virus and threaten South Korea's gains against COVID-19.

通常，数以百万计的人会返回自己的家乡。但卫生官员几周来一直敦促人们在三天假期期间不要出行。他们说，出行频繁可能会导致冠状病毒传播，威胁韩国抗击新冠肺炎的成果。

A rise in cases in the Seoul area in mid-August and September forced officials to strengthen social distancing and other measures. The 38 new cases reported Tuesday were South Korea's lowest daily increase in about 50 days.

8月中旬和9月，首尔地区的感染病例增加，迫使官员们加强了社交距离和其他限制措施。周二报告的38例新增病例是韩国近50天来最低日增幅。

"We'd like to ask everyone to build family bonds and say hello to each other in a non-contact manner during this year's Chuseok for the safety of your families and all of us," Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said at a recent virus meeting. "We can have video calls with each other or use video conferencing for family gatherings."

韩国卫生部长朴淩厚(Park Neung-hoo)在最近一次冠状病毒会议上表示:“为了家人和所有人的安全，我们希望每个人都能建立家庭共识，在今年的秋夕节期间以非接触的方式相互问候。”“我们可以进行视频通话，或者在家庭聚会上使用视频会议。”

It is unclear how much Chuseok celebrations might affect South Korea's outbreak.

目前还不清楚秋夕节庆祝活动对韩国疫情的影响有多大。

Recent opinion studies of people living in the wider Seoul area showed that most are not planning to visit family. But tens of thousands of tourists are expected to visit the southern vacation island of Jeju. About 95 percent of the rooms at six major hotels on the east coast are already full, tourism officials say.

最近对居住在更大首尔地区的人进行的民意调查显示，大多数人都不打算返乡探亲。但预计将有数万名游客前往南部度假岛屿济州岛。旅游官员说，东海岸六家大型酒店的95%客房已经约满。

The government's anti-virus measures during this year's Chuseok include a ban on eating at restaurants at highway rest areas. The government also has put plastic barriers at outdoor tables there.

今年秋夕节期间，政府的抗击新冠病毒措施包括，禁止在高速公路休息区的餐馆用餐。政府在户外的餐桌上也放置了塑料屏障。

It also will charge people money who are driving on national expressways. The charges are usually suspended during the holiday.

政府还将向在国家高速公路上的车辆收费。通常在节假日期间，高速是免费的。”

In many rural areas, large signs calling for fewer family gatherings during Chuseok have been hung along streets. A sign in the central city of Cheongju reads, "Let's mark this Chuseok with online pilgrimages to ancestral graves and the sending of heartfelt gifts."

在许多农村地区，在秋夕节期间减少家庭聚会的大型标语挂在街道两旁。在中部城市清州市，一块牌子上写着：“让我们通过网上祭祖和邮寄礼物的方式来纪念秋夕节吧。

In the southeastern town of Uiseong where Chung lives, workers were sent to help hundreds of older people record and send video greetings to family members in far-away places. Many live alone and most do not have smartphones. So, the workers used their phones to take videos and send messages to their loved ones.

在郑成然居住的东南部义城郡，有员工前去帮助数百名老人录制并向远方的家人发送视频问候。许多老人独自生活，大多数人没有智能手机。所以，员工们用自己的手机拍摄视频并发送视频给老人的亲属。

Kang Myoung Suk is Chung's daughter. She said that when she received her mother's message, she "felt really happy to see my mom on video as I had been only able to hear her voice on the phone."

姜明淑（Kang Myoung Suk）是郑成然的女儿。她说，当收到妈妈的视频信息时，“看到视频里的妈妈真的很开心，因为以前只能在电话里听到她的声音。”

I'm Ashley Thompson.