VOA慢速英语 2008 1225a

This is Steve Ember with a VOA Special English holiday program.

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A scene from the movie ''White Christmas,'' starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney

Music fills the air. Colorful lights shine brightly in windows. Children and adults open gifts from loved ones and friends. These are all Christmas traditions².

Another tradition¹ is snow. Christmas in the northern part of the world comes a few days after the start of winter. In many places, a blanket³ of clean white snow covers the ground on Christmas Day. This is what is meant by a "White Christmas."

Of course, many places do not get snow at Christmas. In fact, they may be very warm this time of year. People who like snow, but live where it is warm, can only dream of having a white Christmas.

American songwriter Irving Berlin captured⁴ these feelings in his song, "White Christmas." Hundreds of singers and musicians have recorded "White Christmas." But the version⁵ most people still know best was sung by Bing Crosby.

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Irving Berlin

Songwriter Irving Berlin was born in Russia in eighteen eighty-eight. He did not celebrate Christmas as a religious⁶ holiday. He was Jewish⁷.

But his song celebrates an idea of peace and happiness⁸ that anyone, anywhere -- snowy or not -- can enjoy. This is Steve Ember.

1 tradition   

n.传说，传统，惯例，引渡，交付

参考例句：

• This tradition has lasted until our own time.这一传统一直保持到我们这个时代。
• They still follow the tradition of their fathers.他们仍然继承着他们祖先的传统。

2 traditions   

n.传统( tradition的名词复数 )；惯例

参考例句：

• one of the theatre's most hallowed traditions 戏院最受尊崇的传统之一
• He said that the new building merely aped the classical traditions. 他说那栋新建筑只是模仿古典传统。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 blanket   

n.毛毯，覆盖物；排字版；vt.用毯子裹，扑灭，挡风， 覆盖，使包含；adj.包含所有的，适用于所有情形的

参考例句：

• A blanket keeps us warm because it is woollen and thick.毯子给我们保暖，因为它用羊毛制成而且很厚。
• He covered the child up with a blanket.他用一条毯子把孩子盖严。

4 captured   

俘获( capture的过去式和过去分词 )； 夺取； 夺得； 引起（注意、想像、兴趣）

参考例句：

• Allied troops captured over 300 enemy soldiers. 盟军俘虏了300多名敌方士兵。
• Most of the rebels were captured and disarmed. 大部分叛乱分子被俘获并解除了武装。

5 version   

n.版本；型号；叙述，说法

参考例句：

• His version of the events is pure supposition.他对这件事的说法纯属猜测。
• What is your version of this matter?你对这件事情的看法 怎么样？

6 religious   

adj.宗教性的，虔诚的，宗教上的；n.修道士，出家人

参考例句：

• She is very religious person who goes to church every Sunday.她十分虔诚，每个星期天都上教堂。
• It is hard for me to reject religious beliefs.要我抛弃自己的宗教信仰是困难的。

7 Jewish   

adj.犹太人的，犹太民族的

参考例句：

• The coin bears a Jewish symbol.硬币上有犹太标记。
• They were two Jewish kids;I was friendly with both of them.他们是两个犹太小孩；我同他们都很要好。

8 happiness   

n.幸福感；快乐；幸运

参考例句：

• I wish you the life of happiness and prosperity.我祝你生活幸福、万事如意。
• We all desire happiness and health.我们都想得到幸福和健康。