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VOA慢速英语2009年-THIS IS AMERICA - Christmas 2009 in Am

时间:2010-01-11 02:55来源:互联网 提供网友:斗破苍穹   字体: [ ]
    (单词翻译:双击或拖选)

VOICE ONE:

A major snowstorm hit the East Coast on the weekend before Christmas. Christmas trees for sale in the Upper West Side neighborhood of New York.

Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I'm Barbara Klein. This week on our program, our subject is Christmas in America.

(MUSIC)

This Friday, millions of American Christians2 will celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, their lord. Many families will sing traditional Christmas carols and exchange gifts around decorated trees. And many will attend special church services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Reporter Jerilyn Watson spoke3 with David Denoon, senior minister at the First Congregational Church of Evanston, Illinois, near Chicago. This is his second year there.

He says that at the early service on Christmas Eve, he will begin with a question for the children. What might Jesus want for his birthday? Then he will turn his talk toward the adults.

DAVID DENOON: "My intention is to spin that for the adults as well, to be talking about our relationship with God and that we find that relationship most special in our relationship with Jesus."

Reverend Denoon will also lead a second service on the night before Christmas.

Example of a stained-glass nativity scene

DAVID DENOON: "One of the great traditions that I really appreciate here at First Congregational is that we do an annual service of 'Nine Lessons and Carols,' which is in the old King's College tradition from England. And the ending of the service is, everyone has just sung 'Silent Night.' We've lit candles, we've turned off the lights, everyone is sitting in darkness except for the lights of their candles as the final reading is read. And at the conclusion of the reading the bell is tolled4 at midnight and we then sing "Joy to the World."

(MUSIC)

Major holidays are often when houses of religious worship are most busy. And that means extra work for members of the clergy5.

Frank Kurimsky is the priest6 at a Roman Catholic7 church in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. Saint8 Irenaeus Parish is celebrating one hundred one years in existence. Between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Father Kurimsky will be busy with four services, and another priest will lead a fifth.

Orthodox9 Christmas is observed on January seventh, based on the Julian calendar. However, the Orthodox Church in America says most of its members follow the revised Julian calendar and celebrate on December twenty-fifth.

(MUSIC)

"Merry Christmas" is the traditional holiday greeting used by millions of Americans. But these days a great many say "Happy Holidays."

Some people are happy about the change. But others are not, including this woman in the state of Mississippi named Merry.

MERRY TIGERT: "Not everyone is Christian1. But I would hope that most people who celebrate Christmas in any form understand its origins. And even though historically there's no indication that Jesus Christ was born in December, that's just the day that has traditionally been used to celebrate the birth of the Son of God on Earth. Other people may choose to say 'Happy Holidays,' but to me that just doesn't say enough."

Merry Tigert says people like to have fun with her name at Christmastime. But her name also causes misunderstandings. Many people hear it and think it is Mary, M-A-R-Y, instead of M-E-R-R-Y. We asked how she got her unusual name.

MERRY TIGERT: "When my mother was expecting me, she was expecting a boy to come along in January. And instead a little girl came along in December, oh, about a week before Christmas. So she didn't have a girl's name picked out. She had been addressing Christmas cards, and the only thing that came to her mind was 'Merry' as in Merry Christmas."

So is Merry merry?

MERRY TIGERT: "For the most part, yes. We all have our times, but I do tend to have an optimistic attitude."

Merry arrived seven years after her mother had her first child -- and she was quite a Christmas gift. You see, the doctor had told her mother that she could not have any more children.

(MUSIC)

That was Merry Tigert's favorite Christmas song. But adults are not the only ones who have something to say about the holiday season.

HANNAH:"My name is Hannah"

REPORTER: And what's your favorite thing about Christmas?"

HANNAH: "That we get to spend time with our family."

Reporter June Simms talked to some schoolchildren.

CHILDREN: "We get to open presents." "Getting to see my family." "Celebrating with our family." "Presents!" "I usually get presents that say Santa Claus on them but I'm not really sure if they're from him."

Now, about Santa Claus ...

CHILDREN: "He has a sleigh with flying reindeer10. Kids go tell him what they want for Christmas and then he's kind of like the spirit who brings you presents."

"On Christmas Eve we lay out cookies and milk and carrots. The carrots are for the reindeer, and the cookies and milk for Santa Claus." "We put out some vegetables for Santa Claus and a glass of water, and then when we woke up there was a note from Santa Claus."

"He gives presents that children want for Christmas, and give it to them under their tree."

REPORTER: "How does he know what they want?"

CHILD: "Well he lives in the North Pole, I don't know if there's like a speaker or anything, for them to hear what children want."

The children are all fourth-graders at a Washington-area elementary school.

CHILDREN: "My name is Seth Montuori. I was adopted. I usually go up to my grandpa's and my grandma's house. It's one of my best holidays, and, because you get lots of presents and stuff. I'm just really glad that I could be with my family."

"Well, first we go to church, then we come home on Christmas Eve and then we open our presents. And then the next morning our stockings are full and we wake up, go downstairs and empty our socks. And that's the German way. My mom's German."

"Christmas was when Jesus was born, his birthday. They have Christmas trees, and you put ornaments11. And it usually snows, and we also have like lots of lights."

Not all the children celebrate Christmas, though.

CHILD: "I celebrate Hanukkah. Well, you have to light candles every night. And you get presents for eight days because -- I mean seven days, because God made the, created the earth in seven days and on the seventh day he rested."

Well, sort of. Hanukkah -- the Jewish Festival of Lights -- really is eight days. But the history goes back more than two thousand years. Jewish rebels defeated a Greek-Syrian army and reclaimed12 their temple in Jerusalem. The first night this year was December eleventh.

After Christmas, black families in the United States might also celebrate Kwanzaa, which means "first fruits" in Swahili. This modern festival of African-American culture includes lighting13 candles each night from December twenty-sixth through New Year's Day.

(MUSIC)

By now, the severe recession14 that began in December of two thousand seven may be technically15 over. But millions of American families are still hurting. For many, the best gift would be a job and freedom from worry about losing their home.

Other families have different worries. For military families, the best gift would be a way to protect loved ones getting ready to be sent to war, or already serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In the United States, holiday gift giving is important not only for the usual reasons, like showing friendship and love. It also represents an important part of a national economy driven mainly by consumer spending.

Last December, as the recession hit hard, Americans held on to their money. This year, stores and online sellers are seeing a little more willingness to spend.

Reporter Caty Weaver16 talked to shoppers in the Tysons Corner area of Northern Virginia, outside Washington.

Shoppers Tina and Kevin

TINA: "My name's Tina. I have two girl and one boy."

Tina is shopping with Kevin, and they say the difficult economy forced them to Christmas shop a little differently this year, to save money.

KEVIN: "Instead of shopping in just the regular shopping mall we were kind of forced to go to these bargain type shops."

And by the look of their shopping cart, overflowing17 with boxes and bags, they must be finished.

KEVIN:"We're pretty much done."

TINA: "For everybody. [Laughter]"

But they still have one more purchase to make: their Christmas tree.

TINA: "We're gonna put it up tonight."

Another couple out shopping, Duncan and Alexandra, look happy with their results.

DUNCAN: "This year a lot of stores are trying to reduce prices to help bring customers in during this time of recession. And we've had tremendous success in getting different things that we wanted for the holidays."

We asked Alexandra her favorite Christmas song.

ALEXANDRA: "'It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.'"

Johnnie Truesdale is shopping with two other women -- who point to her to be the one to talk on the radio. She has a thing or two to say about the prices.

Johnnie Truesdale

JOHNNIE TRUESDALE: "Still high. Could be better."

And the shopping conditions.

JOHNNIE TRUESDALE: "The stores are very crowded. And I'm glad I'm finished shopping."

But she has praise for the people who work at the stores.

JOHNNIE TRUESDALE: "The lines were moving pretty fast. The salespersons were doing a good job."

And her favorite Christmas song?

JOHNNIE TRUESDALE: "'Silent Night.' It's the Temptations."

Finally, there is Vincente Carbajal. He is shopping with his wife and little girl. But not Christmas shopping. He says his family does not celebrate Christmas, although they are Christian.

VINCENTE CARBAJAL: "We think every single day is very valuable. We celebrate every single day with our family, with our community. We don't hate anyone. Every single day can be a Christmas."

(MUSIC)

Our program was produced by Caty Weaver. I'm Barbara Klein. We hope you join us again next week for THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English.

 


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 Christian KVByl     
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒
参考例句:
  • They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
  • His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。
2 Christians 28e6e30f94480962cc721493f76ca6c6     
n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
  • His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。
3 spoke XryyC     
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。
4 tolled 8eba149dce8d4ce3eae15718841edbb7     
鸣钟(toll的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • Bells were tolled all over the country at the King's death. 全国为国王之死而鸣钟。
  • The church bell tolled the hour. 教堂的钟声报时。
5 clergy SnZy2     
n.[总称]牧师,神职人员
参考例句:
  • I could heartily wish that more of our country clergy would follow this example.我衷心希望,我国有更多的牧师效法这个榜样。
  • All the local clergy attended the ceremony.当地所有的牧师出席了仪式。
6 priest D1JzH     
n.神父,牧师,司铎,司祭,领导者,神甫;vt.使成为神职人员
参考例句:
  • He confessed to a priest that he had sinned.他向神父忏悔他犯了罪。
  • The priest visited all the old people in the parish.牧师探望了教区里的所有老人。
7 catholic irxzd     
adj.天主教的;n.天主教徒
参考例句:
  • The Pope is the supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church.教皇是罗马天主教的最高领袖。
  • She was a devoutly Catholic.她是一个虔诚地天主教徒。
8 saint yYcxf     
n.圣徒;基督教徒;vt.成为圣徒,把...视为圣徒
参考例句:
  • He was made a saint.他被封为圣人。
  • The saint had a lowly heart.圣人有谦诚之心。
9 orthodox 240zl     
adj.正统的,传统的,惯常的
参考例句:
  • They are orthodox Jews.他们是正统的犹太教徒。
  • His ideas are very orthodox.他的思想非常合乎规范。
10 reindeer WBfzw     
n.驯鹿
参考例句:
  • The herd of reindeer was being trailed by a pack of wolves.那群驯鹿被一只狼群寻踪追赶上来。
  • The life of the Reindeer men was a frontier life.驯鹿时代人的生活是一种边区生活。
11 ornaments 2bf24c2bab75a8ff45e650a1e4388dec     
n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 );点缀;装饰品;首饰v.装饰,点缀,美化( ornament的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • The shelves were chock-a-block with ornaments. 架子上堆满了装饰品。
  • Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments. 一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。 来自《简明英汉词典》
12 reclaimed d131e8b354aef51857c9c380c825a4c9     
adj.再生的;翻造的;收复的;回收的v.开拓( reclaim的过去式和过去分词 );要求收回;从废料中回收(有用的材料);挽救
参考例句:
  • Many sufferers have been reclaimed from a dependence on alcohol. 许多嗜酒成癖的受害者已经被挽救过来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • They reclaimed him from his evil ways. 他们把他从邪恶中挽救出来。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
13 lighting CpszPL     
n.照明,光线的明暗,舞台灯光
参考例句:
  • The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
  • The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。
14 recession GAozC     
n.(工商业的)衷退(期),萧条(期)
参考例句:
  • Manufacturing fell sharply under the impact of the recession.受到经济萧条的影响,制造业急剧衰退。
  • A rise in interest rates plunged Britain deeper into recession.利率的提高导致英国经济更加萧条。
15 technically wqYwV     
adv.专门地,技术上地
参考例句:
  • Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说,这是最先进的设备。
  • The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说,西红柿是一种水果,尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。
16 weaver LgWwd     
n.织布工;编织者
参考例句:
  • She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快,而且布的质量很好。
  • The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。
17 overflowing df84dc195bce4a8f55eb873daf61b924     
n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的,充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式
参考例句:
  • The stands were overflowing with farm and sideline products. 集市上农副产品非常丰富。
  • The milk is overflowing. 牛奶溢出来了。
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