VOA新闻杂志2022--西班牙奔牛节因疫情中断两年后回归

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Spain's Bull-running in Pamplona Is Back after COVID

Thousands of people celebrated¹ Wednesday as traditional fireworks marked the start of the festival of San Fermín in Pamplona, Spain.

The festival is famous around the world for its traditional "running of the bulls" event.

The festival returned for the first time since 2019 after it had been cancelled for two years because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Rain did not affect the excitement of the crowds. Nearly all wore traditional white and red clothes for the event. The small center of the town, the town square, was filled with people watching the start of the festival.

The highlight of the nine-day festival is the early morning "encierros," or running of the bulls which starts on Thursday. Thousands of people are expected to take to the streets and avoid six bulls as they run down the old town streets to the city's bullring.

Other people watch from buildings or behind wooden walls set up along the area. The festival is noted² for eating, drinking, dancing, and cultural events.

The festival was made famous by the American writer Ernest Hemingway in his 1926 book The Sun Also Rises. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival had not been suspended since the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s.

Former soccer player and coach Juan Carlos Unzué had the honor of launching fireworks from town hall. Unzué retired³ from coaching in 2018 after he learned he had the disease called ALS, or amyotrophic lateral⁴ sclerosis.

Unzué told to the crowd that the tradition was "dedicated⁵ to all those health workers and people who helped us during the pandemic, and to all those suffering from ALS." Then he shouted, "Long live San Fermín."

Pamplona's population of about 200,000 becomes nearly one million on the busiest days of the festival, especially on the weekends. Foreigners join the celebrations and many visitors do not stop partying throughout the night. Some find somewhere to sleep outside.

City officials have urged people to not forget that coronavirus infections are on the rise again and supported the use of face coverings. But the activities and parties will make that difficult to follow.

Normally, the festival is mostly incident-free with most injuries happening during the runs or because of alcohol.

Eight people were gored⁷ during the last festival in 2019. Sixteen people have died in the bull runs since 1910. The last death happened in 2009.

Animal rights protesters have also become part of the festival in Pamplona. The night before this year's festival, a number of activists⁸ dressed as dinosaurs⁹ and held "Bullfighting is Prehistoric¹⁰" signs. They ran with the signs on the path of the bull-run to protest what they see as animal cruelty, urging visitors to not join.

The bulls in the runs are killed by professional bullfighters, called matadors¹¹, in events each afternoon in the city ring.

Bullfights are protected under the Spanish Constitution as part of the country's cultural heritage. The event is still very popular even as those against it have gained support. The Cultural Ministry¹² of Spain says 90 percent of Spaniards did not attend any festival event involving bulls in the 2014 to 2015 season.

Words in This Story

festival –n. a special time or event when people gather to celebrate something

bull – n. an adult male animal of the ox and cow family

spray – v. to put a stream of small drops of liquid on (someone or something)

bullring – n. a large circular area in which bullfights take place

coach – n. a person who teaches and trains an athlete or performer

dedicate – v. to officially make (something) a place for honoring or remembering a person or event

gore⁶ – v. to wound (a person or another animal) with a horn or tusk¹³

cruelty – n. actions that cause suffering

heritage – n. the traditions, achievements, or beliefs that are part of the history of a group or nation

1 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

2 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

3 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

4 lateral   

adj.侧面的，旁边的

参考例句：

• An airfoil that controls lateral motion.能够控制横向飞行的机翼。
• Mr.Dawson walked into the court from a lateral door.道森先生从一个侧面的门走进法庭。

5 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

6 gore   

n.凝血，血污；v.（动物）用角撞伤，用牙刺破；缝以补裆；顶

参考例句：

• The fox lay dying in a pool of gore.狐狸倒在血泊中奄奄一息。
• Carruthers had been gored by a rhinoceros.卡拉瑟斯被犀牛顶伤了。

7 gored   

v.（动物）用角撞伤，用牙刺破( gore的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was gored by a bull. 他被公牛顶伤。
• The bull gored the farmer to death. 公牛用角把农夫抵死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 dinosaurs   

n.恐龙( dinosaur的名词复数 )；守旧落伍的人，过时落后的东西

参考例句：

• The brontosaurus was one of the largest of all dinosaurs. 雷龙是所有恐龙中最大的一种。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years. 恐龙绝种已有几百万年了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 prehistoric   

adj.（有记载的）历史以前的，史前的，古老的

参考例句：

• They have found prehistoric remains.他们发现了史前遗迹。
• It was rather like an exhibition of prehistoric electronic equipment.这儿倒像是在展览古老的电子设备。

11 matadors   

n.斗牛士( matador的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Surprisingly, the United States has produced at least two matadors of substance. 令人惊讶的事，美国竟然产生了至少两位实质上的斗牛士。 来自互联网
• One bullfighting appears on the scene, wrestles by three matadors six bulls, each person two rounds. 一场斗牛由三个斗牛士出场，角斗六条公牛，每人两个回合。 来自互联网

12 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

13 tusk   

n.獠牙，长牙，象牙

参考例句：

• The wild boar had its tusk sunk deeply into a tree and howled desperately.野猪的獠牙陷在了树里，绝望地嗥叫着。
• A huge tusk decorated the wall of his study.他书房的墙上装饰着一支巨大的象牙。