VOA标准英语2015--水灯节背后的泰国

水灯节背后的泰国

Here in northern Thailand, the annual tradition of constructing floating baskets to carry away the year's bad spirits highlights the Loy Krathong festival.

在泰国北部，每年一到水灯节，人们就会有制作水篮子的传统，驱走一年霉运。

In a nation now run by the military, which overthrew¹ civilian² leadership last year, many in the country-side yearn³ for policies of the past government that favored farmers.

去年，泰国军方推翻了民主领导，上届政府对农民的优惠政策得到了举国人们的殷切期盼。

But villagers like 75-year-old Takham Daungkaew, also have concerns about safety within the country.

75岁村民泰卡姆·度昂卡瓦对国家的安全局势表示了担心。

I wish to not have bad things come close to our country. I wish for the Buddha⁴ to protect us. I don't want to have bad luck and have a civil war or conflict.

我希望坏事情不要降临在泰国。求佛祖保佑我们。我不希望霉运，不希望发生冲突或内战。

At the local barber shop, teens are more focused on fashion than Thailand's political problems.

在当地洗发店，比起泰国的政治问题，青少年更注重时尚。

Hair stylist Army Papluen's latest creation tackles the perennial⁵ debate over the dangers of releasing lanterns into the sky.

造型师阿米·帕普勒的最新发明解决了长期以来对孔明灯危险的讨论。

In Chiang Mai during the festival they release a lot of lanterns in the sky. They might float into the airplane and cause more damage. It's not worth it. I think that it's a better idea to release the lanterns on the head.

在清迈水灯节，人们会燃放大量孔明灯。它会对飞机造成隐患，或是带来更大伤害。我们不值得这么做。在头顶燃放孔明灯是一个不错的想法。

This year's festival marks 18 months since Thailand’s latest military coup⁶ took control.

18个月前，泰国军方发动政变。

Since then, the population has witnessed Thailand’s worst-ever bomb attack and a clampdown on many freedoms.

自此以后，泰国人民遭遇了史上最惨烈的轰炸，许多权力遭到了践踏。

 

As the world focuses on increased global security following the Paris attacks, Thais, for now, are sending their worries down the river and waiting to see what lies ahead.

巴黎恐袭之后，全球加强了安全保卫工作，泰国的河流与未来引起了人们的担心。

1 overthrew   

overthrow的过去式

参考例句：

• The people finally rose up and overthrew the reactionary regime. 人们终于起来把反动的政权推翻了。
• They overthrew their King. 他们推翻了国王。

2 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

3 yearn   

v.想念；怀念；渴望

参考例句：

• We yearn to surrender our entire being.我们渴望着放纵我们整个的生命。
• Many people living in big cities yearn for an idyllic country life.现在的很多都市人向往那种田园化的生活。

4 Buddha   

n.佛；佛像；佛陀

参考例句：

• Several women knelt down before the statue of Buddha and prayed.几个妇女跪在佛像前祈祷。
• He has kept the figure of Buddha for luck.为了图吉利他一直保存着这尊佛像。

5 perennial   

adj.终年的；长久的

参考例句：

• I wonder at her perennial youthfulness.我对她青春常驻感到惊讶。
• There's a perennial shortage of teachers with science qualifications.有理科教学资格的老师一直都很短缺。

6 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。