新西兰英语 443 Queen’s Birthday weekend

 　　This weekend is a holiday weekend. New Zealand celebrates the Queen’s Birthday on the first Monday in June each year. However, it is not the Queen’s real birthday.

　　Queen Elizabeth II was born on 21st April 1926. Her father, grandfather and Queen Victoria all had birthdays in winter so the official Queen’s birthday is celebrated¹ in the UK in June when the weather is warmer. This year it is June 11th. It is not a holiday though in the UK. The celebrations in London are a wonderful display of soldiers in red jackets, horses with riders in yellow jackets and musicians marching in a band. They parade from Buckingham Palace along the Mall. The Queen attends and salutes³ the soldiers.

　　The Commonwealth⁴ countries choose their own day to celebrate the Queen’s Birthday. In Australia, it is the second Monday in June.

　　New Zealand does not have parades or ceremonies although there will be a 21 gun salute² to honour the Queen. Commonwealth countries have a Queen’s Birthday honours list. People who have served the country receive honours. We usually hear their names on the radio or read them in the newspaper on the morning of Queen’s Birthday. Listen to Queen’s Birthday Honours 2010 to hear more about this.

　　A holiday in June is welcome because the next public holiday is not until Labour Day near the end of October. Unfortunately, the weather in New Zealand in June is usually cold and wet.

　　Questions

　　Do you think New Zealand should celebrate Queen’s Birthday? Why?

　　Why do we have a 21 gun salute?

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 salute   

vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮

参考例句：

• Merchant ships salute each other by dipping the flag.商船互相点旗致敬。
• The Japanese women salute the people with formal bows in welcome.这些日本妇女以正式的鞠躬向人们施礼以示欢迎。

3 salutes   

n.致敬，欢迎，敬礼( salute的名词复数 )v.欢迎，致敬( salute的第三人称单数 )；赞扬，赞颂

参考例句：

• Poulengey salutes, and stands at the door awaiting orders. 波仑日行礼，站在门口听侯命令。 来自辞典例句
• A giant of the world salutes you. 一位世界的伟人向你敬礼呢。 来自辞典例句

4 commonwealth   

n.共和国，联邦，共同体

参考例句：

• He is the chairman of the commonwealth of artists.他是艺术家协会的主席。
• Most of the members of the Commonwealth are nonwhite.英联邦的许多成员国不是白人国家。