新西兰英语 572 Lantern Festival

 　　During the weekend, Auckland celebrated¹ the end of the Chinese New Year with a Lantern Festival in Albert Park. A big crowd of people attended. Next weekend, Christchurch will celebrate the Lantern Festival in Hagley Park. The Lantern Festival is usually held on the 15th day after the start of the Lunar New Year. The first day this year was January 23rd. This is the Year of the Dragon. The dragon means strength, good fortune, wisdom and long life. It is a good year for babies to be born.

　　The entertainment for this year’s Lantern Festival is by local performers and three groups from China – a dragon dance group from Shanghai, a reggae band from Beijing and a Southern opera and acrobatics³ group. After performing in Auckland, the three groups from China will travel to Christchurch for next weekend.

　　As well as evening entertainment, there are lanterns in many different shapes such as animals, insects and characters from stories. They are usually tied to trees. They have lights inside them. There are many food stalls⁴ at the festival also.

　　The end of the evening, there is a fireworks display.

　　Grammar

　　Present simple is used to describe events because the Auckland event is finished and the Christchurch event has not happened yet.

　　Vocabulary

　　strength (noun), strong (adjective)

　　wisdom (noun); wise (adjective)

　　acrobatics – difficult physical tricks like standing⁵ on someone’s head; the person is an acrobat².

　　Questions

　　What countries celebrate the Lunar New Year? If you come from one of these countries, how do you celebrate the New Year? Is this the most important holiday in your country?

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 acrobat   

n.特技演员，杂技演员

参考例句：

• The acrobat balanced a long pole on his left shoulder.杂技演员让一根长杆在他的左肩上保持平衡。
• The acrobat could bend himself into a hoop.这个杂技演员可以把身体蜷曲成圆形。

3 acrobatics   

n.杂技

参考例句：

• Acrobatics is hard to learn but beautiful to watch.杂技不好学，但很好看。
• We watched a performance which included a puppet show and acrobatics.我们观看了一场演出，内容有木偶和杂技。

4 stalls   

n.戏院正厅前排座位，前座观众；摊( stall的名词复数 )；熄火；厩；（房间内的）小隔间

参考例句：

• market stalls selling cheap bric-a-brac 集市上出售廉价小摆设的货摊
• the front row of the stalls 正厅第一排

5 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。