英语听力—环球英语 908 A German Festival

　　Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight¹. I’m Adam Navis.
Voice 2
And I’m Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand - no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
It is early October in Munich, Germany. The air is cool and fresh. The leaves on the trees are starting to change their colors. Bright orange and dark red trees fill the hills around the city.
Voice 2
Millions of people are gathered in an open area. The open area is in the center of the city. There are musical performances. The people talk and laugh together. The children enjoy mechanical² carnival³ rides. People wear traditional clothes. They sing and dance. Most importantly, they drink beer together. These people are enjoying Oktoberfest.
Voice 1
Today’s Spotlight is on the traditional Bavarian celebration of Oktoberfest.
Voice 2
Oktoberfest is a traditional festival in Munich Germany. Munich is in the south of Germany in the area of Bavaria. This area is famous for its good-tasting beer. People enjoy this alcoholic⁵ drink around the world. Beer is made from simple elements: water, grain, yeast⁶ and hops⁷. Yeast causes the mixture to change into alcohol⁴. And hops give beer its particular taste.
Voice 1
Bavarian beer is famous because of its history. There is evidence to show that this is the oldest beer-producing area in Europe. And many of the beer factories, or breweries⁸, have a very long tradition of making beer. There are 640 breweries in this region⁹!
Voice 2
Oktoberfest celebrates this tradition. It also celebrates the traditional culture of Bavaria. The festival begins at the end of September. It starts with a traditional ceremony. The leader of the city of Munich, the mayor¹⁰, stands in one of the buildings. He holds a metal tube. And he stands in front of a large rounded wooden keg. This container holds the beer. The mayor hits the metal tube, to force it into the keg. The beer flows through the metal tube, and out of the keg. The mayor then shouts in German “It is tapped!” This act officially opens the festival. Oktoberfest continues for 17 or 18 days.
Voice 1
At Oktoberfest, the festival only serves beer made in Munich. Taking part in Oktoberfest is a special honor¹¹ for the breweries. The beers made for the festival also must have 2% more alcohol than normal beers. They are known as official Oktoberfest Beers.
Voice 2
The people of Munich have celebrated¹² Oktoberfest for more than 200 years. So how did this festival begin? It began with a marriage! In 1810 Prince Ludwig married Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Their marriage was very important to the citizens of Munich. They had a parade through the city to celebrate. They played music and danced in the streets. Then the people celebrated and drank beer late into the night. The people of Munich enjoyed this event very much. So the city decided¹³ that the festival should happen every year.
Voice 1
Each year, the city has added more events. They added a show for farm products. People brought their best crops and animals to the festival. Judges gave prizes for the biggest and best products.
Voice 2
Then the city added horse races to the festival. People gambled¹⁴ money on the horses. People tried to guess which horse would win the race. If their horse won the race, the person won money. Then he could use this money to buy beer! These events became traditions at the festival. They happened every year.
Voice 1
Another important tradition of Oktoberfest is the traditional clothing from Bavaria. Both men and women may wear a Sennerhut. A sennerhut is a traditional hat. It is made with the wool from sheep. It often has a rope around the base. It has symbols from the person’s city or region. Many have flowers embroidered¹⁵ on them with bright cloth thread. Some people also put a small amount of goat hair on their hat. They place it under the rope. This goat hair is said to be good luck.
Voice 2
Men wear traditional “lederhosen.” Lederhosen are made from animal skin - leather. They are short trousers for men and boys. They connect to suspenders - thin pieces of leather worn over the shoulders. Across the man’s chest is also a piece of leather. The leather connects the suspenders. This leather piece has images of flowers and animals.
Voice 1
Women wear traditional “dirndls.” Dirndls are special dresses. The dress has four parts. First, there is a white or light-colored shirt. On top of the shirt, a woman wears a bodice. This piece of colored cloth fits tightly¹⁶ to the woman’s chest. Traditional dirndls have a knee-length dress. The woman then ties an apron¹⁷ around her waist on top of the dress. It is meant to keep the clothes under it clean.
Voice 2
Traditional lederhosen and dirndls had special meaning. Each region had special cloth they used to make the clothing. Each city and area used special designs and colors. It was always clear what place the person was from.
Voice 1
Some of the traditional Oktoberfest activities still happen today. Many people still wear the traditional clothes. And every three years, there is still a show of farm products. But there are no longer horse races. Entertainment is also different today. Loud, modern musical groups play rock music into the night. A modern, mechanical carnival replaced traditional games. Now large rides and games light up the night sky.
Voice 2
Since the 1960s, Oktoberfest has become very popular internationally. It started as a small celebration. The only people who participated lived in Munich. Now, Oktoberfest is the largest traditional festival in the world. People from all over the world travel to Munich to enjoy the festival. In 2010 there were over 6 million people at Oktoberfest! They drank over 7 million litres of beer!
Voice 1
In 200 years, authorities¹⁸ have only cancelled Oktoberfest a total of 24 times. This has usually been because of war and disease¹⁹. Most recently, authorities cancelled the festival during World Wars I and II.
 

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 mechanical   

adj.机械(学)的；力学的；机械似的；手工操作的

参考例句：

• He borrowed a mechanical book from me.他从我这儿借了一本力学方面的书。
• He looks very mechanical.他看上去非常呆板。

3 carnival   

n.嘉年华会，狂欢，狂欢节，巡回表演

参考例句：

• I got some good shots of the carnival.我有几个狂欢节的精彩镜头。
• Our street puts on a carnival every year.我们街的居民每年举行一次嘉年华会。

4 alcohol   

n.酒精，乙醇；含酒精的饮料

参考例句：

• The law forbids shops to sell alcohol to minors.法律禁止商店向未成年者出售含酒精的饮料。
• The alcohol is industrial.这些酒精是供工业用的。

5 alcoholic   

adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者

参考例句：

• The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
• Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。

6 yeast   

n.酵母；酵母片；泡沫；v.发酵；起泡沫

参考例句：

• Yeast can be used in making beer and bread.酵母可用于酿啤酒和发面包。
• The yeast began to work.酵母开始发酵。

7 hops   

跳上[下]( hop的第三人称单数 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花

参考例句：

• The sparrow crossed the lawn in a series of hops. 那麻雀一蹦一跳地穿过草坪。
• It is brewed from malt and hops. 它用麦精和蛇麻草酿成。

8 breweries   

酿造厂，啤酒厂( brewery的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• In some cases, this is desirable, but most breweries prefer lighter-type beers. 在一些情况下，这是很理想的，但是大多数啤酒厂更倾向于生产酒度较低的啤酒。
• Currently, there are 58 breweries producing Snow Beeracross the country. 目前，全国共有58个雪花啤酒厂。

9 region   

n.地区，地带，区域；范围，幅度

参考例句：

• The students went to study the geology of that region.学生们去研究那个地区的地质情况。
• It is unusual to see snow in this region.这个地区难得见到雪。

10 mayor   

n.市长

参考例句：

• The new mayor said he would clean the city up.新市长说，他要整顿本市。
• The mayor hurried into his office,brushing off the reporters.市长赶快走进办公室，拒不接见记者。

11 honor   

n.光荣；敬意；荣幸；vt.给…以荣誉；尊敬

参考例句：

• I take your visit as a great honor.您的来访是我莫大的光荣。
• It is a great honor to receive that prize.能拿到那个奖是无上的光荣。

12 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。

13 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

14 gambled   

v.赌博，冒风险( gamble的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He gambled his savings to start a small store. 他孤注一掷地用自己的积蓄开了一家小店。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He gambled all his winning on the last race. 他把所有赢得的钱都押在最后一场比赛上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 embroidered   

adj．绣花的

参考例句：

• She embroidered flowers on the cushion covers. 她在这些靠垫套上绣了花。
• She embroidered flowers on the front of the dress. 她在连衣裙的正面绣花。

16 tightly   

adv.紧紧地，坚固地，牢固地

参考例句：

• My child holds onto my hand tightly while we cross the street.横穿马路时，孩子紧拉着我的手不放。
• The crowd pressed together so tightly that we could hardly breathe.人群挤在一起，我们几乎喘不过气来。

17 apron   

n.围裙；工作裙

参考例句：

• We were waited on by a pretty girl in a pink apron.招待我们的是一位穿粉红色围裙的漂亮姑娘。
• She stitched a pocket on the new apron.她在新围裙上缝上一只口袋。

18 authorities   

n.当局，权力，权威；权威( authority的名词复数 )；权力；学术权威；[复数]当权者

参考例句：

• They interceded with the authorities on behalf of the detainees. 他们为被拘留者向当局求情。
• At his instigation we conceal the fact from the authorities. 我们受他的怂恿向当局隐瞒了事实。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。