为什么美国人说“cross my heart and hope to die”?为什么他们喜欢握手?为什么给男孩穿蓝色的衣服,给女孩穿粉红色的衣服?为什么在婚礼上要朝新郎,新娘洒大米?从今天开始就将帮助大家找出这些风俗习惯的背景和缘由。
. {3 c5 q6 L8 r 美国人在每次过生日时,不仅庆祝年龄又大了一岁,而且也庆祝又2 z6 {8 i6 Y' W' f! s
一年过去了。因此,蜡烛既是生命和死亡的象征,也是希望和恐惧8 L% X: q! H, P0 d! w
的象征。当过生日的人对考试.大着蜡烛许愿时,他/她是在祈求神的庇护以
: F1 j" j+ |- m# Q 便能够交好运。当过生日的人吹熄蜡烛时,他/她则是在希望自己能
3 |; I5 Z7 j% ? C; w 掌握即将降临到自己身上的任何事情。+ D: Z+ [9 W8 j! S, Y
With each birthday,Americans not only celebrate growth but also the passing of another year.Thus, candles are symbols of both life and death,as well as both hope and fear.When a person makes a wish over these symbols, he or she invokes powers for good fortune. And when that person snuffs out these symbols, he or she expresses the hope to have a degree of control over whatever lies in store for him or her.
0 s2 V1 |3 J5 } 小贴士
. h% b. A7 h H! O9 y7 `) n% S; @; L invoke:% ^- @6 O* M" _
(1)援用某事物为行动依据或理由7 g# q) z: T0 P4 m
The government has invoked the Official Secrets Act in having the book banned.
; r# a& W: d& U* M; t 政府援引国家机密保密法以禁该书。) `2 ~' c+ O: H' C4 T6 w
(2)以祷告祈求某事物
, d, i7 @' g8 s# Z invoke vengeance(up)on one's enemies
+ Z: c6 b0 O/ f- {1 U3 V 求神降或祸给敌人 |