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。
+ G6 `% J% q J% o9 V5 v! w% V 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: [- `1 j7 ^1 V1 U- L4 E
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% h2 T5 v2 u. D6 w4 M6 T
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7 ], R: c7 w9 U
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
b5 X9 ^8 f6 u8 [- ^, N% R 掌握即将降临到自己身上的任何事情。
" i- H) U3 F8 h. K+ O) }+ L 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.( u/ M9 R, j' \! [9 q
小贴士
/ ]9 S+ z5 {+ m( ~& h1 K invoke:! ]5 N' b0 w! |4 {
(1)援用某事物为行动依据或理由7 \; i6 v# O. s3 g
The government has invoked the Official Secrets Act in having the book banned.) X. C% Z" A" h5 H+ u& t4 `* H6 S
政府援引国家机密保密法以禁该书。" T! X2 s& t( [; G% {1 s+ o
(2)以祷告祈求某事物
5 S2 m% C# u7 ]0 j/ P invoke vengeance(up)on one's enemies/ E( f! _% O" P2 M" P. q w, C
求神降或祸给敌人 |
发表于 2012-8-14 11:20:45
