第11章 精彩不断的异域风情
The Best of the Exotic
It is a world that keeps alive the sense of continuing creation and of the relentless drive of life.Each time that I enter it,I gain some new awareness of its beauty and its deeper meanings.
这个世界时刻展现的都是一派生命不息、造物不止的景象。每次我走进这个世界，都会对它的美丽和意蕴平添几分更新、更深的认识。
诺丁山狂欢节
Notting Hill Carnival
The Notting Hill Carnival of London is the second biggest carnival[1] in the world and the biggest street festival in Europe!It is always on the last Sunday and Monday in August which is a Bank Holiday（a public holiday）in the United Kingdom.On Sunday there is the Children's Carnival.The Carnival takes place in Notting Hill,West London.
When did the first Carnival take place?
In the 1950's people from the Caribbean,and in particular from Trinidad,emigrated to Britain.They took their customs and traditions with them.
People remembered the great Carnivals held in the West Indies and in 1964 a street festival took place in Notting Hill.
There were few people in costume[2] dancing in the streets and carrying steel drums in this first festival.However,it was a great success.Since then Carnival has taken place every year in Notting Hill and it has grown into an enormous[3] multicultural arts festival.
Carnival celebrations normally take place before Easter,in the month of March.However,in Britain the celebrations take place in August when the weather is warmer.During the year the West Indian families prepare their beautiful costumes and practice playing their steel drums.They also work on their floats.
On the days of Carnival,Notting Hill is full of colour,excitement,music,noise and people.About two million people go to Carnival every year!
People with wonderful costumes dance in the streets and steel bands play Calypso,the traditional music of the West Indies.
They also play Soca,the traditional music of Carnival,a mixture of Soul and Calypso.
It is also possible to hear reggae,hip-hop and jazz.A parade with colourful floats travels seven and a half kilometers through the streets of London.There is a prize for the best float.It is sometimes almost impossible for the public to walk along the streets—the only way to move is to dance!
In the streets food vendors[4] sell meat and vegetable patties,salted fish and other delicious West Indian specialities.
Everyone has a good time!
文化小课堂
诺丁山狂欢节，每年8月底的最后一个周末在英国伦敦诺丁山地区举行的街头文化节，以非洲和加勒比的地区文化为主题。狂欢节共举行3天，规模仅次于巴西里约热内卢狂欢节，起源于1964年，是欧洲规模最大的街头文化艺术节。
伦敦的诺丁山狂欢节是世界上第二大狂欢节，同时也是欧洲最盛大的街头节日！该节日定于8月的最后一个星期日和星期一，正值联合王国的银行假日（一种公共节日）。星期天的狂欢属于孩子们。整个狂欢节在伦敦西部的诺丁山举行。
第一次狂欢节是什么时候呢？
20世纪50年代，加勒比海地区——尤其是特立尼达岛地区的人们移民到英国，带去了自己的风俗和传统。
人们不能忘记在西印度群岛举行的盛大狂欢节，也不会忘记1964年在诺丁山举办的一次街头节日。
第一次狂欢节时，只有少数人穿着民族服装在街上载歌载舞，一边击打着钢鼓。不过，这一次狂欢节非常成功。自此，诺丁山上每年都会举办狂欢节，后来逐渐演变成一种盛大的多元文化艺术节。
狂欢节通常都是在复活节之前举行，也就是3月。而英国的狂欢节却在8月，因为此时的天气逐渐回暖。来自西印度群岛的家庭会花费整年的时间来准备漂亮的服装，还会练习钢鼓。同时，他们还要装扮彩车。
每逢狂欢节，诺丁山总是色彩斑斓，歌舞喧腾，热闹非凡。每年大概会有200万人参加这里的狂欢节！
身着漂亮舞蹈服的人们在街上跳舞，钢鼓乐队会演奏西印度的传统歌曲卡利普索。
他们还会演奏狂欢节的传统音乐，也就是混合了灵乐和卡利普索名歌的灵卡乐。
同时，在狂欢节上还有可能听到瑞格舞曲、嘻哈和爵士，还会有彩车列队沿着伦敦的街道游行7.5公里。而表现最佳的彩车还能赢得奖赏。有时，人群想要步行通过这些街道几乎不大可能——唯一的移动办法就是跳舞！
在街道上，还有小货摊贩卖肉馅儿和蔬菜馅儿的馅饼、咸鱼，以及其他美味的西印度特产。
人人都尽兴而归！
注释
[1]carnival['kɑ:nɪvl] n.狂欢节；嘉年华；节日，联欢
[2]costume['kɔstju:m] n.戏装；演出服；服装
[3]enormous[i'nɔ:məs] a.巨大的，庞大的；极恶的；凶暴的
[4]vendors['vendəz] n.摊贩（vendor的名词复数）；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主
国际亲吻日：今天你亲吻了吗
National Kissing Day
July 6th is National Kissing Day in the United Kingdom.This holiday has recently been adopted worldwide making July 6th the International Kissing Day or World Kiss Day.
The idea behind the International Kissing Day is that many people may have forgotten the simple pleasures associated with kissing for kissing's sake.Kissing can be an enjoyable experience in and of itself.It is an expression and experience of intimacy[1].
Not all the kisses are connected with sexual love.Kissing also signifies courtesy[2] in every country of Europe and America.
Kissing on the back of the palm signifies respect.
Kissing on the forehead signifies friendship.
Kissing on the cheek signifies deep feeling.
Kissing on the lips signifies love.
Kissing on the eyelid signifies adoration.
Kissing on the palm signifies desire.
Kissing on the wrist or on the neck signifies desirous feeling.
Kissing on other part of the body signifies intense emotion.
1.Kissing boosts immunity.
A recent study reported in the journal Medical Hypotheses says kissing may increase a woman's immunity from Cytomegalovirus[3].
2.Kissing helps you pick the best mate.
Anthropologist Helen Fisher describes kissing as a “mate assessment tool”.Much of the cortex is devoted to picking up sensations from around the lips,cheeks,tongue and nose.Kissing is not just kissing.It is a profound advertisement of who you are,what you want and what you can give.
3.Kissing burns calories!
Depending on different reports,anywhere from 2 to 6 calories a minute.
4.Kissing keeps facial muscles strong.
Researchers say you use 30 muscles while kissing and the smooching[4] helps keep your cheeks tight.Nice.We'll take what we can get.
5.Kissing naturally relaxes you.
Swapping spit is noted to increase dopamine[5],which aids in feelings of romantic attachment.
文化小课堂
国际亲吻日又称国际接吻日、世界接吻日，定于每年的7月6日。亲吻的历史始于约公元前3000年，古人在膜拜众神时都要亲吻他们。在古罗马时期，不仅与朋友和家庭成员亲吻，还要与商人和路人亲吻以示欢迎。
7月6日是英国的国家亲吻日。这个节日近来被全世界广泛采用，于是7月6日就成了国际亲吻节，或者说世界亲吻节。
国际亲吻节背后的意义在于，很多人或许已经忘记为了亲吻而亲吻这种简单的欢愉。亲吻本身就是一种愉快的经历，它可以表达和体验亲密的感觉。
另外，不是所有的亲吻都与性爱有关。在欧洲各国和美国，亲吻还可以表示礼貌。
亲吻手背表示尊敬。
亲吻前额表示友谊。
亲吻脸颊表示深情。
亲吻双唇表示爱情。
亲吻眼睑表示爱慕。
亲吻手掌表示欲望。
亲吻手腕和脖子表示情欲之情。
亲吻身体的其他部分则表示强烈的情感。
1.接吻能提高免疫力。
最近，一本名为《医学假说》的杂志报导称，接吻能够提高女性对巨细胞病毒的免疫力。
2.接吻能帮你找到最佳配偶。
人类学家海伦·费希尔将接吻描述成一种“配偶评估工具”。人类的一部分大脑皮层专门用来收集嘴唇、脸颊、舌头和鼻子周围的感觉。接吻并不只是接吻。那是一种意义深远的广告，它能告诉对方，你是谁、你想要什么、你又能给予对方什么。
3.接吻可燃烧卡里路！
据各种各样的报告称，接吻每分钟可燃烧2—6卡路里。
4.接吻能让面部肌肉变得结实。
调查者说，你在接吻的时候会牵动30块肌肉，所以接吻会让你脸颊上的肌肉变紧。好极了，这样一来，我们也能有所收获。
5.接吻会很自然地让你放松。
据说交换口水能促进多巴胺的增长，而多巴胺有助于浪漫情感的增长。
注释
[1]intimacy['ɪntɪməsɪ] n.亲密；隐私
[2]courtesy['kɜ:təsɪ] n.谦恭有礼，礼貌，请安；有礼貌的举止（言词）；承蒙
[3]Cytomegalovirus[ˌsaɪtəʊˈmegələʊvaɪrəs] n.巨细胞病毒，简称CMV，一种疱疹病毒组DNA病毒
[4]smooch[smu:tʃ] v.接吻；拥吻
[5]dopamine['dəʊpəmi:n] n.<生化>多巴胺（由脑内分泌，可影响一个人的情绪）
历史上第一个感恩节
The Historical First Thanksgiving Day
In 1621,the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast which is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies.This harvest meal has become a symbol of cooperation and interaction between English colonists and Native Americans.
Although this feast is considered by many to the very first Thanksgiving celebration,it was actually in keeping with a long tradition of celebrating the harvest and giving thanks for a successful bounty of crops.Native American groups throughout the Americas,including the Pueblo,Cherokee,Creek and many others organized harvest festivals,ceremonial dances,and other celebrations of thanks for centuries before the arrival of Europeans in North America.
Historians have also recorded other ceremonies of thanks among European settlers in North America,including British colonists in Berkeley Plantation,Virginia.
At this site near the Charles River in December of 1619,a group of British settlers led by Captain John Woodlief knelt in prayer and pledged “Thanksgiving” to God for their healthy arrival after a long voyage across the Atlantic.This event has been acknowledged by some scholars and writers as the official first Thanksgiving among European settlers on record.
Whether at Plymouth,Berkeley Plantation,or throughout the Americas,celebrations of thanks have held great meaning and importance over time.The legacy of thanks,and particularly of the feast,have survived the centuries as people throughout the United States gather family,friends,and enormous amounts of food for their yearly Thanksgiving meal.
It is better to be thankful than suffer in front of hurts.Appreciate those hurtful things and forget those hurtful people for the reason that hurts are always unintentional and growth is obliged.
文化小课堂
感恩节是美国和加拿大共有的节日，由美国人民独创，原意是为了感谢上天赐予的好收成。美国每年11月的第四个星期四为感恩节，加拿大则是10月第二个星期一。正如中国的春节，这一天不管多忙，人们都要和自己的家人团聚。
1621年，普利茅斯殖民地居民和万帕诺亚格印第安人所共赴的秋收宴，即为现在公认的部落里的第一个感恩节庆祝仪式。这种丰收盛宴已成为英国殖民地和美洲原住民之间合作互动的标志。
尽管很多人认为，这一飨宴就是第一次感恩节的庆祝仪式，但实际上，飨宴沿袭了庆祝和感谢农作物丰收的悠久传统。在欧洲人抵达北美之前，数世纪以来，整个美洲的原住民一直都在组织安排丰收节庆典、仪式舞蹈和其他感谢庆典，其中包括普韦布洛人、切罗基族人、克里克人和其他族人。
历史学家还记录了北美的欧洲移民中的其他感谢庆典，包括弗吉尼亚的伯克利种植园里的英国殖民地居民。
1619年12月，查尔斯河附近某处，一群由约翰·伍德利夫船长带领的英国殖民者，为他们能在横跨大西洋的漫长航行后平安到达此地，而跪下祈祷，并向上帝献上“感恩”。一些学者和作家认为，这一盛事是留有记录的欧洲殖民者官方的第一个感恩节。
无论是在普利茅斯、伯克利种植园，还是整个美洲，随着时间的推移，感谢庆典已承载起伟大的意义和重要性。感谢的传承，特别是飨宴，正因为全美国人和家人、朋友齐聚一堂，并准备丰盛的食物，以共进一年一度的感恩节大餐，才得以传承数世纪。
面对种种伤害，我们要做的更多是感恩，而不仅仅是承受。感谢那些伤害你的事，忘记那些伤害你的人，伤害常常是无意的，成长却是必须的。
英国猎狐活动
Fox Hunting
In Great Britain fox hunting is permitted.But many British people think it is cruel to hunt foxes.They want a law to stop fox hunting.In some states of the U.S.A.fox hunting is still permitted.
There are different types of foxes.The most popular is the red fox.It lives in Europe.The San Joaquin kit fox lives in the North American deserts.In the Arctic we find the white Arctic fox.The Fennec fox is very small and it has big ears.Today people want to help and protect animals,especially young animals.The WWF（World Wildlife Fund）defends animals all over the world.
The controversy around hunting led to the passing of the Hunting Act 2004 in November of that year,after a free vote in the House of Commons,which made hunting with hounds（in the traditional style）in England and Wales from February 18,2005.An amendment which allowed licensed[1] hunting under stricter conditions,advocated by the then Prime Minister Tony Blair and some members of the government's independent inquiry on fox hunting（including its chairman Lord Burns）,was voted down.The passing of the Hunting Act was also notable in that it was implemented through the use of the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 after the House of Lords refused to pass the legislation,despite the Commons passing it by a majority of 356 to 166.Scotland,which has its own Parliament,restricted fox hunting in 2002,more than two years before the ban in England and Wales.Fox hunting is legal in Northern Ireland.
After the ban on fox hunting,hunts follow artificially[2] laid trails,or use exemptions laid out in the Act,although the League Against Cruel Sports has alleged that breaches of law may be taking place by some hunts.Supporters of fox hunting claim that the number of foxes killed has increased since the Hunting Act came into force,both by the hunts（through legal methods）and landowners,and that hunts have reported an increase in membership and that around 320000 people（their highest recorded number）turned up to meets on Boxing Day 2006.The Master of Foxhounds Association[3] lists 179 active hunts as of February 2013.The Federation of Welsh Packs lists 56 member hunts,while the Central Committee of Fell Packs lists 6 member hunts（which hunt on foot in the Lake District and the surrounding region）.
Things in contrast are more tasteful in the world.
文化小课堂
猎狐活动在英国已有300年历史，是英国王室贵族最热衷的一项运动。猎狐起源于老百姓消灭狐狸保护庄稼，在斯图亚特王朝时期开始流行于王公贵族之间，他们通过这项“为人民服务”的活动来炫耀地位与财富，展示优越感。猎狐需要名贵的骏马、血统纯正的猎犬、自己领地内的猎场，以及复杂的礼仪和游戏规则，一般的亿万富翁在这些硬件条件面前也不得不望而却步。
在英国，猎狐活动并不违法。但仍有许多英国人认为这种做法太过残忍，于是他们希望通过制定法律来制止猎狐活动。不过，在美国的一些州，猎狐活动依然合法。
狐狸有许多不同的种类。最为人熟知的要数红狐了。红狐生活在欧洲，圣华金狐狸生活在北美的沙漠。此外，我们还在北极发现了北极白狐。另外，还有身小耳大的耳廓狐。如今，人们希望能够帮助和保护动物，尤其是年幼的动物。WWF（世界野生动物基金会）是负责保护全世界动物的机构。
针对围绕猎狐行为的争议，下议院采用自由投票的形式于2004年11月通过一项狩猎法，法规规定，从2005年2月18日开始，在英格兰和威尔士用猎狗狩猎是犯法行为。当时的总理托尼·布莱尔和政府中负责猎狐事务的独立调查成员（其中包括其领头人洛德·彭斯），提出了修正案提议，表明在严格限制的条件下可批准狩猎，这一提议遭到人民的投票否决。此外，狩猎法的通过之所以引人注意，还因为该法的实施是在1911年和1949年的国会法案运行期间，在此之前，尽管下议院以356:166的票数通过这项法律，可是，上议院仍然拒绝通过。而自身拥有国会的苏格兰在2002年开始限制狩猎，比英国和威尔士禁狩令还早两年。此外，猎狐活动在北爱尔兰是合法的。
在法律明令禁止猎狐活动之后，虽然反残酷运动联盟宣称有一部分猎人也许会触犯法律，但猎人仍能人为另辟途径，或是利用法案中的豁免权。一些支持猎狐行为的人说，自从狩猎法出台后，被猎人（通过合法途径）和地主猎杀的狐狸数量反而增长了，而且据报导，猎人的人数也有所增加，在2006年节礼日相聚一堂的猎狐队伍人数已增长到大约32万人（这是队伍人数的最高纪录）。2013年2月，猎狐犬大师协会的猎人名单中，有179名活跃猎人。此外，威尔士包装联合会有56名，中央捕猎委员会有6名（他们在湖区及其周围徒步打猎）。
世界上的许多东西，在对比中更显得回味无穷。
注释
[1]licensed[ˈlaɪsnst] a.得到许可的；领有执照的；获准拥有的
[2]artificially[ˌɑ:tɪ'fɪʃəlɪ] ad.人工地；人为地；不自然地
[3]association[əˌsəʊʃɪ'eɪʃn] n.协会，联盟，社团；联合；联想
圣诞节
Christmas Day
The name Christmas is short for “Christ's Mass”.A Mass is a kind of Church service.Christmas is a religious festival.It is the day we celebrate as the birthday of Jesus.There are special Christmas services in Christian churches all over the world.But many of the festivities of Christmas do not have anything to do with religion.Exchanging gifts and sending Christmas cards are the modern ways of celebrating the Christmas in the world.
For some,that means digging out those old lights and ornaments out of the closet to hang on the Christmas tree.Although it is generally agreed that the Christmas tree in its current form came from Germany in the early 19th century,the tradition of decorating a tree to mark winter celebrations dates back hundreds of years to Roman times,when they used to decorate evergreen trees with small pieces of metal to celebrate Saturnalia.
In medieval times the “Paradise Play” was performed every year on 24 December.This depicted the creation of Man and the fall of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden and always included an evergreen hung with apples which represented the apple tree of temptation.In the late 16th century,Martin Luther（the founder of the Protestant religion）was the first to decorate an indoor tree with candles when he attempted to recreate the stars shining over a forest of evergreens.The first mention of decorated trees being taken indoors came in 1605 in Germany—a country with a long Christmas tree history!The trees were initially decorated with fruit and sweets together with hand-made objects such as quilled snowflakes and stars.German Christmas Markets began to sell shaped gingerbreads and wax ornaments which people bought as souvenirs of the fair and took home to hang on their trees.
For many children,Christmas is the season of Santa Claus,that mysterious and jolly invader of chimneys,soaring through the sky on his magical sled,bearing gifts for the nice and coal for the naughty.Most people who celebrate Christmas are familiar with the figure of Santa Claus.However,few know the details of his origins or the fairly complex history of his development.
The figure of Santa Claus actually has many different origins and is derived from a variety of traditions.Elements from these different traditions became incorporated together with time and produced the Santa Claus that we know today.The primary inspiration for Santa Claus is the 4th century Christian bishop Saint Nicholas of Myra.Nicholas resided in the ancient Lycian town of Myra,located in Byzantine Anatolia.Having devoted his entire life to Christianity at a young age,Nicholas became known for his generous gifts to the poor.One famous story tells of how he presented three impoverished daughters of a faithful Christian with dowries so that they would not have to become prostitutes.Today,we continue to use Saint Nicholas（or Saint Nick）as a pseudonym for Santa Claus.
文化小课堂
西方人将红、绿、白三色定为圣诞色，在圣诞节来临之际，都会将整个家用圣诞色装饰一新。红色的代表物是圣诞花和圣诞蜡烛，绿色的代表物则是圣诞树，红色与白色相映成趣的就是圣诞老人了。
圣诞节的英文原名Christmas是Christ's Mass的缩写，意思是“基督的弥撒”。弥撒是一种教堂礼拜仪式，圣诞节则是一个宗教节日，我们在这一天庆祝耶稣的诞生。圣诞节到来之际，世界各地的基督教教会都会举行特殊的礼拜仪式。但是，现在的很多圣诞节欢庆活动已经和宗教毫无关系。直到近些年来，圣诞节交换礼物和送圣诞卡这两种大众庆祝方式才开始兴起。
对一些人而言，这意味着又要翻箱倒柜找出往年的装饰灯、装饰品，将它们挂到圣诞树上了。众所周知，现在这种圣诞树源自19世纪初的德国，但是，通过装饰树木作为冬季佳节来临的标志这一传统，却可以追溯到几百年前的古罗马时代。那时的人们就已经开始使用金属亮片装饰常青树，以庆祝农神节的到来了。
中世纪时期，每年的12月24日都会上演一出《天堂剧》。这出剧主要描绘的是人类创造之初以及亚当、夏娃从伊甸园堕入人间的故事，剧中常常出现一棵挂满苹果的常青树，象征着引诱他们堕落的苹果树。
16世纪末，新教创始人马丁·路德是第一个用蜡烛装饰室内树木的人，而他当时的真正目的，只是想再现群星照耀万年青树林的一幕。1605年，德国人最先将装饰好的树木移到室内，而圣诞树在德国可是有着相当悠久的历史！圣诞树上的装饰物最初只有水果和糖果，以及用羽毛手工制作的雪花和星星。但慢慢地，德国的圣诞集市上开始出售形状各异的姜饼和蜡质饰品。人们把这些买回家挂在树上，当作赶集的纪念品。
对孩子们来说，圣诞节可是圣诞老人的大舞台，这个神神秘秘、乐乐呵呵、爱爬烟囱的老头，会驾着他那魔幻般的雪橇滑过天际，将礼物撒向乖孩子，而将煤球留给淘气鬼。大多数庆祝圣诞节的人都很熟悉圣诞老人的形象，但圣诞老人的来历以及那错综复杂的发展史，几乎没几个人能说清楚。
事实上，圣诞老人的形象出处相当多，源自于许多不同的传统。随着时间的推移，不同传统中的文化元素逐渐融为一体，最终形成了我们今日熟悉的圣诞老人形象，其主要灵感来源于4世纪迈拉的基督教主教圣·尼古拉斯。迈拉是他的居住地，位于小亚细亚拜占庭的古利西亚小镇。他在很小的时候就是基督徒，毕生都献身于基督教事业，并因好善济施而出名。关于他有一个广为流传的故事：曾有一名虔诚的基督徒，膝下有3个穷得叮当响的女儿，在圣尼古拉斯的资助下，才得以置办嫁妆而不至于沦为娼妓。今天，人们继续使用圣·尼古拉斯（或简称圣·尼克）作为圣诞老人的别称。
盖伊·福克斯之夜
Guy Fawkes'Night
The fifth of November is Guy Fawkes'Night or Bonfire[1]Night.This is a British festivity.
The story of Guy Fawkes goes back to the early 1600's.During this period there were religious problems between Protestants Catholics in Britain.King James I was a Protestant and he passed severe laws against Catholics.They were not permitted to have religious services.
A group of 12 Catholics decided to kill King James I and destroy the Parliament Building!They planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament on 5 November 1605,when the King was present.This was called the Gunpowder Plot[2].
The leader of the plot was Robert Catesby.The plotters put 30 barrels of explosives in the cellars under the Parliament Building.Guy Fawkes was an expert with explosives.His responsibility was to guard the barrels of explosives and light the fuse on November.The King's soldiers discovered the plot!Guy Fawkes was immediately arrested and tortured.The other plotters were found three days later.Guy Fawkes and the others were hanged.
On the night of 5 November 1605 many people in London were happy because the plot was discovered.To celebrate they started bonfires in the street.Someone made an effigy[3] of Guy Fawkes and burned it.
Ever since that day the British have celebrated Guy Fawkes'Night.
Today young people in Britain make a Guy with old clothes and fill him with newspaper.Then they go around the streets with the Guy and ask for “a penny for the Guy?” With this money they buy fireworks.
On the night of 5 November there are fireworks and big bonfires to burn the Guy.Some people have bonfires in their back gardens.Young people love the noise,excitement and colourful fireworks.
On this night they eat toffee apples.
In Lewes,Sussex,there is a big public festival on Guy Fawkes’ Night.People dress in historic costumes.The Guy is burned on top of a hill on an enormous bonfire.There are also brilliant fireworks.
Here is a rhyme[4] about Guy Fawkes:
Remember,remember
The fifth of November
Gunpowder,treason and plot.
I see no reason
Why gunpowder and treason
Should ever be forgot
文化小课堂
盖伊·福克斯之夜也称“篝火节之夜”，在英国已有400多年历史，是英国的一个政治性节日。最初的庆祝是为了维护对国家和宗教的忠诚，如今在节日当天分外热闹，天空焰火纷飞，地上篝火熊熊，以纪念历史事件“火药阴谋”。
11月5日是“盖伊·福克斯之夜”，或称为“焰火之夜”，是英国的一个节日。
有关盖伊·福克斯的故事，要追溯至17世纪早期。在这一时期内，英国新教徒之间出现了宗教问题。国王詹姆斯一世是一名新教徒，他颁发了十分严苛的法律来针对天主教徒，不允许他们开展宗教仪式。
于是，一支由12个天主教徒组成的小队决定杀死詹姆斯一世，并摧毁国会大厦！他们计划于1605年11月5日炸毁国会，当时国王就在里面。这就是所谓的“火药阴谋”。
这场阴谋的领导者是罗伯特·盖茨比。谋划者们将30筒炸药放进国会大厦的地窖里。盖伊·福克斯是爆破专家，他负责警戒那些炸药筒，并于11月点燃导火线。然而，国王的士兵发现了这场阴谋！于是盖伊·福克斯当即被捕，还遭受了严刑拷问。三天后，其余的密谋者也被查出。盖伊·福克斯和这些密谋者最终都被绞死。
1605年11月5日晚上，许多伦敦人都因这场阴谋暴露而非常开心。为了表示庆祝，他们在街道上生起篝火；还有人做了盖伊·福克斯的雕像，并将其当场烧毁。
从此以后，英国人便有了“盖伊·福克斯之夜”这样的节日。
如今，英国的年轻人会做一个穿着旧衣服的盖伊像，然后在里面塞满报纸。之后，他们会带着盖伊走到街上，请求别人“给盖伊一便士吧？”最后，他们就用得来的钱买烟花。
每到11月5日夜晚，人们就会放烟花，还会点燃大型篝火烧盖伊。有些人会在他们的后院里燃放烟花。年轻人喜欢热闹、刺激和五颜六色的烟花。
此外，他们还会在当天晚上吃拔丝苹果。
在刘易斯和苏塞克斯，“盖伊·福克斯之夜”还会有一个大型的公共宴会。人们身着传统服装，将盖伊像放在山顶上，搁在一簇大型的篝火上点燃。同时还会燃放绚烂的烟花。
以下是一首关于盖伊·福克斯的短诗：
记住了，记住了
11月5日
爆炸，谋反与阴谋
无法理解
为什么爆炸和叛乱
要被遗忘
注释
[1]bonfire[ˈbɒnfaɪə] n.营火，篝火
[2]plot[plɒt] n.阴谋；密谋；地基，基址图；（戏剧、小说等的）情节；一块地
[3]effigy['efɪdʒi] n.（人的）雕像；模拟像，肖像
[4]rhyme[raɪm] n.押韵短诗；韵脚；韵文
情人节缘何而来
Why We Have the Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day,14 February,is dedicated to people in love!
On 14 February sweethearts celebrate Valentine's Day with cards and presents.Cards can be funny,romantic or poetic[1].
Presents can be a box of chocolates,flowers or jewellery.
When and where did this festivity start?
The custom of celebrating Valentine's Day probably began with the Roman festival of Lupercalia on 15 February.During Lupercalia there were games and dancing.Every young man took the name of a young lady from an urn.The lady was the young man's sweetheart for one year.
With the beginning of Christianity pagan customs were not permitted,but the festival continued.In the 7th century this festival was called St.Valentine's Day.
The origin of the name is still a mystery.Some historians say that the festival took its name from a Christian martyr[2] named Valentine.He died on 14 February in the year 270.Others say Valentine was put in prison by Emperor Claudius because he secretly married young couples.The Emperor did not like these secret marriages.
Some say that Valentine comes from the French word “galantine”（agallant or beau）.
A legend says that birds begin to mate on 14 February!
The Roman conquerors brought the celebration to England.In England the pagan and Christian customs combined to form the Valentine festivity.
The Valentine tradition was popular in Shakespeare's time.Shakespeare's characters Romeo and Juliet are the eternal[3] symbol of love.In the play Hamlet Ophelia sang this song:
Tomorrow is St.Valentine's Day
All in the morning be time,
And I a maid at your window
To be your Valentine.
In 17th century London,sweethearts exchanged presents on 14 February.The English settlers took this romantic tradition to the New World.
Some settlers made beautiful Valentine's cards by hand.They painted butterflies,flowers,cupids and hearts on the cards,and then wrote original verses.
In the 1800's few people had time to make Valentine's cards.American manufacturers[4] printed millions of romantic cards.The most popular cards had moving parts:windows that opened and showed a romantic poem,and little birds that seemed to fly.
After the romantic Valentine,the comic Valentine became popular.It had funny cartoons or grotesque[5] pictures with comic messages.
Today there are all types of Valentine's cards:romantic,poetic,comic,grotesque,artistic and handmade!
In 1947 the town of Loveland in Colorado,USA,became Cupid's residence!In Loveland something very unusual happens about two weeks before Valentine's Day.The Loveland Post Office receives more than 300000 Valentine's cards from all over the world.
The Loveland Post Office cancels these cards with the Loveland,Colorado cancellation.A picture of Cupid and romantic verses are stamped on the envelope.Then the Valentine's cards are sent to the addressee.
These are two examples of the Loveland verses:
Across the land
We send hugs and kisses.
From the Sweetheart City
Come Valentine wishes.
Hope this special day
Will make you smile
And the love sent from love land
Will shorten each mile.
In Great Britain it is customary to send an anonymous Valentine's card or present to the person you like or love.The person must guess who wrote it.
Today in the United States Valentine's Day has a bigger meaning.On this day you can send a card or a present to a parent,grandparent,relative or a friend.Valentine's Day is an occasion to express love or affection to anyone.
In elementary school American boys and girls write cards to their favourite classmates.Then they put them into a big box in the school hall.In the afternoon there is a Valentine's Day party.The teacher takes the cards out of the box and gives them to the children.This is always an exciting moment!
Children like counting their cards.Most children sign their Valentine's card,but some remain anonymous or write “From a Secret Admirer”.
In American high schools and universities,there is a “Sweethearts' Ball” on the evening of 14 February.For the “Sweethearts’ Ball” the hall is decorated with red hearts and cupids!Some people have parties at home to celebrate this day dedicated to love.
In the USA,the top of the Empire State Building in New York City is illuminated[6] with red lights to celebrate Valentine's Day.
In love folly is always sweet.
文化小课堂
情人节又叫圣瓦伦丁节或圣华伦泰节，即每年的2月14日，是西方的传统节日之一。公元270年2月14日，罗马圣教徒瓦伦丁被处死，后来为了纪念他为正义、为纯洁的爱而牺牲自己，将临刑的这一天定为“情人节”。
2月14日情人节，一个献给恋人们的节日。
在那天，恋人们用卡片和礼物来庆祝情人节。卡片可以做得有趣、浪漫，而且富有诗意。
至于礼物，可以是一盒巧克力，一束鲜花，或者一件饰物。
那么，这个节日起源于何时何地呢？
庆祝情人节的风俗大概是从罗马的2月15日牧神节开始的。牧神节期间有各种游戏和舞蹈，其中有一项活动是，每一位男子都会从瓮中抽取一名女子的名字，而被抽到名字的女子就要当男子的女朋友，期限为一年。
基督教刚开始盛行时，异教习俗是不被允许的，但这个节日并没有终止。在7世纪时，这个节日名叫圣情人节。
不过，这个名字的起源仍是未解之谜。一些历史学家说，该节日的名称取自一位名叫瓦伦丁的基督教殉道者。他死于270年2月14日。还有人说，因为瓦伦丁秘密帮助年轻男女主持婚礼，而被克劳狄斯大帝关进了监狱。因为大帝不喜欢他们的秘密婚姻。
还有一些人说，“Valentine”源自法语词“galantine”（情人、情郎）。
另外有传说称，鸟儿在2月14日开始交配！
罗马征服者们将这项庆典带到了英格兰。而异教风俗与基督风俗相结合，就形成了情人节。
此外，情人节风俗在莎士比亚时期非常盛行。莎士比亚剧中的角色罗密欧和朱丽叶，就是爱情的永恒象征。另外，在《哈姆雷特》中，奥菲莉娅还唱道：
明天就是情人节
整个早上
我这个少女，都在你的窗前
等着做你的情人。
17世纪的伦敦，恋人们会在2月14日这一天交换礼物。英国殖民者将这个浪漫的传统带到了新世界。
一些殖民者还亲手制作漂亮的情人节卡片。他们将蝴蝶、鲜花、丘比特和爱心画在卡片上，然后写上独创的诗歌。
到了19世纪，大部分人都没时间制作情人节卡片。于是，美国制造商们就印制了上百万张浪漫的贺卡。其中，最流行的卡片上有可以移动的画面：敞开的窗户里写着一首浪漫的诗，几只鸟儿在窗间展翅欲飞。
继浪漫的情人节贺卡之后，幽默的情人节贺卡又开始盛行。卡片上印着有趣的卡通图案和怪诞的图画，还写着滑稽的词句。
如今已有了各种各样的情人节卡片：浪漫的、诗意的、滑稽的、怪诞的、艺术的，还有手工的。
1947年，美国科罗拉多州的拉夫兰镇成了丘比特的驻扎地！情人节前大约两周，拉夫兰发生了一件非常奇怪的事：拉夫兰邮局收到了来自世界各地的30多万张情人节贺卡。
拉夫兰邮局用科罗拉多拉夫兰镇的邮票盖销章注销了这些贺卡，然后将丘比特的图案和浪漫的诗句印在信封上，再送到收件人的手里。
这里有两个版本的拉夫兰诗句：
我们将拥抱和亲吻
送往整个大地
从恋人的城市
飞来情人的祝愿
希望这特别的日子
能让你展开笑颜
爱之域送来的温情
让相距的每一英里都好似缩短
英国有一种习俗，就是给你喜欢或深爱的人匿名送情人节贺卡或礼物，而收到贺卡或礼物的人必须猜出是谁送的。
如今，在美国，情人节有着更为广泛的意义。情人节这天，你还可以送贺卡或礼物给父母、祖父母、亲戚或朋友。情人节就是对他人表达爱意和倾慕的时刻。
在小学，男孩女孩们写卡片送给他们最喜欢的同学，他们把写好的卡片放进学校大厅的一个大盒子里。当天下午，还会举行情人节派对。在派对上，老师会拿出盒子里的卡片分给孩子们。这是一个多么激动人心的时刻！
孩子们喜欢数他们的卡片。大部分孩子在他们的卡片上做了标记，可还有一些卡片仍是不具名的，或是写着“来自一个神秘的爱慕者”。
在美国的高中和大学，每逢2月14日的晚上就会举行一场“恋人舞会”。舞会上装扮有红色的爱心和丘比特！而有些人则在家里举行派对来庆祝这个献给爱情的节日。
在美国，为了庆祝情人节，纽约帝国大厦的顶部还会装饰着闪闪红灯。
恋爱中，犯傻也甜美。
注释
[1]poetic[pəʊˈetɪk] a.诗的，韵文的；有诗意的；诗人的
[2]martyr['mɑ:tə（r）] n.烈士；殉道者；（因病等）长期受痛苦的
[3]eternal[i:'tə:nl] a.永恒的，永久的；没完没了的；不朽的
[4]manufacturers[ˌmænjuˈfæktʃərəz] n.制造商，制造厂（manufacturer的名词复数）
[5]grotesque[grəʊˈtesk] a.怪诞的，荒诞不经的；奇形怪状的
[6]illuminated[ɪˈlu:mɪneɪtɪd] v.使明亮（illuminate的过去式）；照亮；阐明，说明；启发
母亲节的历史
History of Mother'sDay
◎ Lewis CarroII
The first celebrations in honor of mothers were held in the spring in ancient Greece.They paid tribute to Rhea,the Mother of the Gods.During the 17th century,England honored mothers on “Mothering Sunday,” celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent.
In the United States,Julia Ward Howe suggested the idea of Mother's Day in 1872.Howe,who wrote the words to the Battle Hymn of the Republic,saw Mother's Day as being dedicated to peace.
Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia is credited with bringing about the official observance of Mother's Day.Her campaign to establish such a holiday began as a remembrance of her mother,who died in 1905 and who had,in the late 19th century,tried to establish “Mother's Friendship Days” as a way to heal the scars of the Civil War.
Two years after her mother died,Jarvis held a ceremony in Grafton,W.Va.,to honor her.She was so moved by the proceedings that she began a massive campaign to adopt a formal holiday honoring mothers.In 1910,West Virginia became the first state to recognize Mother's Day.A year later,nearly every state officially marked the day.In 1914,President Woodrow Wilson officially proclaimed Mother's Day as a national holiday to be held on the second Sunday of May.
But Jarvis' accomplishment soon turned bitter for her.Enraged by the commercialization of the holiday,she filed a lawsuit to stop a 1923 Mother's Day festival and was even arrested for disturbing the peace at a war mothers' convention where women sold white carnations—Jarvis’ symbol for mothers—to raise money.“This is not what I intended,” Jarvis said,“I wanted it to be a day of sentiment,not profit!”
When she died in 1948,at age 84,Jarvis had become a woman of great ironies.Never a mother herself,her maternal fortune dissipated by her efforts to stop the commercialization of the holiday she had founded,Jarvis told a reporter shortly before her death that she was sorry she had ever started Mother's Day.She spoke these words in a nursing home where every Mother's Day her room had been filled with cards from all over the world.
Today,because and despite Jarvis’ efforts,many celebrations of Mother's Days are held throughout the world.Although they do not all fall at the same time,such countries as Denmark,Finland,Italy,Turkey,Australia and Belgium also celebrate Mother's Day on the same day as the United States.
Dear Mother,thank you for bringing me to this world to come up.There'd be no me without you,nor seasons of happiness and sadness.
文化小课堂
这个节日最早出现在古希腊，而现代的母亲节则起源于美国，为每年5月的第二个星期日。母亲们在这一天通常会收到礼物，人们将康乃馨献给母亲；而在中国，萱草花被视为母亲花，又叫忘忧草。
在古希腊的某个春天，人类举行了第一场纪念母亲的庆典，以此歌颂众神之母瑞亚。17世纪的英格兰，人们在每年大斋期的第四个周日——“拜望双亲日”都会向母亲致敬。
在美国，《共和国赞歌》的作词人朱莉娅·沃德·荷，在1872年建议设立母亲节，以向和平献礼。
不过，母亲节能正式成为法定节假日，还要归功于费城的安娜·贾维斯。她之所以游说人们设立节日，初衷只是为了纪念自己的母亲，因为她母亲在1905年去世之前，即19世纪末，一直致力于设立“母亲友谊日”，以抚慰南北战争带给人们的创伤。
在母亲去世两年后，贾维斯在西弗吉尼亚州格拉夫顿为母亲举办了纪念仪式。这个仪式令她感动不已，因此，她至此开始举行大规模的活动，以促进母亲节成为正式节假日。1910年，西弗吉尼亚州成为确立母亲节的第一州。一年后，几乎每个州都正式确立了这个节日。1914年，伍德罗·威尔逊总统正式宣布，5月的第二个周日为法定节假日——母亲节。
但是，贾维斯的成就很快就成为她的困扰。她对母亲节的商业化万分气愤，为此，她不仅为取缔1923年的母亲节庆典提起诉讼，还有一次蓄意扰乱战时的母亲大会，因为那些妇女为了集资，而在大会上售卖她心目中象征母亲的白色康乃馨。因为这些事件，她最后竟落得锒铛入狱的下场。“这并不是我的本意，”贾维斯说，“我心中的母亲节是感谢日，而不是发财日！”
贾维斯于1948年去世，享年84岁。她的一生颇具讽刺意味。她从没做过母亲，却建立了母亲节，又千辛万苦地抵制母亲节的商业化。看来，她的“未为人之母”是命中注定的。贾维斯在逝世前不久，曾对记者说，她很后悔当初建立了母亲节，说这番话的时候，她正在私人疗养院的房间里。尽管如此，每年母亲节的时候，她的房间仍会堆满来自全世界的卡片。
今天，不论母亲节是否与贾维斯的努力有关，但现在全世界都在庆祝母亲节。尽管不同国家的母亲节的日期有所不同，但丹麦、芬兰、意大利、土耳其、澳大利亚、比利时的母亲节，都和美国是同一天。
亲爱的母亲，谢谢你给了我生命。若没有你，就没有我，也没有我四季的悲欢。
复活节的象征：复活节兔
Rabbits:The Symbol of Easter
The Easter bunny has arrived,chocolate Easter eggs are in the shops,the daffodils are out,and the weather is getting better!
Easter is a great time of year,but what are its origins?
Originally Easter was called Pascha after the Hebrew word for Passover,a Jewish festival that happens at this time of year.It was replaced by Easter,a word which is believed to have evolved from Eostre,the name of the Anglo-Saxon goddess of fertility[1] and springtime.
The date of Easter is determined by the lunar calendar[2].In 2008,the Easter weekend starts with Good Friday on 21st March and ends on Easter Monday,24 March.
There are many food traditions celebrated at this time of year.
Hot cross buns are a favourite for many in the United Kingdom,and are thought to have originated from the ancient Greeks and Egyptians who ate small cakes or buns in honour of the respective goddesses that they worshipped.Buns marked with a cross were eaten by the Saxons to honour a goddess.It is thought the bun represented the moon and the cross,its four quarters.To Christians,the cross symbolises the crucifixion[4].
In Scandinavia,Easter Pasha is eaten.This is a fluffy[5] creamy pudding,which is very light and sweet,and in Finland a strange mixture of molasses and rye flour is served at this time of year.It dates back to the sixteenth century and is called Mämmi.
Of course Easter wouldn't be Easter without eggs!The tradition of colouring eggs in bright colours goes back to the Middle Ages.It is said that this represents the sunlight of spring.In Germany it is traditional to paint eggs green,while in Greek and Slavic cultures eggs are dyed red as a symbol of the blood of Christ.
For many,Easter symbolises new life,and images of new born chicks,and rabbits（or bunnies）are to be seen everywhere,on television,Easter cards,and on eggs.
Time goes by so fast,people go in and out of your life.You must never miss the opportunity to tell these people how much they mean to you.
文化小课堂
复活节兔是复活节的象征之一。复活节时，会有使者装扮成兔子给孩子们发送礼物。它源于西欧文化，通常由野兔而不是家兔的形象出现。兔子作为多产的动物，象征着春天的复苏和新生命的诞生。兔子是爱神阿佛罗狄忒的宠物，也是日耳曼土地女神霍尔塔的持烛引路者。部分家庭参与这一庆祝活动并不是因为相信其存在，而是作为一种传统，或者是觉得有趣。
复活节兔子来了，商店里开始卖巧克力复活节蛋，水仙花开了，天气也变好了！
复活节是一年中的大时刻，可是它又源自何处呢？
最初的复活节叫做“Pascha”，是根据希伯来逾越节命名的，那是每年此时的一个犹太节日。后来，它被Easter（复活节）取代，而Easter又是从Eostre（厄俄斯特）一词演变而来——厄俄斯特是司掌繁殖和春季的盎格鲁—撒克逊女神的名字。
复活节的日期是依农历而定的。2008年，复活节开始于3月21日耶稣受难日（复活节前的星期五），结束于3月24日复活节星期一。
每年的这个时候，都有许多关于食物传统的庆祝。
在英国，最受欢迎的要数热十字面包[3]，人们认为，它们源自古希腊和埃及人为了纪念崇敬的女神而吃的小蛋糕和小圆面包。为了纪念一位女神，撒克逊人会吃上面印有十字的小圆面包。他们认为小圆面包代表月亮，而十字就是月亮的四个方向。对于基督教徒来说，十字象征着受难。
在斯堪的纳维亚，人们还会吃复活节帕沙。这是一种松软的奶油布丁，味甜轻柔。在芬兰，每年的这个时候，人们会吃一种蜜糖与黑麦粉的奇怪混合物。这要追溯至16世纪一种叫作“妈咪”的东西。
当然，复活节不可能是没有蛋的复活节！鲜艳彩蛋的传统要追溯至中世纪，据说这代表着春天的阳光。德国的传统是画绿色的蛋，而在希腊和斯拉夫的文化中，蛋被染成红色，象征着耶稣的血。
在许多国家，复活节象征着新生命，电视、复活节卡片和彩蛋上，到处都可见初生的小鸡和兔子。
时间飞逝，生命中人来人往。不要错失机会，告诉这些人他们在你生命中的意义。
注释
[1]fertility[fə'tɪləti] n.（土地的）肥沃；肥力；丰产；<生>繁殖力
[2]lunar calendar农历，阴历。
[3]十字面包，复活节前星期五吃的一种食物。
[4]crucifixion[ˌkru:sɪˈfɪkʃn] n.苦痛的考验；受难；刑罚；被钉死在十字架
[5]fluffy['flʌfi] a.松软的，毛茸茸的；轻柔的；无聊的，琐碎的；肤浅的
世界各地的父亲节
Different Father's Day
Father's Day in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
In the United Kingdom,Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June and is not a public holiday.In the United States,Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June.Its first celebration was in Spokane,Washington on June 19,1910.Other festivities honoring fathers had been held in Fairmont and in Creston,but the modern holiday did not emerge[1] from those.
Father's Day in the United States
Modern Father's Day was invented by Sonora Smart Dodd,born in Arkansas,who was also the driving force behind its establishment.Her father,the Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart,was a single parent who reared his six children in Spokane,Washington.She was inspired by Anna Jarvis's efforts to establish[2]Mother's Day.Although she initially suggested June 5,her father's birthday,she did not provide the organizers with enough time to make arrangements,and the celebration was deferred to the third Sunday of June.
Unofficial support from such figures as William Jennings Bryan was immediate and widespread.President Woodrow Wilson was personally feted by his family in 1916.President Calvin Coolidge recommended it as a national holiday in 1924.In 1966,President Lyndon B.Johnson made Father's Day a holiday to be celebrated on the third Sunday of June.The holiday was not officially recognized until 1972,during the presidency of Richard Nixon.
In recent years,retailers have adapted to the holiday by promoting greeting cards and traditionally male-oriented gifts such as electronics and tools.Schools and other children's programs commonly have activities to make Father's Day gifts.
More phone calls are made in the United States during Mother's Day than during Father's Day,but the percentage of collect calls on Father's Day is much higher,making it the busiest day of the year for collect calls.Also,calls during both Mother's Day and Father's Day tend to last longer.
Father's Day is accompanied by a smaller total number of phone calls,greeting cards and gifts than Mother's Day.It is speculated that this is due to the greater number of households with a mother than households with a father（due to single mothers）,to the greater role of mothers in unpaid household labor,and to different personal or societal expectations.
Father's Day in New Zealand
In New Zealand,Father's Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of September and is not a public holiday.
Father's Day in Canada
In Canada,Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and is not a public holiday.Father's Day typically involves spending time with one's father or the father figures in one's life.Small celebrations and the giving of gifts may be part of the festivities organized for Father's Day.
Father's Day in Australia
In Australia,Father's Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of September and is not a public holiday.YMCA Victoria continues the tradition of honouring the role fathers,and father figures play in parenting through the annual awarding of Local Community Father of the Year in 32 municipalities[3] in Victoria.The Father's Day Council of Victoria annually recognise fathers in the Father of the Year Award.
A dad is someone who wants to catch you before you fall but instead picks you up,brushes you off,and lets you try again.
文化小课堂
父亲节是一年中特别感谢父亲的节日，始于20世纪初，每个国家的父亲节日期及庆祝方式都不尽相同。世界上第一个父亲节于1910年诞生在美国，由美国华盛顿州斯波坎的布鲁斯·多德夫人倡导。
大不列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国的“父亲节”
在英国，父亲节是6月的第三个星期天，这并不是一个公共节日。在美国，父亲节也是6月的第三个星期天。第一个父亲节庆祝于1910年6月19日，在华盛顿的斯波坎。在费尔蒙特和克雷斯顿还会纪念其他形式的父亲节，可是，当代的父亲节并不是由它们而来。
美国的“父亲节”
当代的父亲节是由生于阿肯色州的索诺拉·斯马特·多德创建的，她是创建父亲节的先导者。她的父亲名叫威廉·杰克逊·斯马特，是一名内战老兵，曾在华盛顿的斯波坎市独自抚养六个孩子。她是受到了安娜·贾维斯创立母亲节的鼓舞。尽管最开始她是想用父亲的生日，也就是6月5日作为父亲节，可组织者们并没有足够的时间来安排，于是就推迟到6月的第三个星期天。
这立刻就得到了威廉·詹宁斯·布莱安等人的非正式支持，并且传播开来。此外，伍德·威尔逊总统的家人于1916年为他庆祝了父亲节。1924年，加尔文·库利奇总统提议它作为国家节假日。1966年，林顿·B.约翰逊把父亲节定在6月的第三个星期天。直到1972年，也就是在理查德·尼克松总统当政期间，该假日才被正式认可。
近些年来，零售商们为了适应父亲节，还发明了问候卡和适合男性的传统礼物，比如电子产品和工具。学校和其他儿童组织一般都有专门制作父亲节礼物的活动。
在美国，母亲节的电话要比父亲节多，可是父亲节的对方付费电话要比母亲节多，于是这就成了一年之中付费电话最多的一天。同样，母亲节和父亲节的电话通话都比较长。
父亲节收到的电话、问候卡和礼物都比母亲节少。据推测，这是由于有母亲的家庭比有父亲的家庭多（因为有不少单身母亲），因为母亲在无酬家务劳动中的作用更大，还出于不同的个人和社会期望的缘故。
新西兰的父亲节
在新西兰，庆祝父亲节是在9月的第一个星期天，它也不是一个公共节日。
加拿大的父亲节
加拿大的父亲节是在6月的第三个星期天，它并不是一个公共节日。父亲节通常就是与父亲和在生命中扮演父亲角色的人一起度过的节日。小型的庆祝和送礼物也许是父亲节的一部分。
澳大利亚的父亲节
在澳大利亚，庆祝父亲节是在9月的第一个星期天，这也不是一个公共节日。基督教青年会的维多利亚通过在维多利亚的32个自治区实行年度“当地社区父亲”奖，延续了纪念父亲，或者扮演父亲角色的人的传统。此外，维多利亚父亲节委员会每年都会予以认可获得年度奖的父亲。
爸爸就是，在你跌倒之前想抓住你，跌倒之后不理你，却会让你再试一次的那个人。
注释
[1]emerge[ɪ'mə:dʒ] v.出现，浮现；暴露；摆脱
[2]establish[ɪ'stæblɪʃ] v.建立，创建；确立或使安全；使被安排好；使成为
[3]municipalities[mjuˌnɪsɪˈpælɪtɪz] n.自治市，自治区，自治市或区的政府当局（municipality的名词复数）
十条知识为万圣节扫盲
Wipe out Illiteracy About Halloween
1.The Halloween celebration comes from All Hallows Day or All Saints Day,the 1st of November.This was originally a pagan festival of the dead,but later became a holiday to honor Christian saints.
2.The name Halloween comes from a contraction of All Hallows Eve（Evening）,the day before All Hallows Day.On this night it was believed that the spirits of the dead would try to come back to life!
3.Dressing up in costumes is one of the most popular Halloween customs,especially among children.According to tradition,people would dress up in costumes（wear special clothing,masks or disguises）to frighten the spirits away.
4.Popular Halloween costumes include vampires（creatures that drink blood）,ghosts（spirits of the dead）and werewolves[1]（people that turn into wolves when the moon is full）.
5.Trick or Treat is a modern Halloween custom where children go from house to house dressed in costume,asking for treats like candy or toys.If they don't get any treats,they might play a trick（mischief or prank）on the owners of the house.
6.The tradition of the Jack o' Lantern comes from a folktale about a man named Jack who tricked the devil and had to wander the Earth with a lantern.The Jack o' Lantern is made by placing a candle inside a hollowed-out pumpkin,which is carved to look like a face.
7.There are many other superstitions associated with Halloween.A superstition is an irrational[2] idea,like believing that the number 13 is unlucky!
8.Halloween is also associated with supernatural creatures like ghosts and vampires.These creatures are not part of the natural world.They don't really exist ...or do they?
9.Witches are popular Halloween characters that are thought to have magical powers.They usually wear pointed hats and fly around on broomsticks[3].
10.Bad omens are also part of Halloween celebrations.A bad omen is something that is believed to bring bad luck,like black cats,spiders or bats.
If youth be a defect,it is one that we outgrow only too soon.
文化小课堂
万圣节是每年的10月31日，源于古代凯尔特民族的新年节庆，他们相信这是夏天的终结、冬天的开始。这是一年中最重要的节日之一，被称为“死人之日”或“鬼节”。万圣节通常与灵异的事物联系起来，欧洲传统则认为，万圣节晚上是鬼怪世界最接近人间的时间，与东亚的中元节、盂兰节及日本的百鬼夜行类似。
1.庆祝万圣节的习俗来源于11月1日基督教万圣节，又叫全圣节。该节日最初是一种悼念死者的异教徒节日，而之后成为纪念基督圣徒的节日。
2.万圣节一词简写自万圣节之夜（夜晚），也就是万圣节的前一天。人们认为，在这天晚上，死者的鬼魂会回到人间！
3.乔装打扮是万圣节最为流行的风俗，在孩子中更是如此。按照传统，人们会穿上戏服（奇怪的服装、面具或化妆）将鬼魂吓走。
4.流行的万圣节服装包括吸血鬼（吸血的生物）、鬼魂（死者的鬼魂）和狼人（在满月时会变成狼的人）。
5.“不给糖就捣蛋”是现代万圣节的风俗，孩子们装扮好自己后，会挨家挨户去要糖果和玩具等。要是不给他们好处，他们就会在主人家恶作剧（调皮捣蛋）。
6.放南瓜灯的习俗来自于一个民间故事，故事是关于一个名叫杰克的人，他欺骗了魔鬼，所以不得不乘一个南瓜灯漂流世界。制作南瓜灯，就是在挖空的南瓜里放进一根蜡烛，而且南瓜要被雕刻成人脸的样子。
7.与万圣节有关的还有许多其他的迷信风俗。这里的迷信就是指荒谬的想法，比如认为13是个不吉利的数字。
8.万圣节还与一些超自然生物有关，比如鬼魂和吸血鬼。这些生物并不属于自然界。他们并不是真的存在……或者他们存在吗？
9.女巫是万圣节最时兴的装扮，人们认为女巫很有魔力。她们经常戴着尖顶帽，坐在扫帚上飞来飞去。
10.噩兆也是庆祝万圣节的一部分。噩兆就是那些会招致霉运的东西，比如黑猫、蜘蛛和蝙蝠。
假如青春也是一种缺憾，那就是它逝去得太快。
注释
[1]werewolves['wiəwulvz] n.（故事中）变成狼的人，狼人（werewolf的名词复数）
[2]irrational[ɪ'ræʃənl] a.不合理的，荒谬的；无理性的
[3]broomsticks[ˈbru:mstɪks] n.（童话中女巫常骑于空中的带柄的）扫帚（broomstick的名词复数）
历史上十大经典愚人节玩笑
The Classical Jokes on April Fool's Day
1.The Swiss Spaghetti Harvest
Spaghetti harvest 1957:The respected BBC news show Panorama announced that thanks to a very mild winter and the virtual elimination of the dreaded spaghetti weevil,Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop.It accompanied this announcement with footage of Swiss peasants pulling strands of spaghetti down from trees.Huge numbers of viewers were taken in.Many called the BBC wanting to know how they could grow their own spaghetti tree.To this the BBC diplomatically[1] replied,“place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best.”
2.Sidd Finch
Sidd Finch 1985:Sports Illustrated published a story about a new rookie pitcher who planned to play for the Mets.His name was Sidd Finch,and he could reportedly throw a baseball at 168 mph with pinpoint accuracy.This was 65 mph faster than the previous record.Surprisingly,Sidd Finch had never even played the game before.Instead,he had mastered the “art of the pitch” in a Tibetan monastery under the guidance of the “great poet-saint Lama Milaraspa”.Mets fans celebrated their teams’ amazing luck at having found such a gifted player,and Sports Illustrated was flooded with requests for more information.In reality this legendary player only existed in the imagination of the author of the article,George Plimpton.
3.Instant Color TV
Image 1962:In 1962 there was only one TV channel in Sweden,and it broadcasting black and white.The station's technical expert,Kjell Stensson,appeared on the news to announce that,thanks to a new technology,viewers could convert their existing sets to display color reception.All they had to do was pull a nylon stocking over their TV screen.Stensson proceeded to demonstrate the process.Thousands of people were taken in.Regular color broadcasts only commenced in Sweden on April 1,1970.
4.The Taco Liberty Bell
Taco Liberty Bell 1996:The Taco Bell Corporation announced it had bought the Liberty Bell and was renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell.Hundreds of outraged citizens called the National Historic Park in Philadelphia where the bell was housed to express their anger.Their nerves were only calmed when Taco Bell revealed,a few hours later,that it was all a practical joke.The best line of the day came when White House press secretary Mike McCurry was asked about the sale.Thinking on his feet,he responded that the Lincoln Memorial had also been sold.It would now be known,he said,as the Ford Lincoln Mercury Memorial.
5.San Serriffe
Image 1977:The British newspaper The Guardian published a special seven-page supplement devoted to San Serriffe,a small republic said to consist of several semi-colon-shaped islands located in the Indian Ocean.A series of articles affectionately described the geography and culture of this obscure nation.Its two main islands were named Upper Caisse and Lower Caisse.Its capital was Bodoni,and its leader was General Pica.The Guardian's phones rang all day as readers sought more information about the idyllic[2] holiday spot.Only a few noticed that everything about the island was named after printer's terminology.
6.Nixon for President
1992:National Public Radio's Talk of the Nation program announced that Richard Nixon,in a surprise move,was running for President again.His new campaign slogan was,“I didn't do anything wrong,and I won't do it again.” Accompanying this announcement were audio clips of Nixon delivering his candidacy speech.Listeners responded viscerally to the announcement,flooding the show with calls expressing shock and outrage.Only during the second half of the show did the host John Hockenberry reveal that the announcement was a practical joke.Nixon's voice was impersonated by comedian Rich Little.
7.Alabama Changes the Value of Pi
1998:The April 1998 issue of the New Mexicans for Science and Reason newsletter contained an article claiming that the Alabama state legislature had voted to change the value of the mathematical constant pi from 3.14159 to the “Biblical value” of 3.0.Soon the article made its way onto the internet,and then it rapidly spread around the world,forwarded by email.It only became apparent how far the article had spread when the Alabama legislature began receiving hundreds of calls from people protesting the legislation.The original article,which was intended as a parody of legislative attempts to circumscribe the teaching of evolution,was written by physicist Mark Boslough.
8.The Left-Handed Whopper
1998:Burger King published a full page advertisement in USA Today announcing the introduction of a new item to their menu:a “Left-Handed Whopper” specially designed for the 32 million left-handed Americans.According to the advertisement,the new whopper included the same ingredients as the original Whopper（lettuce,tomato,hamburger,patty,etc.）,but all the condiments were rotated 180 degrees for the benefit of their left-handed customers.The following day Burger King issued a follow-up release revealing that although the Left-Handed Whopper was a hoax,thousands of customers had gone into restaurants to request the new sandwich.Simultaneously,according to the press release,“many others requested their own ‘right handed’ version.”
9.Hotheaded Naked Ice Borers
Hotheaded Naked Ice Borer 1995:Discover Magazine reported that the highly respected wildlife biologist Dr.Aprile Pazzo had found a new species in Antarctica:the hotheaded naked ice borer.These fascinating creatures had bony plates on their heads that,fed by numerous blood vessels,could become burning hot,allowing the animals to bore through ice at high speeds.They used this ability to hunt penguins,melting the ice beneath the penguins and causing them to sink downwards into the resulting slush where the hotheads consumed them.After much research,Dr.Pazzo theorized that the hotheads might have been responsible for the mysterious disappearance of noted Antarctic explorer Philippe Poisson in 1837.“To the ice borers,he would have looked like a penguin,” the article quoted her as saying.Discover received more mail in response to this article than they had received for any other article in their history.
10.Planetary Alignment Decreases Gravity
1976:The British astronomer Patrick Moore announced on BBC Radio 2 that at 9:47 AM a once-in-a-lifetime astronomical[3] event was going to occur that listeners could experience in their very own homes.The planet Pluto would pass behind Jupiter,temporarily causing a gravitational alignment that would counteract and lessen the Earth's own gravity.Moore told his listeners that if they jumped in the air at the exact moment that this planetary alignment occurred,they would experience a strange floating sensation.When 9:47 AM arrived,BBC 2 began to receive hundreds of phone calls from listeners claiming to have felt the sensation.One woman even reported that she and her eleven friends had risen from their chairs and floated around the room.
名人语库
It is the ability to take a joke,not make one,which proves you have a sense of humor.
～Max Eastman
经得起玩笑是一种能力，代表你有幽默感，而开别人玩笑则不是。
——马科斯·伊斯曼
1.瑞士面条树丰收
1957年面条树丰收：广受关注的BBC新闻上，帕诺拉玛宣称，幸亏去年冬天气候温暖，加上那吃意大利面的可怕的象鼻虫被有效消灭，瑞士农民们才得以享受意大利面条大丰收。此外，新闻上还伴随着这样的镜头：瑞士农民正在从树上拉下一股又一股意大利面条，还有大量观众围观。许多人还特意打电话来问BBC，怎样种植意大利面树。而BBC则就此对外回答：“把面条枝插在一罐番茄酱里，然后乖乖等着。”
2.西德·芬奇
1985年西德·芬奇：《体育画报》刊登了一则关于新人投手的故事，他的名字叫西德·芬奇，代表“大都会”队参加比赛，据说他能准确地投出时速168英里的球，比之前的记录还要快65mph（英里每小时）。令人惊讶的是，西德·芬奇之前从没玩过棒球。他不过曾在一位名号“大诗圣米莱尔斯巴喇嘛”的手下学习“投球的艺术”。“大都会”队的球迷们因他们支持的球队有幸找到一位如此天赋的球员而欢庆，而《体育画报》也被缠着追问更多关于此事的消息。事实上，这位传奇球员只是存在于文章作者乔治·普林顿的想象中。
3.即时彩色电视
1962年画面：1962年，瑞典只有一个电视频道，而且只能播放黑白电视。该电台的技术专家谢尔·斯坦森出现在新闻上，宣称多亏了一项新技术，观众们可以将现有的电台转换成彩色接收。他们只需要拿一双尼龙袜，盖在电视屏幕上。接下来，斯坦森还演示了这个过程。有成千上万的人上当受骗。事实上，在瑞典，日常的彩色电视到1970年4月1日才开始播出。
4.塔可自由钟
1996年塔可自由钟：塔可钟公司宣称他们引进了自由钟，并且将其重命名为塔可自由钟。千百名义愤填膺的市民打电话给自由钟所在的费城国家历史公园，表达他们的愤怒。直到几小时后，塔可钟公司透露，这只是一场恶作剧，他们的神经才得以安静下来。当天最精彩的环节，就数他们针对塔可钟出售的事去咨询白宫的新闻秘书了。这位秘书站着想了想，回答说，林肯纪念馆也在出售。他说，那就是如今著名的福特林肯水星汽车纪念碑。
5.圣·泽里弗
1977年：英国《卫报》发表了一篇长达7页的特别副刊，讲述了印度洋海上一个由7个分号形状的岛屿组成的小共和国——圣·泽里弗。一些文章还亲切地描述了这个隐蔽国家的地理和文化。该国内的两大岛屿分别是上卡西和下卡西，首都是波多尼，主席是皮卡将军。读者们想知道更多关于这田园般的度假区的消息，于是《卫报》所在部门的电话响了一整天。只有少部分人注意到，有关该岛的一切事物都是由印刷术语命名的。
6.尼克松当总统
1992年：美国国家公共电台的谈话节目宣称，理查德·尼克松会来一次惊人的举动——再次竞选总统。他的新运动的口号是：“我之前从没做过错事，将来也不会。”伴随着此番宣言，还有尼克松的候选演讲视频。观众们都很认真地回应此番宣告，听众们还不断打电话表示震惊和宣泄愤怒。当节目进行到第二阶段时，主持人约翰·霍肯伯里才透露，这只是一场恶作剧。尼克松的声音是由喜剧演员里奇·利特模仿的。
7.阿拉巴马州更改π值
1998年：1998年4月，新墨西哥人科学与推理组织发表的通讯上说，阿拉巴马州议会已经投票决定将数学常数π（圆周率）的值从3.14159改为“圣经值”3.0。不久，这条消息就传到网上，并且很快在世界范围内传播开来，还通过邮件转发。之后，阿拉巴马立法机构收到了立法捍卫者们打进的成百上千个电话，由此可以清楚地看出这篇文章传播得有多远。最初，文章是由物理学家马克思·波斯罗写的，他当时只是打算将其作为一次限制进化论讲授的恶作剧。
8.左手汉堡
1998年：汉堡王在《今日美国》上发布了一整页广告，声称他们的菜单上增添了一个新的项目：专为3200万左撇子美国人设计的“左手汉堡”。据广告上说，新的汉堡包括了以前汉堡的原料（生菜、土豆、汉堡、小馅饼等），可是所有的作料都特意为他们的左撇子顾客旋转了180°。第二天，汉堡王接着又发布一条消息，透露说尽管左手汉堡只是一次恶作剧，但仍然有上千顾客去到他们店里要新品三明治。据新闻稿所言，与此同时，“还有许多客人要点他们的‘右手’汉堡。”
9.热裸体钻冰虫
1995年热裸体钻冰虫：据《发现》杂志报导，享誉甚高的野生动物生物学家阿普里勒·帕索在南极洲发现了一个新的物种：热裸体钻冰虫。这种头上有硬骨的迷人生物，由大量血管喂食后，就会变得滚烫，因而能快速蛀穿冰块。它们利用这种能力捕食企鹅，融掉企鹅脚下的冰块，使它们沉入雪浆里，然后那些“烫头”就会钻进里面将它们吃掉。经过多番研究，帕索博士认为，知名南极探险家菲利普·帕伊森1837年的神秘失踪可能与那些“烫头”有关。“对于那些蛀冰虫来说，他或许就像一只企鹅。”文章引用了她的话。就这篇文章，《发现》杂志收到的回复，比历史上任何一篇文章的回复都高。
10.行星相遇降低引力
1976年：英国天文学家帕特里克·摩尔于上午9点47分在BBC第二广播上宣布，将会发生一场千载难逢的天文事件，观众们可以在自己的家里见证。冥王星将会从木星旁边行过，造成暂时的引力叠加，而这将会中和或减少地球自身的万有引力。摩尔告诉观众们，如果人们刚好在这个引力叠加的时刻跳起来，那么他们将会体验一回神奇的悬浮感。9点47分时，BBC 2开始接到听众们打来的上百个电话，说他们的确体验到了这种感受。一位女性甚至说她和她的11位朋友从椅子上飞了起来，在房间里四处飘荡。
注释
[1]diplomatically[ˌdɪplə'mætɪklɪ] ad.外交上，外交地
[2]idyllic[ɪ'dɪlɪk] a.田园诗般的；牧歌的；质朴宜人的；平和欢畅的
[3]astronomical[ˌæstrəˈnɒmɪkl] a.天文学的；极大的