Unit 3 Festivals and customs
Reading
Alex around the world
Alex环游世界
10 January,a wedding ceremony,India
1月10日，婚礼，印度
When Nadim invited me to his sister's wedding,I knew it would be the opportunity of a lifetime.I was definitely not wrong！
纳迪姆邀请我参加他姐姐的婚礼时，我就知道这将是千载难逢的机会。我绝对没有搞错!
The wedding ceremony took place in a brightly decorated hotel room.There were hundreds of guests,all dressed up in formal,colourful clothes.According to tradition,the bride was wearing an eye—catching red silk sari.
婚礼在一个装饰亮丽的酒店房间里举行。来了数百名客人，他们都穿着正式的、色彩艳丽的服装。按照传统，新娘要穿着耀眼的红绸纱丽。
I did not understanding all of the traditional customs,but a few made a deep impression on me.One was the bridegroom's entrance on a beautiful white horse.I had never seen that back home!Another was the part when Nadim's father proudly led his daughter through the rows of seats to her husband.It reminded me of my sister's wedding.Although our cultures are so different,the
smiling faces are the same.
不是所有的传统习俗我都了解，但是一些给我留下了深刻的印象。一个是新郎骑着漂亮的白马入场。我在老家从未见过那样的场景！另一个就是纳迪姆的父亲骄傲地领着女儿穿过一排排座位，走向她的丈夫的环节。这让我想起了我姐姐的婚礼。虽然我们的文化如此不同，但大家的笑脸是一样的。
The customs that followed were anything but ordinary.The couple joined hands and walked around a small fire four times.Then they took seven steps together by the fire,and with each step made a different promise about how they were going to support each other and live together happily.It was very romantic!
接下来的风俗十分不寻常。这对夫妇手牵着手绕着一小簇火走了四圈。然后，他们一起在火边走了七步，每走一步都许下一个不同的诺言，承诺他们将相互扶持，幸福的生活在一起。这浪漫极了！
After the ceremony,it was time for the celebrations.That is a story for another day,but let's just say there was a lot of dancing.Now I know I have two left feet...and both of them hurt!
仪式结束后，就到了庆祝的时候。这个话题改日再聊，但是先这么说吧，（那天）舞跳了不少。现在我只知道自己跳舞时脚步笨拙......而且两只脚都很疼！
26 February,Rio Carnival,Brazil
2月26日，里约狂欢节，巴西
The summer heat hit me as soon as I got off the flight.No wonder people from Rio take a week off for this happy occasion.I could feel it already—the Carnival was in the air!
我一下飞机就感受到夏天的热浪袭来。难怪里约的人会为这快乐的时刻休一周的假。我已经能感受到到
狂欢节的气息了！
To experience the spirit of the Carnival for myself,I went to a street party.Luckily,I arrived just in time—the show was about to begin as I took my place in the merry crowd.I could see a group of around 20 Brazilian dancers and a band in fancy costumes standing in the street.Some of them carried flags,which blew in the wind.The crowd waited with excitement.
为了亲身体验狂欢节的精神，我参加了一个街头派对。幸运的是，我到得非常及时—当我在欢乐的人群中站定时，演出正要开始。我可以看到一群大约20人的 们中的一些人拿着在风中飘扬的旗帜。人们兴奋地等待着。
巴西舞者和一支穿着花哨的乐队站在街上。他
Then there was an explosion of bright colours and lively music,and the group jumped into action.The band started playing an energetic samba beat,the dancers twisted and turned,and the crowd began to cheer,clap and sing.The whole group started marching down the street.The Carnival current carried us through the ever—growing sea of people,dancing all the day.Iceboxes of soft drinks and beer lined the narrow streets,and the smell of roasted meat filled the air as we passed wave after after wave of street stands.I was so caught up in the party fever that I hardly noticed five hours fly by!
接着，色彩突然明亮起来，欢快的音乐突然想起来，人群也开始行动起来。乐队开始演奏充满活力的桑巴节拍，舞者们扭动、翻转着身体，人群开始欢呼、鼓掌和歌唱。这一群人开始沿着街道前进。狂欢节的人潮带着我们穿过不断扩张的人海，一路上跳舞不停。我们经过一波又一波街头小摊时，装着汽水和啤酒的保冷箱排列在狭窄的街道两旁，空气中弥漫着烤肉的味道。我太沉浸在排队的狂热中，几乎没有注意到五个小时飞快地过去了！
Even as I lay in bed that evening,the bright colours and lively music were still swimming all around me.What an amazing first day in Rio!
甚至当我晚上躺在床上时，鲜艳的色彩和欢快的音乐仍萦绕在我周围。在里约的第一天真是太棒了！
Extended reading
拓展阅读
A precious family dinner
珍贵的家庭晚餐
It is just past five o'clock on the Chinese New Year's Eve,and the dinner table is already covered with white china plates and bowls,full of all sorts of dishes:chicken,duck,pork,fish and vegetables.Luo Yan,29,lifts the cover of a large bowl to breathe in the rich smell of the soup his wife and mother have prepared.Luo Yan's son,Bofeng,happily takes a bite of the chicken his grandfather has selected for him.
除夕下午刚过五点，餐桌上已经摆满了白色的瓷盘和碗，里面装满各种各样的菜肴：鸡肉、鸭肉、猪肉、鱼肉和蔬菜。29岁的罗言掀开一个大碗的盖子，闻到妻子和母亲准备的汤的浓郁香味。罗言的儿子博峰高兴地咬了一口爷爷为他挑选的鸡肉。
Six—year—old Bofeng has not seen his grandparents for almost a year,and he is full of joy and excitement.Indeed,the whole family could not be happier to be together.Despite the cold outside,their happy faces fill the air with warmth while merry laughter rings throughout the house.Luo Yan and his wife and son have settled in the big city,far away from their hometown.Every year,they travel back for the Spring Festival,for their dream of \"three generationg under the same roof\".
六岁的博峰已经几乎一年没见到爷爷奶奶了，他现在满是喜悦和兴奋。的确，全家人聚在一起是再幸福不过的了。尽管外面很冷，但他们欢乐的面孔让空气充满了温暖，同时欢快的笑声响彻整个房子。罗言与他的妻子和儿子已经定居在大城市，远离他们的家乡。为了实现“三代同堂”的梦想，他们每年都会回来过春
节。
The Luo family's journey back to their hometown was a long and tiring one just a few years ago.However,the high—speed train has made it much more convenient for them to go back home.During the five—hour trip,they chatted excitedly with each other,their minds full of thoughts about their sweet home.
就在几年前，罗言一家人（从工作居住的城市）回到家乡还要度过一段漫长又疲惫的旅程。然而如今，高速列车使得他们回家方便得多。在五个小时的旅程中，他们兴奋地聊着天，心中想的都是温暖的家。
On their arrival,they find Luo's parents eagerly waiting for them.Their home has been specially decorated for the joyous occssion.From the neat designs of the paper—cuttings on the windows,to the Spring Festival couplets on the door,and to the New Year paintings on the wall,everything represents joy,luck and happiness.Even the fish on the plate expresses a hope for nian nian you yu—yu means both \"fish\" and \"plenty\" in Chinese—\"May you get more than you wish for every year\".
他们到达时，发现罗言的父母正在焦急地等着他们。他们的家特地为这欢乐的时刻装饰了一番。从窗户上剪纸的有序排列，到门上的春联，再到墙上的年画，一切都代表着快乐、幸运和幸福。甚至连盘子里的那条鱼也传达出“年年有余”的愿望—“余”在汉语中和“鱼”同音，意思是“富足”—“愿你年年得到的比你想要的更多”。
After dinner,the hours until midnight go slowly by.The whole family are going to stay up late on the Chinese New Year's Eve.They gather around the television to watch the Spring Festival Gala,while eating snakes,chatting with each other and making dumplings that they will eat at the very start of the new year.In the warmth and comfort of the room,Luo Yan talks about his plan for the future.\"I hope we won't have to be separated again,\"he says,looking at his ageing parents.\"My parents are getting old,and we should spend more time with them.We'll come back more frequently and we're also considering taking them to the city to live with us.After all,home is where all family members
are together.\"
晚饭后，午夜之前的时间慢慢过去。全家人都要在除夕夜熬夜（守岁）。他们围坐在电视机前，一边看春节联欢晚会，一边吃着零食，聊着天，包着新年伊始他们就要吃的饺子。在温暖舒适的房间里，罗言谈论着他未来的计划。“我希望我们不会再分开了，”他看着年迈的父母说。“我的父母正在变老，我们应该花更多的时间陪伴他们。我们会更频繁地回来，我们也在考虑把他们带到城市和我们一起生活。毕竟，所有家人都在一起的地方才是家。”
As midnight approaches,Luo Yan takes his parents,wife and son outside to set off firecrackers.The whole village is lit up with colourful fireworks.All over the country,people are celebrating their good fortune,celebrating their family's togetherness,and celebrating their nation's strength.
临近午夜的时候，罗言带着父母、妻子和儿子到外面放鞭炮。五颜六色的烟花照亮了整个村庄。全国各地的人们都在庆祝他们的好运，庆祝他们的家庭团聚，庆祝他们的国家强盛。
因篇幅问题不能全部显示，请点此查看更多更全内容