万圣节的英语介绍
关于万圣节的英语介绍
万圣节就要到了，大家都很开心吧，下面我给大家提供万圣节的英语介绍，欢迎大家阅读欣赏!
【万圣节的英文介绍】
Halloween is one of the oldest holidays with origins going back thousands of years. The holiday has had many influences from many cultures over the centuries. From the Roman's Pomona Day, to the Celtic festival of Samhain, to the Christian holidays of All Saints and All Souls Days.
Hundreds of years ago in what is now Great Britain and Northern France, lived the Celts (凯尔特人), who worshipped (崇拜) nature and had many gods, with the sun god as their favorite. They celebrated their New Year on November 1st which was made every year with a festival and marked the end of the "season of the sun" and the beginning of "the season of darkness and cold."
On October 31st after the crops were all harvested and stored for the long winter the cooking fires in the homes would be extinguished (消失). The Druids, the Celtic priests, would meet in the hilltop in the dark oak forest (oak trees were considered sacred). They would light new fires and offer sacrifices of crops and animals. As they danced around the fires, the season of the sun passed and the season of darkness would begin.
When the morning arrived the Druids would give an ember from their fires to each family who would then take them home to start new cooking fires. These fires would keep the homes warm and free from evil spirits.
The November 1st festival was called Samhain (pronounced "sow-en"). The festival would last for 3 days. Many people would parade in costumes made from the skins and heads of their animals. This festival would become the first Halloween.
The Celtics would carry a lantern (灯笼) when they walked on the eve of October 31. These lanterns were carved out of big turnips (大头菜) and the lights were believed to keep the evil spirits away. Children would carve faces in the turnips. These carved turnips were called "jack-o-lanterns.
It is said that the "jack-o-lantern" got its name from a stingy (吝啬的) and mean old man, named Jack, who when he died was too mean to get into heaven. When Jack went to hell he was meet by the Devil who gave him a piece of burning coal and sent him away. Jack placed the burning coal in a turnip to use as a lantern to light his way. The legends claim that Jack is still walking with the lantern looking for a place to stay.
When the early settlers came to America they found the big round orange pumpkin. Being larger and much more colorful than turnips, the pumpkin made great "jack-o-lanterns". Eventually the pumpkin would replace the turnip. Eventually the Pumpkin would become the most widely recognized symbol(象征)of the Halloween holiday.
The history of "Trick'O'Treating" can be traced back (追溯) to the early celebrations of All Soul's Day in Britain. The poor would go begging and the housewives would give them special treats called "soulcakes". This was called "going a-souling", and the "soulers" would promise to say a prayer for the dead.
Over time the custom changed and the town's children became the beggars. As they went from house to house they would be given apples, buns (圆形的小甜面包), and money. During the Pioneer days of the American West, the housewives would give the children candy to keep from being tricked. The children would shout "Trick or Treat!".
【万圣节的黑猫】
Halloween is a bad time of year for black cats, with their long-standing connections with witches, hubble-bubble and evil。
对于黑猫来说，万圣节是一年中最“悲惨”的日子。一直以来，人们都将它们与巫婆、喧闹以及邪恶联系在一起。
Reports of deliberate cruelty to black cats rise especially in the weeks around Halloween in Britain, the RSPCA animal charity said on Wednesday。
英国皇家防止虐待动物协会(RSPCA)于本周三称，在临近万圣节的`前几周，英国故意虐待黑猫的案例数出现上升。
But it seems that not only do people treat black cats badly in October -- they shun them for the rest of the year too。
但似乎人们不仅在十月份虐待黑猫，其它时候也是避之不及。
Black cats at animal shelters take longer than others to find homes, probably because of all the superstitions surrounding them, the charity said。
该慈善机构称，动物收容所里的黑猫等待领养的时间比其它猫都要长，这或许是因为那些与之相关的迷信说法。
"Unfortunately, black cats often do spend longer in our rehoming centres than others as they are frequently overlooked by potential owners," said shelter manager Beverly Leavy。
收容所经理贝弗莉?利维说：“不幸的是，黑猫往往在我们的收养中心待得时间更久，它们常被潜在的收养者们忽视。”
"But their fur color makes no difference to how much love they have to give," she added. "The cats are ready to make wonderful pets."
她说：“但它们皮毛的颜色和它们给予人们的爱的多少没有关系。它们可以成为很好的宠物。”
The image problem varies from country to country and often involves black cats crossing people's paths。
各国有关黑猫的迷信说法各不相同，但一般都有忌讳看见黑猫从自己面前走过这一说。
Historians differ about the origins of the superstitions。
历史学家对这些迷信说法的起源看法各异。
Some point to the ancient Celts, some to folklore tales that liken cats to snakes and cast them as the constant companions of witches, others to a Medieval belief that they caused the black plague in Europe。
有些人认为这源于古凯尔特人，有些人则认为这与把黑猫比作蛇，总将黑猫与巫婆扯在一起的民间传说有关，还有一些人认为这源于中世纪时期的一种有关黑猫在欧洲引发鼠疫的说法。
The view that they bring bad luck has also woven its way into art and popular culture。
黑猫会带来厄运的说法在艺术和流行文化中也有所体现。
American writer of macabre tales, Edgar Alan Poe, published a short story "The Black Cat" in 1843 and in the late 19th century a shady cabaret called Le Chat Noir welcomed guests in the Bohemian Montmartre district of Paris。
美国惊悚小说家埃德加?爱伦?坡曾于1843年发表了一本名为《黑猫》的短篇小说。19世纪晚期，一家名为Le Chat Noir(法语，黑猫)的隐秘歌舞表演场所在法国巴黎具有波希米亚风格的蒙马特区开业。
The RSPCA is appealing for potential owners to come forward for the black cats in its shelters.
英国皇家防止虐待动物协会正呼吁潜在的收养者们主动领养收容所的黑猫。
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