什么是节日?
To ALL of US—men and women, boys and girls—a holiday is a time when we drop our everyday work. We leave the office, the factory, and the schoolroom, and enjoy ourselves in play. Often we have a fine dinner, or a picnic in the woods. Our grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins may come to visit us, or we may go to visit them. Holidays are happy times for us all.
无论是男人或女人,男孩或女孩,对我们所有人来说,节日就是我们放下日常工作的时候。我们离开办公室、工厂和教室,尽情地玩耍。我们经常会吃一顿丰盛的晚餐,或者在树林里玩耍。我们的祖父母、叔叔阿姨和堂兄弟姐妹可能会来看我们,或者我们也可能去拜访他们。节日是我们大家的快乐时光。
But we really should spend a little time each holiday thinking of what the day means. Why are people all over our land celebrating it? Something must have happened on that day of the year—something that meant a great deal to all of us.
但我们真的应该花点时间想一想每个节日的那天意味着什么。为什么全世界的人都在庆祝节日?某年中的那一天一定发生了什么事情,这件事对我们都意义重大。
In the life of every nation there have happened events that meant great things to the people. In a time of great danger or need, a wise and strong man may have risen to lead the nation in its time of trouble. His birthday is a day that the people of his country want never to forget. Perhaps on a certain day a nation won its freedom after long years of struggle and suffering. Surely the people want to keep that day fresh in their memories.
在每一个国家的生活中都发生过对人民来说意义重大的事件。在危难时刻,一个英明而坚强的人也许会在国家危难之时挺身而出,领导国家。他的生日是他的国家人民永远不会忘记的日子。也许在某一天,一个国家在经过多年的斗争和苦难后赢得了自由。人们当然想让那一天记忆犹新。
So, in order that we may not forget, and in order that we may show our happiness and thankfulness for the things that have been done for us, holidays have been set aside. See if you can find out from these stories the true meaning of each holiday.
所以,为了不让我们忘记,为了让我们对为我们所做的事情表现出幸福和感激,我们设定了节日。看看你能否从这些故事中找出每个节日的真正含义。