西方节日
Chapter Three: Guy Fawkes' Night
The fifth of November is Guy Fawkes' Night or Bonfire 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.
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 fuseon November.
The King's soldiers discovered the plot! Guy Fawkes was immediately rrested and tortured. The other plotters were found three days later. Guy awkes 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 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 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
Chapter Four: Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a very important American festivity and it is celebrated on the last Thursday of November. However, schools and many shops and offices are closed for four days: Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Thanksgiving is a special day for families to be together and to thank God for all they have. Americans travel great distances to be with their families on this occasion.
Why is Thanksgiving such an important day? The tradition started with the Pilgrims , the founders of America. The Pilgrims left Great Britain in 1620 because of religious persecution. They wanted to start a new life in America and practise their religion in freedom.
One hundred men, women and children left Britain on a small ship called the Mayflower. Their sea voyage was very difficult. Many Pilgrims died during the voyage.
They arrived on the north-east coast of North America in December 1620 and founded Plymouth. The area was a wilderness. It was almost winter and they had no homes and little food.
They immediately built small homes, But it was too late to cultivate crops.
The winter was very cold and harsh.
Almost half of the Pilgrims died because their living conditions were very bad.
The friendly Wampanoag Indians helped them during the long winter.
In the spring the Pilgrims met an Indian called Squanto. He explained how to grow corn, hunt and live in the wilderness.
Soon the Pilgrims and the Indians became good friends. The Pilgrims worked hard and cultivated crops. The summer harvest was excellent. By November 1621 everyone had food and a home. There was hope for the future.
Governor William Bradford, the Pilgrim leader, decided to celebrate with a dinner for the Pilgrims and the Indians. He wanted to give thanks to God.
This was the first Thanksgiving dinner and it lasted for three days.
Today the traditional Thanksgiving meal is similar to the first. People eat roast turkey, sweet potatoes, corn, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. Most families start the meal with a prayer. The long Thanksgiving weekend is the perfect time to start, Christmas shopping! Big stores and shops are open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the Christmas shoppers.
中级 王尔德
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE
Part One: The Student in Love
In a nest, in a tree, in a garden a nightingale sang. Her song was beautiful: she sang of love and happiness. One day she saw a young student in the garden.
"She says she will dance with me if I give her a red rose," said the Student, "but in my garden there is no red rose." And when he said this his eyes filled with tears. "Every day I study philosophy and I read all the things that wise men say about happiness. Now my happiness depends on a red rose!"
The Nightingale heard this and said to herself, "Finally, here is a true lover.
Every night I sing of love and this young man suffers for love."
The Student continued: "I love the Professor's daughter and tomorrow there is a ball at the Prince's palace. My love will be there. If I take her a red rose she will dance with me. If I have no red rose she will not speak to me."
The young student looked around the garden. There were yellow roses and white roses but no red roses. "Poor me," he said. "I need one red rose but I cannot see any in this garden."
"Ah," said the Nightingale, "Love is a wonderful thing: it is more precious than emeralds , opals and pearls, you cannot buy love in the market place with gold coins."
"The musicians will play their violins and my love will dance to their music. But she will not dance with me. I have no red rose to give her." The Student fell onto the grass and started to cry.
A butterfly heard him and asked, "Why is he crying?"
A daisy asked her friend, "Why is he crying?"
"Why is he crying?" said a little green lizard.
"He is crying for a red rose," said the Nightingale.
"A red rose?" they all replied. "That's ridiculous!"
The other animals laughed but the Nightingale understood. She watched the student sadly and thought of the mystery of love.
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