商务礼节美语第58期:在美国过圣诞节(3)

　　来自中国的雇员Dana跟同事Charlie聊天儿，说自己要去美国朋友家过圣诞，请Charlie给她讲讲美国人过圣诞的习俗。
D: I've heard that some Americans celebrate and open presents on Christmas Eve, while others choose Christmas morning. What's the difference?
C: Each American family makes their own Christmas traditions¹. My uncle eats hot dogs every Christmas....don't ask me why, that's just his thing. When I was a kid, we opened our presents on Christmas Eve but our neighbor always had to wait until Christmas morning.
D: That's kind of nice...everybody makes their own traditions.
美国有些家庭圣诞前夜拆礼物，有些家庭则要等到圣诞节一大早。有区别吗？Charlie说，这要看每个家庭的习惯， Everybody makes their own traditions. 比如说，Charlie的叔叔每年圣诞节都要吃热狗。那是为什么？Charlie说，don't ask me why, that's just his thing. 意思是不要问我为什么，他就是这么个习惯。
C: We have lots of different kinds of people in America...lots of different religions², lots of different nationalities³. Jewish⁴ people don't celebrate Christmas, but they have a winter festival called Hanukkah. Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists⁵ don't celebrate Christmas either, but almost everybody in America enjoys the winter holiday season.
D: So I can expect to see snow?
C: There is a pretty good chance it will snow. But you better hope there isn't a blizzard⁶! If there's a storm, you might not be able to go anywhere.
在美国，并非所有人都庆祝圣诞节。犹太人不过圣诞，他们过的是hanukkah。 Hanukkah is spelled h-a-n-u-k-k-a-h, 光明节。另外，穆斯林、印度教和佛教徒都不过圣诞节，但是几乎所有人都喜欢过节的气氛。Charlie告诉Dana, there is a pretty good chance it will snow. 很有可能会赶上下雪，但是最好不要是暴风雪，blizzard。
D: Well, I'm certainly looking forward to this trip. I think it will be a lot of fun.
C: Christmas in America is great...especially if you don't have to do any Christmas shopping. For me that's the worst part... crowded shopping malls...crazy people. I love Christmas, but I hate Christmas shopping.
D: Someone told me the day after Christmas is a good day for sales.
C: That's true. You can go check out the malls on the 26th.
D: Sounds like a plan. Thanks for your input⁷, Charlie.
C: My pleasure and a Merry Christmas!
D: Merry Christmas to you, too!
Charlie最头疼圣诞节前出去买礼物，因为外面到处都是人。不过，圣诞节次日是大减价的日子。The day after Christmas is a good day for sales. You can go check out the malls. 可以到商场去逛逛。

1 traditions   

n.传统( tradition的名词复数 )；惯例

参考例句：

• one of the theatre's most hallowed traditions 戏院最受尊崇的传统之一
• He said that the new building merely aped the classical traditions. 他说那栋新建筑只是模仿古典传统。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 religions   

n.宗教( religion的名词复数 )；支配自己生活的大事；教派

参考例句：

• a study of the religions and mythologies of ancient Rome 关于古罗马的宗教和神话的研究
• Most religions posit the existence of life after death. 大多数宗教都假定人死后生命仍存在。

3 nationalities   

n.国籍( nationality的名词复数 )；民族群体

参考例句：

• The minority nationalities account for six per cent of the population. 少数民族占人口的百分之六。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock. 中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 Jewish   

adj.犹太人的，犹太民族的

参考例句：

• The coin bears a Jewish symbol.硬币上有犹太标记。
• They were two Jewish kids;I was friendly with both of them.他们是两个犹太小孩；我同他们都很要好。

5 Buddhists   

n.佛教徒( Buddhist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Jesuits in a phase of ascendancy, persecuted and insulted the Buddhists with great acrimony. 处于地位上升阶段的耶稣会修士迫害佛教徒，用尖刻的语言辱骂他们。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史
• The return of Saivite rule to central Java had brought no antagonism between Buddhists and Hindus. 湿婆教在中爪哇恢复统治后，并没有导致佛教徒与印度教徒之间的对立。 来自辞典例句

6 blizzard   

n.暴风雪

参考例句：

• The blizzard struck while we were still on the mountain.我们还在山上的时候暴风雪就袭来了。
• You'll have to stay here until the blizzard blows itself off.你得等暴风雪停了再走。

7 input   

n.输入(物)；投入；vt.把(数据等)输入计算机

参考例句：

• I will forever be grateful for his considerable input.我将永远感激他的大量投入。
• All this information had to be input onto the computer.所有这些信息都必须输入计算机。