《英语流行话题阅读:语境识词4500》57 Love Around the World

　　Unit 57
Love Around the World
Despite the fictitious¹ characters, the film Casablanca perfectly² illustrates³ what only die-hard romantics will admit in public: Love transforms our lives and joins it with others. It's a feeling so strong that it can affect us irrevocably. With a touch of humor, physicist⁴ Albert Einstein declared that "gravity is not responsible for the attraction between man and woman." But it was Mahatma Gandhi who expressed it best of all. "Where there is love," he said, "there is life." As unique as each other's experience, each country has its own traditional ways of expressing love.
China
Before the discovery of Valentine's Day, which is seen as a Western import, the Chinese already had two days set aside for expressing love. The first is Qi Qiao Jie, which is celebrated⁵ on the 7th day of the 7th month on the Chinese calendar. It's the story of two lovers who could meet only once a year on a bridge formed by magpies⁶. Others consider Deng Jie to be the true Chinese day of love. An ancient festival celebrated on the 16th day of the first month, it is one of rare occasions when maidens⁸ leave their homes. For those who are "of the age of consent", it is an opportunity not to be missed. Today, few celebrate Den⁷ Jie. Young Chinese have chosen Feb. 14 as their day of love and they celebrate in the Western fashion.
United States
In America Valentine's day is marked with cards, sweets, roses and romantic dinners. Three out of for Americans celebrate the day in one form or another. This outpouring of affection is not limited to lovers. In effect, it is a day to celebrate affection for friends and family members, to show those close to us how important they are to us.
Mexico
A number of Mexico traditions survive with remarkable⁹ tenacity¹⁰. The custom of serenading your loved one is rooted in the sweet and harmonious¹¹ side of Mexican culture. At night, the suitor visits his beloved's home with a group of musicians. They sing love songs until she comes out to receive her suitor. If she fails to appear, she has rejected his suit.
Britain
The custom of expressing affection through gifts on Feb. 14 has reached unheard-of levels of commercialism in Britain. In 2001, the British bought 6 million roses and 22 million cards for Valentine's Day. The figure is astounding¹², if you consider that Britain's population is approximately 60 million. For British lovers who "want to eat" their partner, the London-based sculptor¹³ Arriguchi offers a special Valentine's service: a sculpture of your lover in chocolate. The price: $236.

1 fictitious   

adj.虚构的，假设的；空头的

参考例句：

• She invented a fictitious boyfriend to put him off.她虚构出一个男朋友来拒绝他。
• The story my mother told me when I was young is fictitious.小时候妈妈对我讲的那个故事是虚构的。

2 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

3 illustrates   

给…加插图( illustrate的第三人称单数 )； 说明； 表明； （用示例、图画等）说明

参考例句：

• This historical novel illustrates the breaking up of feudal society in microcosm. 这部历史小说是走向崩溃的封建社会的缩影。
• Alfred Adler, a famous doctor, had an experience which illustrates this. 阿尔弗莱德 - 阿德勒是一位著名的医生，他有过可以说明这点的经历。 来自中级百科部分

4 physicist   

n.物理学家，研究物理学的人

参考例句：

• He is a physicist of the first rank.他是一流的物理学家。
• The successful physicist never puts on airs.这位卓有成就的物理学家从不摆架子。

5 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

6 magpies   

喜鹊（magpie的复数形式）

参考例句：

• They set forth chattering like magpies. 他们叽叽喳喳地出发了。
• James: besides, we can take some pied magpies home, for BBQ. 此外，我们还可以打些喜鹊回家，用来烧烤。

7 den   

n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室

参考例句：

• There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
• The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。

8 maidens   

处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球

参考例句：

• stories of knights and fair maidens 关于骑士和美女的故事
• Transplantation is not always successful in the matter of flowers or maidens. 花儿移栽往往并不成功，少女们换了环境也是如此。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

9 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

10 tenacity   

n.坚韧

参考例句：

• Tenacity is the bridge to success.坚韧是通向成功的桥。
• The athletes displayed great tenacity throughout the contest.运动员在比赛中表现出坚韧的斗志。

11 harmonious   

adj.和睦的，调和的，和谐的，协调的

参考例句：

• Their harmonious relationship resulted in part from their similar goals.他们关系融洽的部分原因是他们有着相似的目标。
• The room was painted in harmonious colors.房间油漆得色彩调和。

12 astounding   

adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词)

参考例句：

• There was an astounding 20% increase in sales. 销售量惊人地增加了20%。
• The Chairman's remarks were so astounding that the audience listened to him with bated breath. 主席说的话令人吃惊，所以听众都屏息听他说。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 sculptor   

n.雕刻家，雕刻家

参考例句：

• A sculptor forms her material.雕塑家把材料塑造成雕塑品。
• The sculptor rounded the clay into a sphere.那位雕塑家把黏土做成了一个球状。