VOA标准英语2012--NYC's Chinatown Prepares for Chinese New Year

NYC's Chinatown Prepares for Chinese New Year

Dancers are rehearsing a millennium-old Chinese tradition - the Lion Dance. It will be the finale of Chinatown's annual New Year parade at the end of January and is supposed to ward¹ off evil spirits.
"The Lion Dance brings good luck, prosperity, wealth," noted² Dance Director Mike Lee who has been performing it for 20 years.
Volunteers are made up of students and young professionals. They perform the dance as a tribute to their heritage.
"You want to pass it along to each generation," added Lee. "It's part of the Chinese culture and you don't want to put something like this on the backburner and not carry it on."
The Year of the Dragon arrives midnight Sunday. The dragon is a Chinese zodiac sign, considered to be the emperor's. It represents strength, benevolence³ and good luck.
In Chinatown's Columbus Park, residents play cards and tile games. Across the street, cooks are preparing traditional foods, like dumplings.
The dumpling is a Chinese staple⁴ especially on the New Year.
Jenny Pelson shares her customs with her husband and sons.
"Four of us, my sisters and I, wrap dumplings together," said Pelson. "We make a whole day of it, and it's fun to be with family."
Dumplings are a comfort food that symbolizes⁵ wealth. Some think, if you eat them on the New Year, it can herald⁶ prosperity.
A few blocks away, children are learning about the Chinese zodiac while making animal puppets at the Museum of Chinese in America.
Margaret Riley, an intern⁷, leads a lesson. She says the focus on togetherness transcends⁸ Chinese culture.
"What's really important during Lunar New Year comes down to the family and the community and coming together and celebrating the customs and traditions, even if you're not Chinese," Riley noted.
Back at the rehearsal⁹, Mike and his team work at perfecting the dance that will be performed for crowds as diverse as New York City itself.

1 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

2 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

3 benevolence   

n.慈悲，捐助

参考例句：

• We definitely do not apply a policy of benevolence to the reactionaries.我们对反动派决不施仁政。
• He did it out of pure benevolence. 他做那件事完全出于善意。

4 staple   

n.主要产物，常用品，主要要素，原料，订书钉，钩环；adj.主要的，重要的；vt.分类

参考例句：

• Tea is the staple crop here.本地产品以茶叶为大宗。
• Potatoes are the staple of their diet.土豆是他们的主要食品。

5 symbolizes   

v.象征，作为…的象征( symbolize的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The use of light and dark symbolizes good and evil. 用光明与黑暗来象征善与恶。
• She likes olive because It'symbolizes peace. 她喜欢橄榄色因为它象征着和平。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 herald   

vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎

参考例句：

• In England, the cuckoo is the herald of spring.在英国杜鹃鸟是报春的使者。
• Dawn is the herald of day.曙光是白昼的先驱。

7 intern   

v.拘禁，软禁；n.实习生

参考例句：

• I worked as an intern in that firm last summer.去年夏天我在那家商行实习。
• The intern bandaged the cut as the nurse looked on.这位实习生在护士的照看下给病人包扎伤口。

8 transcends   

超出或超越（经验、信念、描写能力等）的范围( transcend的第三人称单数 )； 优于或胜过…

参考例句：

• The chemical dilution technique transcends most of the difficulties. 化学稀释法能克服大部分困难。
• The genius of Shakespeare transcends that of all other English poets. 莎士比亚的才华胜过所有的其他英国诗人。

9 rehearsal   

n.排练，排演；练习

参考例句：

• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。
• You can sharpen your skills with rehearsal.排练可以让技巧更加纯熟。