原味人文风情

Every winter, a sixth of the world's population, including more than one billion Chinese citizens, celebrate Chinese New Year. The 15-day festival, also known as Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, kicks off on the second new moon after the winter solstice, or according to the Gregorian calendar in use since the 16th century, sometime between January 21 and February 19. But Chinese New Year goes back a lot further than the 16th century—it's based on the ancient Chinese calendar, which existed as early as the 14th century BC. Even though China adopted the Western calendar in 1912 and began marking January 1 as the official start of the year, Chinese New Year remains the country's most important social and economic holiday.
每年冬天，全世界六分之一的人口，包含超过十亿中国人，庆祝中国新年。这持续十五天的节日，又称作农历新年或春节，在冬至后的第二个新月开始，或根据十六世纪开始使用的公历，中国新年大约落在一月二十一号和二月十九号间。不过中国新年可回溯至十六世纪更久远以前——它是以中国古老历法为根据，那早在西元前十四世纪就存在。即使中国在1912年采用西洋历法，并开始将一月一号标为正式的一年之始，中国新年仍是国家最重要的社交和商业节庆。

Over the centuries, holiday festivities have spread far beyond China and now take place all over the world. In fact, the biggest celebration outside of China takes place in the United States—San Francisco to be exact. Ever since the Gold Rush in the 1840s and '50s brought an influx of Chinese immigrant workers to Northern California, the city has held a massive parade for Chinese New Year.
几世纪来，节日庆典已远布至中国以外的地方，如今在全世界举行。事实上，中国外最大的庆典就在美国举行——准确点说是在旧金山。自1840和1850年代的淘金热将大量中国移工带到北加州后，旧金山这城市就为中国新年举办盛大的游行活动。

According to Chinese tradition, each year is named for one of the 12 animals associated with the Chinese zodiac. Two of those animals, the dragon and the rabbit, are particularly important to Chinese New Year. You'll see dragons everywhere, because the Chinese are said to have descended from the mythical creature. And on the 15th day of the New Year, known as the Festival of Lanterns, many people display paper lanterns in the shape of rabbits. These symbolize a Chinese goddess named Chang'e, who is said to have brought a rabbit along with her when she jumped on the moon.
依照中国传统，每年是以和中国生肖有关的十二种动物之一命名。那其中两种动物，龙和兔，对中国新年特别重要。你在任何地方都会看到龙，因为中国人据说是这种玄妙生物的后代。而在新年的第十五天，称作灯节，许多人展示出以兔为形的纸灯笼。这些象征一位名为嫦娥的中国女神，据说她在跳到月亮时带了只兔子一起。
To prepare for Chinese New Year, lots of people clean out their houses to rid them of ghosts and bad luck associated with the old year. They might get a new haircut and clothes, settle disagreements, or pay off debts in order to start the year fresh. In this way, the Chinese New Year customs resemble the Western custom of New Year's resolutions.
为了准备过中国新年，许多人打扫房子以除去和旧的一年有关的鬼魂和厄运。他们可能会剪个新发型和买新衣、化解纷争，或还清债务好有个新年新气象。就这方面，中国新年的习俗和西方的新年新希望习俗相似。
In the late-night hours of Chinese New Year's Eve, many families make dumplings together. This food is said to bring good fortune to the household. Long noodles are also a traditional Chinese New Year's dish. But if you wanna live a long life, never cut the noodles while eating them. And be sure to wear red, the color of good luck, and avoid black, which many people associate with death. Whether they're superstitions or resolutions, one thing's for sure: There's a lot of tradition associated with Chinese New Year that we bet you didn't know!
在除夕的深夜，许多家庭会一起包饺子。据说这种食物会带给家庭好运。长寿面也是传统的中国新年料理。不过如果你想要长命百岁，永远不要在吃长寿面时把面条咬断。务必穿着红色，喜气的颜色，并避免黑色，许多人将黑色和死亡联想在一起。无论那些是迷信或决心，有件事是毫无疑问的：有许多和中国新年相关的传统，我们敢说你不知道!

重点内容讲解

1.kick off 开始
例句：The 15-day festival, also known as Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, kicks off on the second new moon after the winter solstice...
这持续十五天的节日，又称作农历新年或春节，在冬至后的第二个新月开始……

2.in use 被使用、通用
例句：...or according to the Gregorian calendar in use since the 16th century, sometime between January 21 and February 19.
...或根据十六世纪开始使用的公历，中国新年大约落在一月二十一号和二月十九号间。

3.base on 根据、以……为基础
例句：But Chinese New Year goes back a lot further than the 16th century—it's based on the ancient Chinese calendar...
不过中国新年可回溯至十六世纪更久远以前——它是以中国古老历法为根据...

4.take place 举行、发生
例句：Over the centuries, holiday festivities have spread far beyond China and now take place all over the world.
几世纪来，节日庆典已远佈至中国以外的地方，如今在全世界举行。

5.clean out 打扫、清除
例句：To prepare for Chinese New Year, lots of people clean out their houses to rid them of ghosts and bad luck associated with the old year.
为了准备过中国新年，许多人打扫房子以除去和旧的一年有关的鬼魂和厄运。

6.rid of 除去
例句：To prepare for Chinese New Year, lots of people clean out their houses to rid them of ghosts and bad luck associated with the old year.
为了准备过中国新年，许多人打扫房子以除去和旧的一年有关的鬼魂和厄运。

7.pay off 偿清债务
例句：They might get a new haircut and clothes, settle disagreements, or pay off debts in order to start the year fresh.
他们可能会剪个新发型和买新衣、化解纷争，或还清债务好有个新年新气象。

8.in order to 为了……
例句：They might get a new haircut and clothes, settle disagreements, or pay off debts in order to start the year fresh.
他们可能会剪个新发型和买新衣、化解纷争，或还清债务好有个新年新气象。