听力练习

Monday

Monday，the second day of the week，means literally1)“day of the moon”．Here in Britain，it’ s generally the least popular of days because for most people it means a return to work or school after the weekend break．Often，this prospect2) is viewed with a lack of enthusiasm，a sad feeling that’s sometimes referred to as“Monday morning blues3)．”

Sometimes the blues may be caused by too much weekend drinking；and formerly if workmen over－indulged and needed Monday as holiday，this was humorously known as“keeping St．Monday”，as Monday was hoped to be a saint‘s day4) to be observed．Someone who can’ t afford to keep St．Monday is the housewife，for traditionally Monday was――and to some extent still is――“wash day”，the proper day for doing the laundry．

However，the day is not all blues and work．It has some redeeming5) features――that is，if you can believe folk rhymes，it’ s a good day on which to be born．“Monday’ s child is fair a face，”says one traditional rhyme，while another promised optimistically6) that if you get married on Monday，you will be wealthy．

参考译文

星期一

星期一，一周的第二天，其词面意思是“月亮之日”。在英国它一般被认为是最不受欢迎的一天，因为对大多数人来说，它意味着过完周末得回去上班或上课。对此，人们常感到缺乏热情，甚至感到悲哀，有时这种心情被称作是“周一早上的忧郁症”。

有时这种忧郁可能是由于周末纵酒所致。以前如果工人酗酒过度，需要星期一休息的话，人们便戏谑地称之为“过星期一圣徒节”，因为星期一原本希望是一圣徒节。无法过星期一圣徒节的人是家庭主妇们，因为星期一在以前的传统里———从某种程度上至今依然是———“洗衣日”，适合洗衣服的日子。

但星期一并不总与忧郁和工作相连。它还有一些补救性的特征。如果你相信民谣的话，它是个出生的良辰吉日。一首民谣中唱道“星期一出生的孩子有可爱的脸”，还有一首歌谣乐观地断言：如果你在星期一结婚，你会很富有。

词汇解释

NOTE 注释：

1. literally [5litErEli] adv. 照字面意义

2. prospect [5prCspekt] n. 景色, 前景

3. blues [blu:z] n. 抑郁, 沮丧

4. saint's day 圣徒纪念日,圣徒节(一般为圣徒的忌日)

5. redeeming [rI`di:mIN] adj. 补救的, 弥补的

6. optimistically [7Cpti5mistikElli] adv. 乐观地, 乐天地