听力文本

Hello and welcome to the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories.

Independence Day is a huge celebration in the United States. People celebrate by having parades and picnics and usually end the day with fireworks. So what do some of these words mean?

Parade

Cities and towns, large and small, across the U.S. close their main streets to make way for Independence Day parades. Clean and shiny firetrucks and school marching bands parade down the streets lined with people watching and cheering.

Parade floats, which are decorated vehicles, carry local stars, like the child who won the spelling bee or the winner of a local beauty contest.

People work very hard making a parade. So, the worst thing to happen on parade day is rain. To rain on someone's parade is to ruin something for someone else. Here's an example: "I hate to rain on your parade, but the guy you like is not coming to the party."

Picnic

On Independence Day people in the U.S. like to eat outside. Friends, family, and neighbors will come together and picnic. Picnics are easy and fun. So, when something is difficult we say it is no picnic. "Taking the TOEFL exam is no picnic. I studied for months and it was still so hard! "

Fireworks

Many people around the world celebrate important days with fireworks, including the United States. Independence Day fireworks shows are explosive, bright and colorful.

The word "fireworks" can be used in other situations, both good and bad. For example, if two people are having a fiery argument others may tell them to "stop all the fireworks." Fireworks, in this case, are a bad thing.

But, good fireworks are exciting and beautiful, like falling in love. A kiss or touch of a lover's hand can create fireworks between two people. Even couples who have been married for many years but who are deeply in love can have fireworks explode each time they kiss.

If you want to see real fireworks in the U.S., visit during the 4th of July. The U.S. traditionally celebrates its freedom with huge, outdoor public gatherings and fireworks at night.

In Washington, D.C., for example, large crowds gather near the Washington Monument to listen to music and watch a big fireworks show. In other cities and smaller towns, local people also listen to music concerts and watch fireworks explode after dark.

They also play songs that that celebrates the American dream. You might hear Neil Diamond's "America," a song that honors the American Dream and America's immigrant experience.

"Got a dream to take them there / They're coming to America / Got a dream they've come to share / They're coming to America /

Some songs are about the dream of the American Dream, one that perhaps did not happen. In his song, "American Tune" famous singer/songwriter Paul Simon paints a more complex view of the American experience. He sings of weariness, hard work and homesickness but promises that in the end it will be all right.

And I dreamed I was flying / And high up above my eyes could clearly see / The Statue of Liberty / Sailing away to sea / And I dreamed I was flying

I'm Anna Matteo.

重点解析

1.end the day with 以...来结束一天
End the day with Love.
每天以充满爱的结束。

2.make way for 为...让路
The crowd was parted right and left to make way for the party.
群众向左右分开给那一队人让路。

3.line with 两旁是
Lined with about a dozen 18th century homes, Little Green Street only stretches a city block in length.
街两边有十几家18世纪的房屋，小格林街仅有一个城市街区的长度。

4.rain on your parade 泼冷水
I hate to rain on your parade, but I just can not help you with your plan.
我不想对你泼冷水，但你的计划我不能帮忙。

参考译文

大家好，欢迎来到VOA学英语《词汇掌故》栏目。

在美国，独立日是一场盛大的庆典。人们会通过举行游行、野餐的方式来进行庆祝，并且用烟火来结束这一天。那么这些词是什么意思呢？

游行。

全美无论是城市还是城镇，无论是大是小，都会封锁主要的街道，为独立日游行来让路。干净明亮的消防车和校园游行乐队会沿街游行，人们则在一旁观看和欢呼。

游行花车，也就是那些经过装饰的汽车，会载着当地的明星，比如赢得了拼字比赛的孩子，或是一项当地选美比赛的优胜者。

为了举办一次游行，人们会非常努力。因此，游行当天发生的最糟糕的事情就是下雨。To rain on someone's parade的意思是指因为其他人而使某事遭到破坏。这里有一个例子：“我不想泼你的冷水，但是你喜欢的那个家伙不会来这个派对了。”

野餐。

在独立日，美国人喜欢去外面吃饭。朋友，家人，邻居会聚在一起野餐。野餐很容易，也很有趣。因此，当某事是很困难的时候，我们会说it is no picnic。“参加托福考试可不是一件轻松的事。我学习了好几个月，仍然觉得托福太难了！”

烟火。

全球许多人都会用烟火来庆祝重要日子，美国人也是如此。独立日烟火秀是具有爆炸性的、明亮的、丰富多彩的。

fireworks这个词还可以用于其它情景当中，有褒义也有贬义。举个例子，如果有两个人吵架吵得很凶，那么其他人可能就会对他们说：“stop all the fireworks（不要争吵了）。”在这种情况下，fireworks指的就不是一个好东西。

但是，好的fireworks是令人激动的、美丽的，就像恋爱一样。一次亲吻或是抚摸爱人的手，就会让恋人之间产生火花。即使是结婚多年的夫妇，但只要还深爱这对方，每次亲吻也还会爆发出火花。

如果你想在美国看看真正的烟火，那就在7月4日来美国吧。传统上，美国会在晚间举行大型的户外集会和烟火盛会，来庆祝自由。

比如说在华盛顿，一大群人会聚集在华盛顿纪念碑附近聆听音乐，并观看一场盛大的烟火秀。在其他城市和小一些的城镇，当地人也会听音乐会，并且在天黑之后观看放烟火。

他们还会演唱歌曲来庆祝美国梦。你可能听过尼尔·戴蒙德的《美国》，这是一首纪念美国梦和美国移民的歌。

有一个梦想，将他们带到这里来。他们向着美国而来。他们带着梦来分享。他们向着美国而来。

有一些歌曲是关于美国梦的，可能没有发生。在著名歌手、歌曲作家保罗·西蒙的《American Tune》一歌中，他描绘了美国印象的复杂性。他为疲倦、艰苦的工作和思乡而歌唱，但是也承诺，最后一切都会变好。

我曾梦到我展翅飞翔。在无法触及的高空欢腾。自由女神。正向大海航行。我曾梦到我展翅飞翔。

我是安娜·马特奥。