【讲解】：

十二生肖简介 ：

The Chinese Zodiac, known as Sheng Xiao, is based on a twelve-year cycle, each year in that cycle related to an animal sign.

These signs are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

It is calculated according to Chinese lunar calendar.

Zodiac [ ˈzoʊdiæk ] 黄道带(天上的12个等分区，各有其名称和符号)

related to 与...相关

ox [ ɒks ] (阉割的)公牛

calculate 计算

lunar calendar 农历 本命年和红内裤

The animal year when a person was born is called his / her Ben Ming Nian (Zodiac Year of Birth).Although it sounds a bit superstitious, Chinese people take their year of birth seriously. According to the soothsaying, people in their own Ben Ming Nian may offend “Taisui”, also called the God of Age. most popular solution is wearing red underwear, socks or waist belts given by elders, for red is believed to bring them good luck.

superstitious [ ˌsu:pərˈstɪʃəs ] 迷信的

take sth.. seriously 把...看得很重要

soothsaying [ &`&su:θˌseɪŋ ] 占卜，预言

offend [ əˈfɛnd ] 冒犯

waist belts 腰带