Kimchi represents Korea ’s best-known food. Koreans serve kimchi at almost every meal, and few Koreans can last more than a few days before cravings get the better of4 them. During the 1988 Summer Olympic Games, thousands of foreigners were introduced to it for the first time. Despite a reputation for being spicy, most people usually develop a taste for it, and many foreigners also find themselves missing it after returning to their home country.

　　In Korea , the marriage between a man and woman represents the jointing of two families, rather than the jointing of the two people. As such, the event was often called Great Ritual, and people from all over participated. Rooted in traditional Confucian values, the ceremonies and events surrounding the actual marriage were long and elaborate, from the pairing of the couple to the rituals performed after the ceremony. Professional matchmak the light from wood fires. Mask dance -dramas are basically a folk art, which naturally developed among the common people of the Joseon era . In most cases, the actors and spectators joined together in robust dance at the end of a performance.

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　　練習題：

　　Ⅰ. Put the senten ce s into right order :

　　1. The groom travels to the house of the bride.

　　2. The professional matchmakers pair up likely candidates.

　　3. The family makes decision .

　　4. The groom takes his new bride to his family’s house .

　　5. They stay in the bride ’s home for three days.

　　Ⅱ. Questions :

　　1. What are the symbols of Korea discussed in this passage?

　　2. What’s the mask traditionally made of?

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　　參考答案

　　Ⅰ. 2. 3. 1 . 5. 4.

　　Ⅱ. 1. Hanbok, kimchi, traditional wedding and masks and mask dance -drama are all symbols of Korea.

　　2. Masks are traditionally made of paper, wood, gourd and fur.

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　　參考譯文：

　　韓國的象征

　　傳統韓國服飾是韓國的象征之一。女式韓服為長裙和形似茄克的開襟短上衣。男式韓服則是短褂配長褲。男女式韓服外均可套上款式相似的長外套。現代人們大多在節日、婚禮或葬禮等場合才穿傳統的韓服。

　　泡菜是韓國最知名的食品之一。韓國人幾乎每餐必吃泡菜。幾天沒吃就想吃了。1988 年漢城( 首爾) 夏季奧運會時, 成千上萬的外國游客第一次品嘗了韓國泡菜盡管韓國泡菜以辛辣著稱, 但人們還是喜歡上了它, 許多外國游客回國仍念念不忘。

　　在韓國, 婚姻不僅僅代表男女兩個人, 更是兩個家庭的結合。因此, 婚禮常被稱為“ 大禮”, 親戚朋友都從各地趕來參加。受傳統儒家觀念的影響, 婚慶和相關的儀式又耗時又講究, 包括從結婚到婚慶后要行的禮節。職業媒人介紹合適的雙方結成夫妻, 夫妻二人常常在婚禮上才見第一面。男女雙方家庭在做婚姻決定時要考慮很多因素, 還與算命人一同討論, 預測夫妻倆未來的共同生活。新郎通常要先到新娘家舉行婚禮, 三天后才能把新娘子帶回自己家。婚禮大典由很多小的儀式構成, 要多次叩頭, 做象征性的姿勢。參加婚禮的人要收斂情緒, 保持嚴肅。現代韓國婚禮盡管保留了傳統婚禮的一些特點, 但大多更像西方婚禮。不過, 民俗村和各地的博物館定期示范傳統婚禮, 以延續這一傳統。

　　面具和面具舞蹈也是韓國的象征。韓國傳統的面具由紙、木、葫蘆和毛皮制成, 主要體現韓國人的面部表情和骨骼構造, 有的也代表神或動物。面具舞劇通常是夜晚在篝火旁表演 , 因此面具大多奇形怪狀, 極盡夸張。面具舞劇實際上是韓國的一種民間藝術, 是德藏時代在平民百姓中自發形成的。多數情況下, 表演臨近尾聲時, 觀眾和演員一起跳起熱情奔放的舞蹈。