Most world cultures have been celebrating the New Year for centuries. The earliest New Year celebrations took place during spring or harvest time. With better weather ahead, or plenty of food to eat in winter, people naturally felt like having a party! As the days became longer and as nature renewed itself, people also felt like they could have a new start. Past disappointments could be forgotten. The New Year could bring better fortune , more opportunities and new challenges. Such universal themes remain the same today.

　　New Year celebrations also involve having fun. The Hogmanay festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, features2 theater events, fireworks and dancing. During Hogmanay, Scots burn torches and barrels of tar, an old practice for keeping evil spirits away. In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the beach becomes the stage for a huge New Year party. During the day, thousands of people throw flowers into the sea for good luck. In the evening, they enjoy music concerts and fireworks. Everyone is supposed to wear white — the auspicious New Year color.

　　Some cultures have unusual New Year traditions. Italians throw old things out of their windows at midnight, symbolizing the departure of the old. Mexicans fire guns into the air to ward off misfortune. Danes jump off chairs exactly as the clock strikes midnight, so they can“jump”into the New Year. Greek children leave their shoes by the fireplace on New Year’s Day. They hope Saint Basil3, a popular Greek saint known for his kindness, will come and fill the shoes with gifts. In Vancouver, Canada, some people celebrate the New Year by jumping into the ocean . The water there is freezing cold! Therefore the event has been aptly named the Polar Bear Swim4. As you might expect, most people come to watch the swimmers rather than swim themselves

　　London, England, hosts an annual New Year’s Day parade that draws nearly a million spectators. The largest parade in Europe , it features bands, floats and enormous balloons. These balloons are so huge that they tower over5 nearby buildings!

　　閱讀自測

　　Ⅰ. Fill in the blanks with proper words :

　　1. Therefore, they_______ ( 慶祝) the coming of the New Year on January 1.

　　2. As the days became longer and as nature_______ ( 更新) itself, people also_______ ( 想要) they could have a new start.

　　3. Everyone is supposed to wear white — the _______( 吉祥的) New Year color.

　　4. London, England, hosts an annual New Year’s Day parade that draws nearly a million_______ ( 觀眾) .

　　5. The largest parade in Europe, it_______ ( 以⋯⋯為特色) bands, floats and enormous balloons. These balloons are so huge that they_______ ( 高于) nearby buildings!

　　Ⅱ. Answer the following questio n in you own words:

　　Why did the earliest New Year celebrations take place during spring or harvest time?

　　參考答案

　　Ⅰ. 1. observe 2. renewed / felt like 3. auspicious 4. spectators 5. features / tower over

　　Ⅱ. Because with better weather ahead, or plenty of food to eat in winter, people naturally felt like having a party.

　　參考譯文

　　辭舊迎新

　　準備好辭舊迎新! 是什么大事呢? 是新年的來臨!

　　許多西方國家以公歷來計日。因此, 他們在1 月1 日慶祝新年的到來。亞洲和中東的 國家則使用其他的歷法, 如比公歷還要古老的陰歷, 因而在其他時間慶祝新年。每個國家 的節日和習俗都不同。但是不論在何處, 新年的慶祝活動都非常隆重。

　　在世界絕大多數的文化里, 慶祝新年的傳統已沿襲了好幾百年。歷史上最早的新年慶 典是在春天或收獲的季節舉行。由于天氣漸漸轉暖, 或是因為冬季食物充足, 人們自然要 慶賀一番。隨著白天變長, 萬象更新, 人們也覺得自己應該有個新的開始。往日的不快可 以拋之腦后, 新的一年會帶來更好的運氣、更多的機遇和新的挑戰。這些共同的主題沿襲 至今。

　　新年慶典也包括開心享樂。蘇格蘭愛丁堡的除夕節慶以戲劇演出、焰火和舞蹈為主 題。在除夕夜, 蘇格蘭人會點燃火炬和一桶一桶的瀝青, 這種傳統做法是用來驅趕惡魔的。 在巴西的里約熱內盧, 人們在海灘上舉行大型新年晚會。白天, 數以萬計的人們將鮮花拋 入海中祈求好運。傍晚時分, 他們觀賞音樂會和焰火。每個人都身著白色的衣飾, 因為白 色是新年的吉祥色。

　　有些民族以他們獨特的方式慶賀新年。在除夕午夜時分, 意大利人將舊的東西丟出窗 043 外 , 以此來象征除舊布新。墨西哥人則朝空中鳴槍, 以驅走厄運。當午夜的鐘聲敲響時, 丹 麥人會從椅子上跳起來, 意在“ 躍入”新年。在元旦時, 希臘的孩子們將鞋子留在壁爐旁。 他們期待圣· 巴西勒——— 一個和藹仁慈、頗受歡迎的圣人——— 會現身, 在他們的鞋子里塞 滿禮物。在加拿大的溫哥華, 有人跳入冰冷徹骨的海水中, 以此來慶賀新年。因此, 這項活 動也有個很貼切的名字———“ 北極熊冬泳”。當然, 大部分人是來觀看游泳的, 不會親自下 水。

　　英國倫敦則舉辦一年一度的元旦游行, 這吸引將近一百萬的觀眾參加。歐洲最大的游 行都有樂隊、花車和巨型氣球。這些大氣球比附近的建筑物還要高呢!