新西兰英语 741 Easter holidays

 　　Easter Friday, Sunday and Monday are probably the most important days in the Christian¹ calendar. For this reason, these days have been bank holidays in New Zealand since 1873 and then they became holidays for most workers. However, in recent years, fewer people say that they are Christian – 54% in the 2006 census². About 5% say they have a different religion, not Christian. Another 34% say they have no religion. Some people did not answer that question. It is too early to know what this year’s census shows.

　　The Holidays Act allows restaurants and cafés to add a 15% surcharge to your bill on Good Friday and Easter Sunday because it costs more to pay staff on holidays. Shops have to close on these days also except for dairies³ and shops in tourist towns like Taupo and Queenstown. Garden centres are allowed to open Easter Sunday because people like to garden on holidays. However, one garden centre with shops throughout⁴ the country, always opens Good Friday also. They have to pay a fine of $1,000 for each shop but they have so many customers those days that they make more than $1,000.

　　Listen to April 5th 2010 to hear more about Easter shopping.

　　Vocabulary

　　?surcharge – an extra fee

1 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

2 census   

n.(官方的)人口调查，人口普查

参考例句：

• A census of population is taken every ten years.人口普查每10年进行一次。
• The census is taken one time every four years in our country.我国每四年一次人口普查。

3 dairies   

n.牛奶场( dairy的名词复数 )；乳品店

参考例句：

• There are many dairies in Holland. 荷兰有很多牛奶场。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Even the country's two biggest dairies are implicated. 甚至中国两家最大的奶制品厂家亦牵连其中。 来自互联网

4 throughout   

adv.到处，自始至终；prep.遍及，贯穿

参考例句：

• These magazines are sold at bookstores throughout the country.这些杂志在全国各地书店均有发售。
• Guilin is known throughout the world for its scenery.桂林以山水著称于世。