礼节美语 Business Etiquette 189 Halloween (2)

　　下班等公车遇到同事Susan , 问Susan明天公司开万圣节派对准备穿什么，Susan说中国不过万圣节，只有鬼月，不知道二者是不是差不多。Lenny 回答说，
Susan: So...is Halloween essentially¹ the same thing as "ghost month?"
Lenny: Kind of. It actually has it origins in the ancient Celtic New Year. Celtic people believed that the door between the world of the living and the world of the dead became easier to pass through on October 31st. Over the centuries, many traditions merged² to become the modern Halloween festival.
S: Wow! That's really similar to the Chinese ghost month...except that it only lasts a day---not a month!
Lenny说，万圣节最早起源于凯尔特人的新年，the ancient Celtic New Year. 凯尔特人相信，10月31号这一天，分隔阳世和阴间的大门很容易穿过。Susan说，这样听上去，中国的鬼月和西方万圣节的起源有异曲同工之妙，唯一的区别在于，万圣节是一天，而鬼月是整整一个月。
L: I love Halloween, but I wouldn't want it to last a whole month!
S: Why do you love Halloween?
L: Um...I think it's because Halloween lets me act like a kid again. I can dress up and play around...Halloween is really all about having fun!
S: So Christmas and Thanksgiving and other American holidays are more formal than Halloween?
L: That's right. Christmas and Thanksgiving are more family-oriented³. Halloween is a chance to get crazy!
Lenny说，他之所以喜欢万圣节是因为这一天可以像孩子一样肆无忌惮地寻开心。跟万圣节相比，圣诞节和感恩节更 family-oriented 意思是更注重家庭团聚。oriented is spelled o-r-i-e-n-t-e-d, oriented, 意思是以什么为导向的，比如 career-oriented 更注重事业的，detail-oriented 重视细节的。
S: So if I come to the party, I have to wear a costume?
L: You don't have to....but it's strongly encouraged. Come on! It'll be fun!
S: I'm really quite reserved. The idea of putting on a costume is completely out of character for me.
L: That's why it's fun! On Halloween you can forget about everything and just let loose!
S: So what's the deal? I have to be a vampire⁴ or a demon⁵ or something?
Susan说自己非常 reserved, reserved is spelled r-e-s-e-r-v-e-d, reserved. reserved是拘谨，放不开的意思。Susan还说，让自己装扮成妖魔鬼怪 is completely out of character. 完全不符合我的性格。Susan会同意参加万圣节派对吗？我们下次继续听。

1 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

2 merged   

（使）混合( merge的过去式和过去分词 )； 相融； 融入； 渐渐消失在某物中

参考例句：

• Turf wars are inevitable when two departments are merged. 两个部门合并时总免不了争争权限。
• The small shops were merged into a large market. 那些小商店合并成为一个大商场。

3 oriented   

adj.以…为方向的；重视的

参考例句：

• Our students are oriented towards science subjects. 我们教的学生都是理科方向的。
• He oriented himself on coming to a new city. 他初到一个新城市，就使自己适应新的环境。

4 vampire   

n.吸血鬼

参考例句：

• It wasn't a wife waiting there for him but a blood sucking vampire!家里的不是个老婆，而是个吸人血的妖精！
• Children were afraid to go to sleep at night because of the many legends of vampire.由于听过许多有关吸血鬼的传说，孩子们晚上不敢去睡觉。

5 demon   

n.魔鬼，恶魔

参考例句：

• The demon of greed ruined the miser's happiness.贪得无厌的恶习毁掉了那个守财奴的幸福。
• He has been possessed by the demon of disease for years.他多年来病魔缠身。