世界节假日博览 第88期:劳动节

 Labor¹ Day is an annual holiday celebrated² all over the world. It originated³ from the eight-hour day movement in the nineteenth century. Labor unions called for eight hours for work, eight hours for play, and eight hours for sleep. It then became a reason for workers to celebrate their social and economic progress in the early twentieth century. Today, people are happy it is a day off work and perhaps forget the origins of this important holiday. Most countries celebrate this day on May 1. In some countries it is called May Day and in others it is known as International Workers’ Day. More and more countries are moving the day to the first Monday in May, so people get a three-day weekend.

每年，全球民众庆祝劳动节。该节日发起于19世纪的“八小时”运动。劳工会要求8小时工作，8小时娱乐以及8小时睡眠。20世纪初期，工人们以此来庆祝不断增长的社会和经济地位。如今，人们开开心心放假，或许已经忘记了劳动节起源。多数国家庆祝劳动节。许多国家将其称之为“五一劳动节”，还有称之为“国际工人节”。许多国家将这一天安排在了五月的第一个周一，这样人们可以享受三天假期。

People around the world celebrate Labor Day in different ways. In China it marked the beginning of a seven-day holiday called Golden Week. People from all over the country traveled to their hometowns or visited resorts⁴. However, in 2008, the Chinese government went back to the single public holiday. Indians have celebrated Labour Day since May 1, 1927. There are many festivals and processions⁵ organized by different labour organizations and people fill the streets for huge parties. Italians celebrate the day with a huge, free music concert in Rome. Up to one million people attend the spectacular⁶. For most people, it is a chance to enjoy the nice weather and have a picnic with family, friends and co-workers.

庆祝劳动节的方式多种多样。在中国，人们将7天假期称之为“黄金周”。民众返乡探亲，参观旅游。2008年，中国政府将其改为一天假期。自1927年5月1日起，印度开始庆祝劳动节。不同劳工会举办庆祝活动，大街小巷全部都是欢庆的民众。在罗马，人们会在这一天举办大型免费音乐会。参观人数能够达到100万。对于多数人，享受和煦阳光，趁此佳节与家人、朋友或同事野炊再合适不过了。

1.all over the world 全世界

例句：You can find everything all over the world. 

你能买到全世界所有的东西。

2.golden Week 黄金周

例句：Many articles are at a discount during National Day Golden Week.

十一黄金周期间,有很多商品打折扣.

3.call for 要求

例句：He sat down and called for some beer.

他坐下来要了一些啤酒。

4.social progress 社会进步

例句：Social progress is normally⁷ a matter of struggles and conflicts.

社会进步通常是斗争和冲突的结果。

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

3 originated   

v.起源于，来自，产生( originate的过去式和过去分词 )；创造；创始；开创

参考例句：

• The disease is thought to have originated in the tropics. 这种疾病据说起源于热带地区。
• The art of portrait miniatures was originated in England. 微型画像艺术创始于英国。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 resorts   

n.求助，凭借，诉诸( resort的名词复数 )；求助[凭借]的对象；采用的办法；度假胜地v.求助于或诉诸某事物，采取某手段或方法应急或作为对策( resort的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Ferry boats ply regularly between all the resorts on the lake. 渡船定时往返于湖的各旅游景点。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Other resorts could benefit from the spillover of tourists. 其他度假胜地可以从游客带来的影响中间受益。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 processions   

n.队伍，行列( procession的名词复数 )；列队行进

参考例句：

• Banners, processions, slogans, games, community hikes all that stuff. 旗帜，游行，口号，竞赛，集体野游——全是这些鬼东西。 来自英汉文学
• The processions wound themselves about the town in circles. 一队队的行列在市内绕着圈行进。 来自互联网

6 spectacular   

adj.引人注目的，出色的，与众不同的

参考例句：

• This is a spectacular film.这是一部场面壮观的电影。
• This is the most spectacular financial crash of the decade.这是10年里最引人注目的金融破产事件。

7 normally   

adv.正常地，通常地

参考例句：

• I normally do all my shopping on Saturdays.我通常在星期六买东西。
• My pulse beats normally.我脉搏正常。