《英语流行话题阅读:语境识词4500》101 Easter Day Traditions

　　Unit 101
Easter Day Traditions
Easter Day is commonly observed on the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs between March 22 and April 25. It is a religious holiday that commemorates¹ the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his death by crucifixion some 2,000 years ago. For Christians², Easter is a day of religious services and the gathering³ of family. In many churches Easter is preceded by a season of prayer, abstinence, and fasting. This is observed in memory of the 40 days' fast of Christ in the desert.
The Easter Bunny, a popular image of the holiday, originated with the hare, an ancient symbol for the moon. According to legend, the bunny was originally a large, handsome bird belonging to Eostre, the Goddess of Spring. She changed the bird into a rabbit, which explains why the Easter bunny builds a nest and fills it with colored eggs.
The egg is another popular symbol of Easter. Eggs were dyed and eaten during sprig festivals in ancient Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome. colored eggs were not associated with Easter until the 15th century.
The Easter Sunrise Service custom can be traced back to the ancient Pagan custom of welcoming the sun God when daytime is about to exceed the length of the nighttime. It was a time to "celebrate the return of life and reproduction to animal and plant life as well."
At the feast of Eostre, an ox was sacrificed. The ox's horns became a symbol for the feast. They were carved into the ritual bread. Thus originated the "hot cross buns." The word "buns" is derived⁴ from the Saxon word "boun" which means "sacred ox".
Many superstitions⁵ grew out of this custom -- a cross bun kept from one Good Friday to the next was thought to bring luck, the buns were supposed to serve as a charm against shipwreck⁶, and hanging a bun over the chimneypiece ensured that all bread baked there would be perfect. Another belief was that eating hot cross buns on Good Friday served to protect the home from fire. Today, the symbol of a symmetrical cross, marked with white icing is used to decorate the buns; the cross represents the moon, the heavenly body associated with the Goddess.
The white lily, the symbol of the resurrection, is the typical Easter flower. The white lily stands for purity. Artists for centuries have pictured the angel Gabriel coming to the Virgin⁷ Mary with a spray of lilies in his hand, to announce that she is to be the mother of the Christ child. The lily is also the sign of the Resurrection. The white Madonna lily was used for years as the Easter lily. It often failed to bloom in time for Easter, however, and so Bermuda lilies were substituted.
Easter Candles are sometimes lit in churches on the eve of Easter Sunday. Some believe that these can be directly linked to the Pagan customs of lighting⁸ bonfires at this time of year to welcome the rebirth of the sun God.

1 commemorates   

n.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的名词复数 )v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A tombstone is erected in memory of whoever it commemorates. 墓碑是为纪念它所纪念的人而建的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A tablet commemorates his patriotic activities. 碑文铭记他的爱国行动。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

2 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

3 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

4 derived   

vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取

参考例句：

• Many English words are derived from Latin and Greek. 英语很多词源出于拉丁文和希腊文。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He derived his enthusiasm for literature from his father. 他对文学的爱好是受他父亲的影响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 superstitions   

迷信，迷信行为( superstition的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Old superstitions seem incredible to educated people. 旧的迷信对于受过教育的人来说是不可思议的。
• Do away with all fetishes and superstitions. 破除一切盲目崇拜和迷信。

6 shipwreck   

n.船舶失事，海难

参考例句：

• He walked away from the shipwreck.他船难中平安地脱险了。
• The shipwreck was a harrowing experience.那次船难是一个惨痛的经历。

7 virgin   

n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的

参考例句：

• Have you ever been to a virgin forest?你去过原始森林吗？
• There are vast expanses of virgin land in the remote regions.在边远地区有大片大片未开垦的土地。

8 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。