VOA常速英语2014--Love for Chocolate Brings Community Together 巧克力之爱把社区团结起来（在线收听）

Love for Chocolate Brings Community Together 巧克力之爱把社区团结起来

FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA — Valentine's Day is celebrated in many countries on February 14 each year. Lovers express their love for each other by exchanging flowers, cards, and especially - chocolates. According to industry statistics, in the U.S. alone, about 27 million kilograms (60 million pounds) of chocolate candy, worth about $350 million  are sold during Valentine’s week. As Valentine's Day is just around the corner, chocolate themed events also attract people.

每年的2月14日，很多国家都会庆祝情人节。情侣们通过交换鲜花，卡片，和特别的巧克力来表达他们的爱意。根据行业统计，仅在美国，在情人节周便售出了价值3.5亿美元的约2.7千万公斤（6千万磅）的巧克力糖。随着情人节即将到来，巧克力主题活动也吸引了很多人。

From fountains and colorful pastries - to candies - cupcakes - and ice cream, everything at the Chocolate Lovers Festival in Old Town Fairfax, Virginia is made of chocolate.

从户外喷泉和色彩斑斓的甜点到各类糖果-到纸杯蛋糕-到冰激凌，所有在弗吉尼亚州的老镇菲尔法克斯郡的巧克力情人节都是用巧克力做的。

Children and adults alike indulged in chocolate overload.

小孩和大人们都沉溺于满溢的巧克力中。

The two-day festival, held on a weekend before Valentine’s Day, is in its 21st year. Leslie Herman is the chair of the event.

在情人节前的周末举办的两天活动已经是第21周年了。莱斯利·赫尔曼是整个活动的主席。

“Every year it gets larger. It doesn’t matter what the weather is unless it is huge snow storm you can’t drive in it. But folks come out in rain, snow, cold. Usually we have an attendance of about 10,000 people," said Harman.

赫尔曼说，“活动每一年规模都在扩大。它的举办是不受任何天气影响的，除了出现导致车辆无法行驶进来的大雪风暴。但是人们在下雨天，下雪天，和寒冬天气依然出来。通常我们活动的游客人数约10,000人左右。”

Many visitors start their chocolate day with a chocolate chip pancake breakfast, served by volunteers. In the chocolate tasting area, about 40 local vendors showcase their products.

很多游客是从志愿者提供的一份巧克力薄饼早餐开始他们的巧克力之旅的。在巧克力试吃区，约有40个当地供应商展示他们的商品。

Debby Walsh has been bringing a variety of chocolate concoctions here for 20 years.

黛比·沃尔什已经20年把各种各样的巧克力调制品带到这里来。

“I enjoy coming here each and every year meeting a lot of the same faces each and every year, and making people happy and giving them good chocolates. “I am often the top seller," said Walsh.

沃尔什说，“我很享受每年都来这里，每年都看到很多相同的面孔，并且能使他们快乐和给他们带来好的巧克力。我经常是销售量最高的推销员。”

The festival offers some sweet competitions as well, such as the Chocolate Challenge. Amateur and professional chocolatiers can enter their creations in the contest sponsored by George Mason University. Joe Wilson is the school’s nutrition and food studies department manager.

庆祝活动也会提供一些甜蜜的比赛，例如巧克力挑战赛。业余和专业的巧克力者可以用他们创作的作品参加由乔治梅森大学赞助的比赛。乔·威尔森是学校营养与食品研究部门的管理者。

“The judges tasted them this morning but not the public. The entries are judged on taste, precision and the creation itself," said Wilson.

威尔森说，“今天上午评审官而不是公众会品尝它们。评判的依据是味道，精密度和其本身的创造性。”

Visitors also can vote for their favorites and bid on donated cakes at the silent auction.

游客也可以为自己喜欢的作品投票和在无声拍卖会中为捐赠的蛋糕投标。

Outside the tasting area, visitors can enjoy a non-chocolate activity offered by a local motorcycle group.

在品尝区的外面，游客可以享受由当地机动车团体组织的非巧克力活动。

“We are here today as eye candy. These, all these Harley bikes are fun for people to see, and sit on, and look at. This would be sort of an attraction, one of little things people do when they come downtown Fairfax to enjoy the Chocolate Lovers Festival," said Larry Larson of the Fairfax Harley Owners Group.

菲尔法克斯郡哈利车主团体中的拉里·拉森说，“我们今天在这里是给大家带来眼球享受的糖果。这些，所有这些哈利自行车给人们提供里有趣的观赏，试坐，和查看。这将会产生一些吸引力，是人们在他们来到菲尔法克斯郡中心享受巧克力情侣节的时候会做的一些事情中的一件。”

Herman says the festival is not just about chocolate and fun.

赫尔曼说活动不仅仅只是关于巧克力或者是乐趣。

“Part of the benefits is bringing businesses to the downtown. And another benefit is the grant recipients that are chosen by the Chocolate Lovers Festival Committee, which is this year Best Buddies," she said.

她说，“其中的益处是给区中心带来了生意。另外一个益处是巧克力情人活动委员会选择的授予接受者是今年的最佳伙伴。”

That charitable effort is why Melissa Guzman, who runs a chocolate fountain business, has been participating in the festival for a decade.

因为那里的慈善工作， 经营着一个巧克力喷泉生意的梅丽莎·古斯曼已经参加这个活动十年了。

"Twenty five percent of all of the monies that are taken by the vendors are given to a charity that has been selected by the committee. So it allows all of us to be able to give back to our community," said Guzman.

古斯曼说，“供应商所有收入的百分之二十五会捐赠到由委员会选出来的慈善活动中。因此这个活动让我们都能够回馈自己的社区。”

And that's something everyone can love.

而这就是每个人都可以去爱的事情。