VOA慢速英语2015 世界各地圣诞老人聚集丹麦

AS IT IS 2015-07-22 Santa Claus Congress¹ Opens in Denmark 世界各地圣诞老人聚集丹麦

The Christmas holiday is five months away. But people from all over the world are meeting this week to prepare for Christmas celebrations. They are attending the World Santa Claus Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The congress is designed for people who enjoy playing Santa Claus during the holiday season. Some may have a part-time job working as Santa in a large store or shopping center. Others are sometimes asked to join in seasonal² parades or other events.

Santa Claus is the make-believe person who brings gifts to children on the night before Christmas. In some cultures, he is known as Father Christmas or Saint³ Nicholas.

This week, more than 120 Santas from 15 countries have gathered in Copenhagen for a three-day meeting. They are preparing for the holiday season and discussing a number of issues.

A man calling himself Santa Douglas is from Washington, D.C. He thinks the Santas should urge people to make healthier food choices this year.

"I think this year we need to talk about Santa maybe having a few less cookies. The chimneys⁴ are a little bit smaller now and 15 and 20 cookies is a few too many. Maybe 12."

Santa Stan Miller⁵ traveled to Denmark from the U.S. state of Alabama.

"It's an international event. Santas come from all over the world to gather here in Denmark, enjoy beautiful Copenhagen, the warmth of your people and to share and exchange information and ideas about how to make the world a better place to live for everyone. That is what being Santa Claus is all about."

The World Santa Claus Congress has taken place every summer in Denmark since 1957. This year, many of the Santas paraded through the center of Copenhagen. They also visited the city’s famous statue of the Little Mermaid⁶, a character from the well-known children's story.

Other events include Christmas cake baking demonstrations⁷ and storytelling for children. The Congress also is an opportunity for the delegates⁸ to meet with other Santas and socialize.

Santa Paradis Yamamoto is from Tokyo, Japan.

"At the meeting we're going to discuss which presents to give this year. We'll also talk about where to buy the best chocolate in Denmark and where to eat the best fish in Copenhagen."

The 2015 World Santa Congress ends on Wednesday.

"Ho, ho, ho. Merry, merry Christmas! Bye, bye. Sayonara!"

Words in this Story

chimney(s) – n. a tall narrow opening at the top of a building through which smoke rises

character – n. a person in a play or story

socialize – v. to talk to and do things with other people in a friendly way

1 Congress   

n.(代表)大会；(C-:美国等国的)国会，议会

参考例句：

• There were some days to wait before the Congress.大会的召开还有几天时间。
• After 18 years in Congress,he intented to return to private life.在国会供职18年后，他打算告老还乡。

2 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

3 saint   

n.圣徒；基督教徒；vt.成为圣徒，把...视为圣徒

参考例句：

• He was made a saint.他被封为圣人。
• The saint had a lowly heart.圣人有谦诚之心。

4 chimneys   

n.烟囱( chimney的名词复数 )；烟筒；（岩石间可供攀登的）狭孔；狭缝

参考例句：

• the silhouette of chimneys and towers 烟囱和塔楼的轮廓
• You can differentiate between the houses by the shape of their chimneys. 你可以凭借烟囱形状的不同来区分这两幢房子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

6 mermaid   

n.美人鱼

参考例句：

• How popular would that girl be with the only mermaid mom!和人鱼妈妈在一起，那个女孩会有多受欢迎！
• The little mermaid wasn't happy because she didn't want to wait.小美人鱼不太高兴，因为她等不及了。

7 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

8 delegates   

代表，代表团成员( delegate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The conference was attended by delegates from 56 countries. 此次会议有来自56个国家的代表出席。
• Delegates expressed strong opposition to the plans. 代表强烈反对这些计划。