简单慢速英语阅读：Ring in the New Year

　　It was the Chinese New Year. The metal pan¹ was light, shiny, and round. It was about 12 inches across. It was perfect for burning paper. She put the pan on the hardwood floor. She opened a package of paper money. It wasn't real money. "We burn the money for our ancestors," she said. "Then maybe money will come to us this year." She took out some paper bills. She lit them. She dropped them into the pan. She lit more bills and dropped them into the pan. The living room got smoky. Finally she stopped lighting² the money. It finished burning in the pan. The pan of ashes cooled. She picked it up. "Oh," she said. He looked at the floor. A dark ring was burned into the wood. "Well, I hope your ancestors send us money this year," he said. "We'll need it to pay for the floor."

1 pan   

n.平底锅；v.严厉批评

参考例句：

• The water had all boiled away and the pan was burned.水煮干了，锅也烧坏了。
• The eggs were frying in the pan.鸡蛋正在锅里煎。

2 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。