英语沙龙:May 31 Flowers of May（在线收听）

May 31 Flowers of May

   In the Philippines，May is a time of in tense festivity．All month，school children assemble bouquets1) and floral2) offerings and take them to church．Meanwhile，girls elected to serve as festival queens parade through the streets dressed in the national costume3)，the butter－fly－sleeved dress，surrounded by page boys，flower girls who scatter petals4)，and their relatives and neighbors who sing and chant Hail Marys．

On the last night of May，this festival culminates with torchlight5) parades，open houses，games，and richly elaborate banquets．A feature of these is the Filipino variation on the Mexican pinata：a bamboo frame from which dangle packages of sweets，fruit，and toys on strings6)．Children leap at the packages while adults control the strings by means of a pulley system．In Manila，this is one of the biggest nights of the year，and many people attend formal balls．

五月花节
   

在菲律宾，五月是充满了节日气氛的日子。整个这一个月，小学生们都收集花束和用花做的礼品并将其送到教堂。与此同时，被选作节日皇后的女孩子们穿着蝴蝶袖连衣裙的民族服装沿街游行，周围是小男傧相、撒花的女花童以及吟唱万福玛利亚的亲戚和邻居。

在五月的最后一个晚上，人们举着火把游行，敞开家门，做游戏，精心制作丰盛的筵席，使节日达到高潮。一项有特色的东西是仿墨西哥的彩罐做成的菲律宾式的竹筐，在筐上用绳子挂着一包包的糖、水果和玩具。孩子们跳起来够这些包，大人们则用一组滑轮控制着绳子。在马尼拉，这是一年中最隆重的夜晚之一，许多人都去参加传统的舞会。

NOTE 注释：

bouquet  n. 花束

floral  adj. 花似的, 花的

costume  n. 装束, 服装

petal  n. 花瓣

torchlight  n. 火炬之光

string  n. 线, 细绳