VOA慢速英语2014 我梦想着有一个白色圣诞

 

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas 我梦想着有一个白色圣诞

This is Steve Ember with a VOA Special English holiday program.

Music fills the air. Colorful lights shine brightly in windows. Children and adults open gifts from loved ones and friends. These are all Christmas traditions.

Another tradition is snow. Christmas in the northern part of the world comes a few days after the start of winter. In many places, a blanket of clean white snow covers the ground on Christmas Day. This is what is meant by a “White Christmas.”

Of course, many places do not get snow at Christmas. In fact, they may be very warm this time of year. People who like snow, but live where it is warm, can only dream of having a white Christmas.

American songwriter Irving Berlin captured¹ these feelings in his song “White Christmas.” It is one of the most popular Christmas songs of all time. The opening words explain why the singer is dreaming of a white Christmas. Most people never hear these words, so they never really understand the true meaning of the song. Here’s how it starts:

The sun is shining.

The grass is green.

The orange and palm² trees sway³.

I’ve never seen such a day in Beverly Hills, L.A.

But it’s December the 24th

And I’m longing⁴ to be up north.

Up north, where it is cold and snowy.

Not south, where it is warm and sunny.

Over the years, hundreds of singers and musicians have recorded “White Christmas.” But the version⁵ most people still know best was sung by Bing Crosby.

Songwriter Irving Berlin was born in Russia in 1888. He did not celebrate Christmas as a religious⁶ holiday. He was Jewish⁷.

But his song celebrates an idea of peace and happiness that anyone, anywhere -- snowy or not -- can enjoy.

To all of you, best wishes this holiday season from all of us in VOA Special English.

1 captured   

俘获( capture的过去式和过去分词 )； 夺取； 夺得； 引起（注意、想像、兴趣）

参考例句：

• Allied troops captured over 300 enemy soldiers. 盟军俘虏了300多名敌方士兵。
• Most of the rebels were captured and disarmed. 大部分叛乱分子被俘获并解除了武装。

2 palm   

n.手掌，棕榈，胜利；vt.与…握手，藏…于掌中

参考例句：

• That woman had her husband in the palm of her hand.那女人牢牢地控制住她丈夫。
• Palm trees grow all around the island.岛上到处长着棕榈树。

3 sway   

n.摇摆，动摇，影响力，支配；vt.使摇摆，使动摇，影响或控制；vi.摇摆，支配，动摇

参考例句：

• He felt the sway of the deck under his feet.他感觉到脚下甲板的摇动。
• Branches sway gently in the wind.树枝在风中微微摇荡。

4 longing   

n.（for）渴望

参考例句：

• Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
• His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。

5 version   

n.版本；型号；叙述，说法

参考例句：

• His version of the events is pure supposition.他对这件事的说法纯属猜测。
• What is your version of this matter?你对这件事情的看法 怎么样？

6 religious   

adj.宗教性的，虔诚的，宗教上的；n.修道士，出家人

参考例句：

• She is very religious person who goes to church every Sunday.她十分虔诚，每个星期天都上教堂。
• It is hard for me to reject religious beliefs.要我抛弃自己的宗教信仰是困难的。

7 Jewish   

adj.犹太人的，犹太民族的

参考例句：

• The coin bears a Jewish symbol.硬币上有犹太标记。
• They were two Jewish kids;I was friendly with both of them.他们是两个犹太小孩；我同他们都很要好。