2006年VOA标准英语-New Orleans Celebrates Mardi Gras

By Greg Flakus
New Orleans, Louisiana
22 February 2006
 
watch Mardi Gras report

In New Orleans, five months after Hurricane Katrina's devastation¹, the city is going ahead with its 150th year of celebrating Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday,” the day before the Christian² period of fasting called Lent and this year it falls on February 28. Some had questioned the idea of devoting several days to parades and parties given the sad condition of the city, but most residents see it as a necessary part of the recovery process. 

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Mardi Gras float   
  

The good times are rolling once again on the streets of New Orleans, even if there are fewer parades and far fewer spectators than in years past.  Although less than half of the city's pre-Katrina population has been able to return, most of the people who are here say going ahead with Mardi Gras is giving the city a much-needed morale³ boost.

 

 
Mike Valentino
  

Hotel owner Mike Valentino is among the local business leaders promoting this year's Mardi Gras. "It is part of who we are. It is more important that we have this event than not have the event. It will help the people who are displaced to get back quicker at the end of the day because it helps drive the economy that will help drive the recovery."

Part of what fuels criticism of the decision to go ahead with this year's Mardi Gras is the perception that it is just a wild party where people drink too much and lose their inhibitions.

But Mike Valentino says that is mainly for outsiders. Mardi Gras is something different for people who live here. "It is a religious celebration in its roots, but it is a celebration of family, of costuming, of frivolity⁴ and really community connectedness on a parade route. It is part of the fabric⁵ of who we are and what we are about," he told us. In fact, children make up a large part of the crowd all along the parade routes.

 
Jeannie Rivers 
  
Jeannie Rivers came to the parade route with her father and three-year-old daughter, Abigail.  "For us, it is a family affair. Normally all of us get together, myself, my three siblings⁶, my father, my husband and now my three-year-old. She has been coming since she was born. The day after Christmas she started asking, 'When is Mardi Gras?' So, she has been ready to go since the day after Christmas."

"Happy Mardi Gras! Throw me something, Mister!" said Abigail, practicing for when a parade goes by.

Part of the fun for children of all ages is the sport of catching⁷ items thrown from the passing floats.  And what do people do with all this loot?

They take it home to remind them of this year's fun, while they wait for next year's event.

1 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

3 morale   

n.道德准则，士气，斗志

参考例句：

• The morale of the enemy troops is sinking lower every day.敌军的士气日益低落。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

4 frivolity   

n.轻松的乐事，兴高采烈；轻浮的举止

参考例句：

• It was just a piece of harmless frivolity. 这仅是无恶意的愚蠢行为。
• Hedonism and frivolity will diffuse hell tnrough all our days. 享乐主义和轻薄浮佻会将地狱扩展到我们的整个日子之中。 来自辞典例句

5 fabric   

n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织

参考例句：

• The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。
• I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。

6 siblings   

n.兄弟，姐妹( sibling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A triplet sleeps amongst its two siblings. 一个三胞胎睡在其两个同胞之间。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She has no way of tracking the donor or her half-siblings down. 她没办法找到那个捐精者或她的兄弟姐妹。 来自时文部分

7 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。