VOA标准英语2013--巨大的显示灯带来圣诞气氛

 

Huge Display of Lights Brings Out Christmas Spirit in US 巨大的显示灯带来圣诞气氛

UPPER MARLBORO, MARYLAND — For many families in the United States, taking a drive to see local light decorations during the Christmas holiday is an annual tradition.  One of the most spectacular¹ in the Washington area features more than one million lights. Dazzling² displays are lighting³ up the night sky at Watkins Regional Park in  Upper Marlboro, Maryland.

There’s a surprise around every corner. More than 400 displays, including candy canes⁴, elves and animals illuminate⁵ the four-kilometer drive.

Kimberly Stewart is seeing the lights for the first time.

I’m excited. I can hardly wait! I love Christmas; everything about it,” she said.

The displays are both small and large. Martha Henderson, who is 85 years old, did not want to miss any of them.

“I just want to have the spirit of Christmas, and this makes me feel real great," she said. "In case I don’t see another Christmas, at least I’ve been here this  time.”

Winter FestivalThe Winter Festival of Lights at Watkins Regional Park began 27 years ago. The charge to see the lights is $5 per vehicle and the money is used to cover the cost of  the displays. Visitors may also donate canned food for local food banks.

Festival organizer Kathy Garrity said the number of scenes have increased over the years, making this the largest drive-through illuminated⁶ Christmas display in the  Washington area. It’s a gift to the community, but it’s also a way of giving back to the community. Families can be together in their nice, warm car. They don’t  have to worry about the weather.”

So who is in the weather, directing the traffic for the thousands of cars meandering⁷ through the twinkling lights? Wooden soldiers!

Nicole Bartels and her family are especially looking forward to seeing the big Christmas tree covered with lights.

“It’s really starting to be a tradition of ours, and the kids love it. We always put on some Christmas music and drive through," said Bartels.

Jerell Alexander grew up near the park and recalls the joy of seeing the lights when he was a child. Now he lives in Virginia and is bringing his fiancé’s children.

“I’ve come out here for years and years. I have many family members who love this place,” he said.

Vickie Lopez has been working at the seasonal⁸ lights display for 25 years.

"I used to bring my kids through them when they were small. Now my kids bring their kids,” she said.

Family affairAs he takes money and donations, Donald Sutherland said it warms his heart to see the same families year after year.

“I watched the kids come through as babies, and I watched them grow up. That gives me that spirit watching them enjoy coming to the lights every year,” he said.

Besides enjoying the displays, Jodie Johnson donates cans of food for the needy⁹.

“It’s very important that we help our community in any way that we can," she said. "So it’s something that’s really well needed.”

David Bishop¹⁰ said, for him, donating food represents the real meaning of Christmas.

“It’s the right thing to do, to always give back and help other people,” he said.

But for the kids, it’s all about having fun. Three-year-old Michael, 3, had his favorite.

“The dinosaur,” he said.

Perhaps this boy summed up the experience best after his visit.

“It was awesome,” he said. 

1 spectacular   

adj.引人注目的，出色的，与众不同的

参考例句：

• This is a spectacular film.这是一部场面壮观的电影。
• This is the most spectacular financial crash of the decade.这是10年里最引人注目的金融破产事件。

2 dazzling   

adj.眼花缭乱的；耀眼的

参考例句：

• The sky is clear and blue, the sunlight dazzling. 蔚蓝天空，阳光灿烂。
• The light reflecting off the snow was dazzling. 雪的反光很刺眼。

3 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。

4 canes   

n.（某些植物，如竹或甘蔗的）茎( cane的名词复数 )；（用于制作家具等的）竹竿；竹杖

参考例句：

• Sugar canes eat sweet. 甘蔗吃起来很甜。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I saw several sugar canes, but wild, and for cultivation, imperfect. 我还看到一些甘蔗，因为是野生的，未经人工栽培，所以不太好吃。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学

5 illuminate   

vt.照亮，照明；用灯光装饰；说明，阐释

参考例句：

• Dreams kindle a flame to illuminate our dark roads.梦想点燃火炬照亮我们黑暗的道路。
• They use games and drawings to illuminate their subject.他们用游戏和图画来阐明他们的主题。

6 illuminated   

adj.被照明的；受启迪的

参考例句：

• Floodlights illuminated the stadium. 泛光灯照亮了体育场。
• the illuminated city at night 夜幕中万家灯火的城市

7 meandering   

蜿蜒的河流，漫步，聊天

参考例句：

• The village seemed deserted except for small boys and a meandering donkey. 整个村子的人都像是逃光了，只留下了几个小男孩和一头正在游游荡荡的小毛驴。 来自教父部分
• We often took a walk along the meandering river after supper. 晚饭后我们常沿着那条弯弯曲曲的小河散步。

8 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。

9 needy   

adj.贫穷的，贫困的，生活艰苦的

参考例句：

• Although he was poor,he was quite generous to his needy friends.他虽穷，但对贫苦的朋友很慷慨。
• They awarded scholarships to needy students.他们给贫苦学生颁发奖学金。

10 bishop   

n.主教，（国际象棋）象

参考例句：

• He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
• Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。