成人高等教育英语教材3 02
[00:00.00] UNIT 2
[00:29.39]Western Holidays
[00:34.72]Integrated Skills Development
[00:40.59]Passage
[00:45.45]Christmas
[00:49.11]Christmas Day, which is the most festive time in the United States,
[00:57.18]falls on December 25th on which Christian people
[01:03.53]believe Jesus Christ was born.
[01:07.97]This is the biggest and best-loved holiday in the United States,
[01:14.50]which is full of joy and gaiety, love and laughter,
[01:19.96]hospitality and good will.
[01:24.51]Americans begin to prepare Christmas long before the actual day.
[01:32.45]Small families and large business firms
[01:38.12]prepare the holiday differently.
[01:42.48]Stores are decorated with the traditional
[01:47.34]Christmas colors of green and red.
[01:51.78]Goods associated with Christmas become best sellers at this time.
[01:59.25]Many Americans take advantage of the time
[02:04.71]to earn extra money by selling Christmas cards,
[02:10.06]small gifts and ornaments, etc.
[02:15.11]The decorating of homes for Christmas is also very common.
[02:21.87]Most Americans who observe Christmas
[02:26.94]have a Christmas tree in their homes.
[02:31.67]People like evergreens and they think that branches of fir
[02:38.43]will bring good luck and symbolize spring.
[02:43.68]The Christmas tree is usually covered with strings of colored lights,
[02:50.95]and a star fixed on top representing the star in the East
[02:57.71]which guided the three Wise Men to where Jesus was born.
[03:04.48]Christmas food is special: bright colored hard sweets,
[03:12.52]chocolates, clusters of chocolate-covered raisins, walnuts, etc.
[03:19.78]As for the Christmas dinner,
[03:23.65]Americans traditionally have turkey or ham,
[03:28.80]sweet potatoes, vegetables, and Christmas pudding.
[03:34.86]Although Christmas is religious in origin,
[03:42.33]many of the customs and celebrations are no longer religious.
[03:48.88]Among them, the most popular ones are as follows:
[03:55.13]● Exchanging Gifts
[03:59.99]This custom originated from the ancient religion of believing
[04:07.14]that the first Christmas gifts
[04:11.51]were given by the three Wise Men to the infant Jesus Christ.
[04:18.38]It has been passed down and become very popular
[04:23.94]among friends and families in the United States:
[04:29.58]● Sending Christmas Cards
[04:36.24]This custom first started in London in the 19th century.
[04:43.82]Today, most Americans send greeting cards
[04:49.38]to their friends and families at Christmas time.
[04:54.24]Some people who are friends or relatives
[04:59.81]and live great distances from each other
[05:04.48]may not be much in contact with each other during the year —
[05:10.36]but will usually exchange greeting cards and often a Christmas letter.
[05:17.81]● Receiving Gifts from Santa Claus
[05:24.36]Santa Claus is believed by American children
[05:31.21]to be a fat jolly old man with a red suit,
[05:36.67]red hat and a long white beard.
[05:41.92]On Christmas Eve Santa Claus comes down through
[05:47.56]the chimney to bring them gifts.
[05:52.00]So young children are happiest at this time of the year
[05:57.88]and look forward eagerly to Christmas morning
[06:02.92]when they find the gifts they want.
