Midwinter festivals had always been celebrated by many peoples． 各族人一直都在冬天欢庆节日。
The approach of the winter time，as the days grew shorter and colder and the sun seemed to threaten to disappear entirely， was a time of fear．
冬天是个让人害怕的时节，天变短了，变冷了，太阳好像有全部消失的危险。
But the shortest day also meant that winter was leaving and that ahead were spring， the warmth of the sun and the return of vegetation to the fields．
但白天最短也意味着冬天即将离去，春天就要来了，温暖的阳光，田野里植物返青也不远了。 Christmas is a family holiday． 圣诞节是个家庭节日。
Stores，post offices，banks，and businesses close for the day． 店铺、邮局、银行、商行都要关门。
Schools and colleges close between Christmas and New Year’s Day． 中小学和大学在圣诞和新年间放假一周。
People stay at home and spend the time with their families． 人们在家里和家人团聚，
Everybody tries to come home for Christmas． 每个人都努力赶回家过圣诞。
People send cards or Christmas greetings to their families and friends． 人们给家人和朋友寄上贺卡，表达圣诞的祝福。
Some families send and get dozens of Christmas cards through the mail． 有些家庭要通过邮局寄送和接收成打的贺卡，
They wish their friends― A Merry Christmas’’and―A Happy New Year‖． 祝愿朋友―圣诞快乐‖、―新年快乐‖。
The day before the vacation begins， schools have Christmas parties and programs． 放假的前一天，学校要举行圣诞聚会，表演节目。
The children sing Christmas songs and recite Christmas poems． 孩子们唱圣诞歌曲，朗诵圣诞诗篇，
They trim their Christmas trees with strings of colored lights． 用一串串的彩灯装饰圣诞树。
They put glass ornaments on the trees．They throw little pieces of white paper over the trees and put white paper or a white sheet around the feet of the trees，so that they seem to be covered with snow． 他们把玻璃装饰品挂在树上，把白纸片撒在树上和周围，用白纸包住圣诞树的底部，仿佛白雪皑皑。 Sometimes they hang Christmas cookies and little candies around them． 有时，他们也挂上圣诞点心和糖块。
The use of mistletoe as part of Christmas decorations[ 装饰品 ]in private houses is common in the United States．
美国家庭普遍用榭寄生作为圣诞节装饰的一部分。
A spring is fastened to a chandelier in the living room and the youths regard it as their privilege to kiss any pretty young girl who wittingly or unwittingly stands under it．
把一个弹簧系在起居室的枝形吊灯上，小伙子们把亲吻有意无意地站在树下的漂亮姑娘看做他们的特权。
Kissing under the mistletoe originated in Britain in the early 17th century． 这一风俗源于17世纪的英国，
The custom was for a berry to be removed from the bough[报] every time a girl was kissed under it． 最初是这样的：每当树下一个姑娘被亲吻时，人们就会从圣诞树枝上拿走一个浆果， When all the berries had been removed the kissing came to an end． 浆果拿没了，亲吻活动也就结束了。
Little children hang up their stockings on Christmas Eve near their beds， and they believe that when they are asleep， Santa Claus will come to visit them．
小孩在圣诞夜把长筒袜挂在床边，他们相信睡着的时候，圣诞老人就会来看他们。 He comes down from the North Pole and drives a big sled． 圣诞老人驾着大雪橇从北极来，
In the sled are toys for all the good children． 雪橇上放着给好孩子准备的礼物。
Eight little reindeer pull the sled there through the air． 八头小驯鹿在空中拉着雪橇，
Santa gets out when he comes to the roof of the children’s house． 到孩子家房顶时，圣诞老人走下雪橇，
He comes down the chimney with a bag of toys． 背着大口袋，顺着烟囱到屋里。
If the children have been good, he will fill their stockings with candies, fruits and toys，and he also puts some toys under the tree．
要是孩子表现好的话；他就会用点心、水果、玩具塞满长筒袜, 树下，圣诞老人也放些玩具。 On Christmas morning， children look into their stockings． 圣诞节清早，孩子们看各自的长筒袜内有什么，
They open their Christmas packages and examine their gifts． 他们打开圣诞包，．看收到了什么礼物。
Usually the whole family has a big Christmas dinner in the afternoon or evening． 一般来说，在下午或晚上，整个家庭要好好地吃顿圣诞家宴。
The Christmas dinner，which is similar to the Thanksgiving feast， is traditionally distinguished by a plum—Pudding dessert．
这顿家宴和感恩节的宴席差不多，传统的特色是要有葡萄干、布丁甜食。 Sometimes American families trim trees outside their homes． 有些美国家庭也要修剪装饰户外周围的树，
They put electric lights in a tree growing near the door and at night，they turn on the lights. 在门口的树上挂起电灯，晚上打开电灯。
Many towns have very large Christmas trees set up outdoors in the parks． 许多城镇在公园内的露天场地上都竖起很大的圣诞树。
In many rural sections of the country and in sections of some cities， candles，placed near the windows， light the paths of singers who go from house to house singing．
在一些乡间和城市的地方，人们把蜡烛放在窗口，为挨家挨户唱圣诞歌曲的歌手照明道路。
The air is filled with Christmas songs， and the stores are decorated in red and green，the traditional Christmas colors ．
空气中弥漫着圣诞的歌声，商店也装饰得红红绿绿——这是圣诞的传统颜色。 Dozens of Santa Clauses welcome the customers． 许多圣诞老人招呼着顾客。
The common people have created legends of Santa Claus as a symbol of their deep love for children． 普通群众创造了关于圣诞老人的各种传说，以表达对孩子深深的爱意。 However，the businessmen and the advertising companies on the main roads have turned Santa Claus into a cold commercial attraction．
主要街道两旁的商人和广告公司则把圣诞老人当作了冰冷的商业诱惑。
Christmas is the biggest time for selling goods and American newspapers and magazines make a countdown before Christmas：
圣诞节是最繁忙的销售季节，美国各报纸杂志在圣诞节前纷纷打出倒计时牌， ―Twenty—one shopping days before Christmas，twenty days before Christmas．．．‖．
―距圣诞节还有21天购物时间‖，―距圣诞节还有20天购物时间‖， ―Employ your time, for time glides on with speedy foot．‖ ―抓紧时间购物，时间转瞬即逝‖。
第七课
1、直到公元四世纪，罗马的教会才开始庆祝圣诞。
It was not until the 4th century that the church in Rome began to celebrate Christmas.考过了 2、冬天是个让人害怕的时节，天变短了，变冷了，太阳好像有全面消失的危险。
The approach（接近） of the winter time, as the days grew shorter and colder and the sun seemed to threaten（可能来临） to disappear（消失） entirely（完全地）, was a time of fear（害怕、恐怖）. 3、白天最短也意味着冬天即将离去，春天要来了，温暖的阳光，田野里植物返青也不远了。 The shortest day also meant that winter was leaving and that ahead（向前） were spring, the warmth of the sun and return of vegetation（植物生长） to the fields.
4、他们祝愿朋友―圣诞快乐‖―新年快乐‖。They wish their friends―A Merry Christmas‖ and ―A happy New Year.‖
5、他们用一串串的彩灯装饰圣诞树。They trim（装饰） their Christmas trees with strings（一串） of colored lights.
6、他们把白纸片撒在树上和周围，用白纸包住圣诞树的底部，仿佛树上白雪皑皑。
They throw little pieces of white paper over the trees and put white paper or a white sheet（床单） around the feet of the trees, so that they seem to be covered with snow. 7、小伙子们把亲吻有意无意地站在树下的漂亮姑娘看作他们的特权。
The youths regard（把－认作） it as their privilege（特权） to kiss any pretty young girl who wittingly（有意地） or unwittingly stands under it. 8、在树下亲吻这一风俗源于十七世纪的英国。
Kissing under the tree originated（起源） in Britain in the early 17 th century. 9、每当树下一个姑娘被亲吻时，人们就会从圣诞树枝上拿走一个浆果。
A berry（浆果） was to be removed from the bough（主枝） every time a girl was kissed under it. 10、小孩在圣诞夜把长统袜挂在床边，他们相信睡着的时候，圣诞老人就会来看他们。
Little children hang up their stockings on Christmas Eve near their beds, and they believe that when they are asleep, Santa Claus will come to visit them.
11、圣诞节家宴和感恩节的筵席差不多，但最传统的特色就是要有葡萄干布丁甜食。
The Chrismas dinner, which is similar to the Thanksgiving feast, is traditionally distinguished（以－为特征） by a plum-pudding（葡萄干布丁） dessert（甜点）. 12、许多城镇都在公园内树起很大的圣诞树。
Many towns have very large Christmas trees set up outdoors in the parks. 考过了 13、空气中弥漫着圣诞的歌声，商店也装饰得红红绿绿－这是圣诞节的传统颜色。
The air is filled with the sounds of Christmas songs, and the stores are decorated（装饰） in red and green, the traditional Christmas colors.
14、普通群众创造了关于圣诞老人的各种传说，以表达对孩子深深的爱意。
The common people have created（创造） legends（传说） of Santa Claus as a symbol（象征） of their deep love for the children.
15、主要街道两旁的商人和广告公司把圣诞老人当作了冰冷的商业诱惑。
The businessmen and the advertising companies (on the main roads ) have turned Santa Claus into a cold commercial attraction（吸引）.
Ⅳ．Cloze．Please pay attention that there are more words than are necessary. lights hanging leave exchange ornaments cards near church courts stockings under shopping under traditional fun
Many people exchange presents and send Christmas cards to their family and friends． 在圣诞节，许多人交换礼物，给家人寄送贺卡。
They open their presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning． 他们在圣诞节前夜或圣诞节早上打开礼物。
Often they leave the brightly wrapped packages under Christ． runs Trees and children have fun for guessing what special surprises are in store for them．
通常，他们把这些色彩绚烂的礼包放在圣诞树下，孩子们猜测包中有什么，从中获得乐趣。 As the colorful cards arrive, Americans enjoy hanging them on the Christmas trees． 收到五颜六色的贺卡后，美国人喜欢把它们挂在圣诞树上。
Many families go to church on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning． Then they come home to enjoy a traditional Christmas dinner．
许多家庭在圣诞前夜或圣诞节上午去教堂，然后回家享用传统的圣诞家宴。 Their favorite courses are turkey，goose，and plum pudding． 他们最喜欢的菜是火鸡、鹅和葡萄干布丁。 Before going to bed．children hang their stockings by their beds，hoping some candles and tovs will be given by Santa Claus．
睡觉之前，孩子们把长筒袜挂在床边，希望圣诞老人会给他们送来糖果和玩具。
Text B
Thanksgiving Day 感恩节(已出过英译汉了2006-04)
Thanksgiving Day comes on the fourth Thursday in November． 感恩节是11月的第四个周四。
Every year，the president writes a letter to the people． 每年，美国总统都要给美国人民一封信，
He writes that the fourth Thursday in November will be a national holiday． 信中说，11月的第四个周四是全国性的节日。 All the stores． banks，schools and offices close。 这一天，所有商店、银行、办公场所都不上班。
The people can spend Thanksgiving Day with their families． 人们同家人欢庆感恩节。
When the Pilgrims landed in 1620 near Cape Cod，Massachusetts．their first year was very hard． 1620年，英国首批清教徒在马萨诸塞的科德角附近登陆。他们在美洲的第一年非常艰难，
