UNIT 1 LIFE CHOICES
LESSON 1
I’m a ... digital native!
我是一名……數(shù)碼族！
I’m Joe, a student from London. You’ll often find me sitting in front of my laptop.
我是喬，來(lái)自倫敦的一名學(xué)生。你會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)我經(jīng)常坐在筆記本電腦前。
The online world is a big part of my life. I’m a “digital native”—I’ve been using the computer since I was a kid.
網(wǎng)絡(luò)世界是我生活中的重要組成部分。我是一名“數(shù)碼族”，還是個(gè)孩子的時(shí)候就經(jīng)常使用電腦。
I do a wide range of things online. Besides doing all my school work, I chat with my friends, watch films and read the daily news and other interesting articles; I also shop for various things online, such as books, computer hardware and other necessities. It’s so convenient to be able to compare the quality and prices from different online shops before I buy. I also play computer games from time to time and I even play tennis on my television screen in my living room!
我在網(wǎng)上做很多事情。除了做所有的學(xué)校作業(yè)外，我還和朋友聊天，看電影，閱讀每日新聞和其他有趣的文章；我還在網(wǎng)上買各種各樣的東西，如書籍、電腦硬件和其他必需品。購(gòu)物前，能夠比較不同的網(wǎng)絡(luò)商店的質(zhì)量和價(jià)格是非常方便的。我也經(jīng)常玩電腦游戲，甚至用客廳的電視屏幕打網(wǎng)球游戲！
My parents are worried that I may become an “Internet addict”. They think I’m playing computer games all the time and I chat too much with online friends. According to them, there is a danger that I may not be able to tell whether these friends are real friends. My mum keeps telling me to go out with my school friends instead. Maybe she’s right. It’s important to meet friends in person from time to time, not just on social media. Actually, I do know I need to drag myself away from the online world sometimes, especially because real life can be just as interesting.
我父母擔(dān)心我會(huì)成為一個(gè)網(wǎng)迷。他們認(rèn)為我一直不停地玩電腦游戲，并且總和網(wǎng)友聊天。在他們看來(lái)，我可能無(wú)法判斷這些人是否是真朋友，這是危險(xiǎn)的。媽媽一直讓我和學(xué)校的朋友們出去玩（而不是在家打游戲）。也許她是對(duì)的。時(shí)不時(shí)與朋友親自見面是很重要的，不能只是利用網(wǎng)絡(luò)交流。事實(shí)上，我非常清楚我有時(shí)需要強(qiáng)迫自己不上網(wǎng)，特別是因?yàn)楝F(xiàn)實(shí)生活也可以一樣有趣。
LESSON 3
Your Life Is What You Make It
你的生活你做主
After a long day, Zhang Tian finally got back to his small room, feeling tired. He had started working at seven in the morning and it was eight in the evening now. He had to prepare his lessons for the following day. This is a typical day for Zhang Tian. Coming to Guizhou Province to teach has been quite an experience for him.
漫長(zhǎng)的一天過(guò)后，張?zhí)炱v不堪，終于回到了自己的小窩。他從早上七點(diǎn)開始一直在工作，現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)是晚上八點(diǎn)。他必須為第二天備課。這是張?zhí)斓湫偷囊惶?。?lái)貴州教書對(duì)他來(lái)說(shuō)是一次不尋常的體驗(yàn)。
Zhang Tian graduated from university and got a teacher’s certificate last year. His parents, like most, hope he would go to a big city to find a teaching job. Likewise, his friends all left his hometown for work in Shanghai or Beijing. Zhang Tian felt differently, however. He wanted to start a new lifestyle. He had met wonderful teachers from small villages during his early school years and he was inspired by them to go and teach where he was needed the most. For that reason he applied for and became a volunteer teacher in a village school. Bringing with him lots of books, clothes, and two pairs of trainers, Zhang Tian travelled to the village with an eager heart. He imagined all sorts of exciting things about living independently and teaching in a village.
去年，張?zhí)鞆拇髮W(xué)畢業(yè)并考取了教師資格證。他的父母和大多數(shù)人一樣，希望他能去一個(gè)大城市從事教學(xué)工作。他的朋友們也都離開了家鄉(xiāng)到上?；虮本┕ぷ?。然而，張?zhí)靺s有不同的想法。他想要開始一種新的生活方式。在學(xué)校初期他遇見了來(lái)自小村莊的教師，他被他們所鼓舞，到最需要的地方去教學(xué)。因此，他申請(qǐng)并成為了一所鄉(xiāng)村學(xué)校的志愿教師。張?zhí)鞄е芏鄷⒁路蛢呻p運(yùn)動(dòng)鞋，還有一顆熱切的心來(lái)到了村莊。他想象著自己在村里獨(dú)立生活、教書，會(huì)發(fā)生哪些各種各樣令人興奮的事情。
However, not everything lived up to Zhang Tian’s hopes. The school was much smaller than he had expected, with only three classrooms. In front of the classrooms, there was a playground which got dusty on windy days and muddy on rainy days. Living in the village was also more challenging than he had thought. The power and water supplies were unstable, so he could only shower every three or four days, and he had to learn how to cook. The thought of leaving once flashed through his mind, but he quickly gave up on the idea and found ways to deal with the challenges.
但是，不是每件事都像張?zhí)煜Ｍ哪菢?。學(xué)校比他想象的小得多，只有三個(gè)教室。教室前面有一個(gè)操場(chǎng)，刮風(fēng)時(shí)揚(yáng)塵，下雨時(shí)泥濘不堪。住在村子里也比他想象的更具挑戰(zhàn)性。電和水的供應(yīng)不穩(wěn)定，所以他只能每三四天洗一次澡，他還必須學(xué)會(huì)做飯。離開的想法曾在腦中閃現(xiàn)過(guò)，但是他很快放棄了這個(gè)念頭，并且找到了應(yīng)對(duì)挑戰(zhàn)的辦法。
The school had just three teachers and Zhang Tian was the only English teacher. The other two local teachers were responsible for maths and Chinese. To make school life healthier and livelier for his students, Zhang Tian introduced more subjects to the school—music, art and PE. It is not surprising that PE is the kids’ favourite subject! Their school lives are now more attractive and interesting, and they enjoy playing football in the playground, as well as singing songs they’ve learnt. The school is now full of laughter and music. Zhang Tian is planning to organise the first-ever school concert! Everyone is very excited.
學(xué)校只有三名老師，張?zhí)焓俏ㄒ坏挠⒄Z(yǔ)老師，另外兩名當(dāng)?shù)亟處熃淌跀?shù)學(xué)和語(yǔ)文。為了讓學(xué)生的校園生活更有益健康和活潑熱鬧，張?zhí)扉_設(shè)了更多的課程——音樂(lè)、藝術(shù)和體育。毫不意外的是體育是孩子們最喜歡的科目。孩子們的學(xué)校生活現(xiàn)在更有吸引力也更有趣，他們喜歡在操場(chǎng)上踢足球，也喜歡唱學(xué)過(guò)的歌。校園里現(xiàn)在充滿了笑聲和音樂(lè)。張?zhí)煺谟?jì)劃組織第一場(chǎng)學(xué)校音樂(lè)會(huì)！大家都很興奮。
Zhang Tian’s first year is almost over. It has been a tough year, but he has enjoyed working with the children. What made him feel satisfied was that his students were able to read, speak and write in English and they became more confident in learning. Besides teaching, Zhang Tian also brought changes to the village. He contacted charity organisations about rebuilding the playground and setting up a library, and helped the villagers sell local products online. The contribution he made to the village was great, so he became very popular among the villagers and they treated him as one of them. The village is like his second home now. Although he had only intended to stay for one year, he now feels ready to stay for another year. He feels so happy that he followed his heart when choosing what to do with his life, even though it may not be what others expected of him.
張?zhí)煸谶@兒的第一年就要結(jié)束了。這是艱難的一年，但他喜歡和孩子們一起。讓他感到欣慰的是他的學(xué)生能夠讀英語(yǔ)、說(shuō)英語(yǔ)和寫英語(yǔ)，并且在學(xué)習(xí)上變得更自信。除了教學(xué)，張?zhí)爝€為村子帶來(lái)了其他變化。他聯(lián)系了慈善組織重修操場(chǎng)和開設(shè)圖書館，并幫助村民在網(wǎng)上銷售當(dāng)?shù)禺a(chǎn)品。他為村子做了很大貢獻(xiàn)，所以在村民中很受歡迎，村民也把他當(dāng)作村子里的一員。這個(gè)村子現(xiàn)在就像他的第二個(gè)家。雖然他原本只打算呆一年，但現(xiàn)在他準(zhǔn)備再待一年。他感到很幸福，因?yàn)樵谶x擇如何對(duì)待自己的人生時(shí)，他跟隨了自己的內(nèi)心，盡管這可能不是別人所期望的。
UNIT 2 SPORTS AND FITNESS
LESSON 1
Paul and I were on our school basketball team, The Lions. We loved basketball and were both huge fans of the NBA. When we weren’t playing on the court which was next to our building, we were watching a game on TV. My favourite player was LeBron James. Paul’s favourite player was Tyrone Bogues, a guy who played for the Charlotte Hornets, although we actually agree that they are both champions.
我和保羅都是學(xué)校獅子籃球隊(duì)的隊(duì)員。我們熱愛籃球，都是NBA 的超級(jí)球迷。我們不在大樓附近的球場(chǎng)上打球，就在電視上看比賽。我最喜歡的球員是勒布朗·詹姆斯。保羅最喜歡的球員是蒂尼·博格斯，博格斯為夏洛特黃蜂隊(duì)效力。事實(shí)上，我們認(rèn)為他們都是冠軍。
Bogues was only 1.6 metres tall, which made him the shortest player ever in the NBA. Guess what? Paul was only 1.6 metres tall, too! Paul knew that being shorter than other players meant that he had to practise more. During all those hours of doing jump shots on his own, he used Bogues as his inspiration. Paul once said, “If Bogues could make it, why not me?”
博格斯身高只有一米六，是NBA 史上最矮的球員。你猜怎么著？保羅身高也只有一米六！保羅知道比其他球員矮意味著他必須加強(qiáng)練習(xí)。在他自己跳投的時(shí)候，他用博格斯激勵(lì)自己。保羅有次說(shuō)到，“如果博格斯能做到，為什么我不能呢？”
Our coach was not so sure. Paul had to try out many times just for making the team. He was still usually on the bench, being just a replacement, which was really tough on him. Everyone knew Paul had real skills, and was someone who worked really hard and had a strong desire to play for the team. However, Paul didn’t get a chance.
我們的教練并不這么看。保羅多次參加選拔，方才入選球隊(duì)。然而，他通?！白宓省弊鳛樘嫜a(bǔ)隊(duì)員，這對(duì)他來(lái)說(shuō)是真夠倒霉的。每個(gè)人都知道保羅有真本事，而且他非常努力，想為球隊(duì)做出貢獻(xiàn)。然而，保羅沒(méi)有機(jī)會(huì)。
This week, The Lions were playing our main competitors, The Bears, a team whose record this season had been perfect. They hadn’t lost a single game. It would be a tough one. Paul didn’t know he’d soon get the chance that he’d been waiting for.
本周，獅子隊(duì)正在與我們的勁敵熊隊(duì)比賽，這是一支本賽季戰(zhàn)績(jī)完美的球隊(duì)，他們沒(méi)有輸過(guò)一場(chǎng)比賽。這將是一個(gè)艱難的過(guò)程。保羅這時(shí)并不知道他很快就能擁有一直等待的機(jī)會(huì)。
LESSON 3
Running and Fitness
跑步與健身
I' m a bit fed up with getting sick all the time. And I feel awkward failing PE exams. My friend suggested I should try long-distance running. Do you think it will help?
Jeremy, 16 years old
我受夠總是生病了，體育課不及格也讓我為難。我的朋友建議我試試長(zhǎng)跑。您覺得長(zhǎng)跑有幫助嗎？
杰瑞米，16歲
Hi Jeremy,
嗨！杰瑞米：
Thanks for your question. As people often say, any exercise is better than none, but long-distance running in particular has a lot of benefits.
感謝你的問(wèn)題。正如人們常說(shuō)的，運(yùn)動(dòng)總比不運(yùn)動(dòng)好，但長(zhǎng)跑的好處尤其多。
It is a great sport for beginners—you do not need a gym membership or any special equipment. Just a pair of good running shoes will do. Then, keep it up. There is also no better way to know yourself and to see what you are capable of.
對(duì)于初學(xué)者來(lái)說(shuō)，這是一項(xiàng)很棒的運(yùn)動(dòng)，你不需要健身房會(huì)員或任何特殊的設(shè)備，只要一雙好跑鞋就行了。然后，堅(jiān)持下去。跑步是了解自己最好的方法，看看自己能做到哪一步。
You are also somebody who worries about getting sick. Running will help you get fit and prevent diseases. It will give you good upper and lower body strength. Like any exercise, running increases the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain. It makes your heart stronger and allows more blood to flow around your body. It also strengthens your immune system and reduces the risk of serious health problems, as well as more common illnesses like colds. Besides, anybody who is feeling down can go for a run to cheer themselves up. Even a thirty-minute run will provide relief from aches or tension that you may be suffering due to stress.
你像很多人一樣，也擔(dān)心自己有生病的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。跑步會(huì)幫助你變得健康并預(yù)防疾病。它會(huì)讓你擁有很棒的上肢和下肢力量。像任何運(yùn)動(dòng)一樣，跑步會(huì)增加血液流通并向大腦輸送氧氣。它讓你的心臟更強(qiáng)壯，并加速血液流動(dòng)。它還能強(qiáng)化你的免疫系統(tǒng)，降低患嚴(yán)重健康問(wèn)題的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)，以及患常見疾病的機(jī)率，例如感冒。此外，心情低落的人會(huì)選擇跑步讓自己振作起來(lái)。即使是跑30分鐘也能緩解你因壓力而感到的疼痛或緊張。
If you are new to running, here is some advice for you—it is important to warm up and cool down properly before and after running, so you do not hurt yourself. A warm-up gets your blood flowing and prepares your body before you exercise. After a long run, you should jog slowly for ten minutes, then walk for five minutes. Such kind of warm-down relaxes your body after exercise.
如果你剛開始跑步，我有一些建議給你——跑步前和跑步后做適當(dāng)?shù)臒嵘砗头潘苫顒?dòng)很重要，這樣你就不會(huì)傷到自己。熱身會(huì)促進(jìn)血液流動(dòng)，在運(yùn)動(dòng)前讓你的身體做好準(zhǔn)備。長(zhǎng)跑后，你應(yīng)該再慢跑十分鐘，然后步行五分鐘。這種舒緩運(yùn)動(dòng)可以使身體在運(yùn)動(dòng)后得到放松。
For more guidelines on running, click here. I hope this will help!
有關(guān)跑步的更多指導(dǎo)，請(qǐng)點(diǎn)擊此處。希望能有所幫助！
Best Regards,
致以最好的問(wèn)候，
Dr. Martin
馬丁博士
Three Principles of Running
跑步三原則
Do the right amount. Draw up a training plan that is right for you. There are no shortcuts—no one can become a long-distance runner overnight! Set achievable goals. For example, jogging for only twenty minutes to start with. Make sure you are running the right amount that your heart, muscles and bones can take without getting hurt.
適量：制定適合自己的運(yùn)動(dòng)計(jì)劃。跑步?jīng)]有捷徑，沒(méi)人能在一夜之間成為長(zhǎng)跑選手。設(shè)定能達(dá)到的目標(biāo)。例如，先用二十分鐘慢跑熱身。確保運(yùn)動(dòng)量在心臟、肌肉和骨骼的承受范圍之內(nèi)，以免受傷。
Keep running. Running trains your mind as well as your body. There will be times when you want to give up. But hang in there and tell yourself that it will get easier with time. Nothing gives one more satisfaction than realising that all the sweat and hard work were worth it in the end.
堅(jiān)持：跑步既可以鍛煉身體，也能夠磨練意志。你會(huì)有很多次想放棄的念頭。堅(jiān)持住，告訴自己，隨著時(shí)間推移，以后會(huì)變得輕松的。當(dāng)你最終發(fā)現(xiàn)，所有汗水和辛勞都是值得的，沒(méi)什么比這更令人滿足了。
Don’t overdo it. Do not forget to take breaks. Training too much can be bad for your health, so make sure you do not overdo it.
不要運(yùn)動(dòng)過(guò)度：別忘了休息。過(guò)度訓(xùn)練對(duì)健康有害，所以切記適量運(yùn)動(dòng)。
UNIT 3 CELEBRATIONS
LESSON 1
Spring Festival
春節(jié)
Notes from the editor: Spring Festival is an important tradition in China. It has unique meanings. However, people may understand it differently, including those from other cultures. Here are three readers’ accounts to our magazine, who shared their experiences and views about it.
來(lái)自編輯的注釋：春節(jié)是中國(guó)的重要傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日，有著獨(dú)特的意義。但是，不同的人，包括文化背景不同的人，可能對(duì)春節(jié)有不同的理解。這是我們雜志的三位讀者的敘述，分享了他們關(guān)于春節(jié)的經(jīng)歷和看法。
Tom Jenkins a 16-year-old exchange student living in Nanjing
湯姆·詹金斯，16歲，交換生，居住南京
It was my first time spending Spring Festival in China with my host family. Spring Festival is highly valued by every Chinese family. Preparations began a week before the festival. First, the house was cleaned from top to bottom. My host mother Mrs Chen said this was to sweep away the dirt of the past year and get ready for the new year.
這是我第一次在中國(guó)和我的寄宿家庭一起過(guò)春節(jié)。每個(gè)中國(guó)家庭十分重視春節(jié)。準(zhǔn)備工作從節(jié)前一周開始。首先，房子從上到下都打掃了一遍。我的房東媽媽陳太太說(shuō)這是消除過(guò)去一年的積塵，為新的一年準(zhǔn)備。
Next, the Chinese character Fu was attached upside down to our front door. It is believed that when Fu is put upside down, happiness arrives. The character looked really cool.
接下來(lái)，漢字“?！钡官N在我們的大門上。據(jù)說(shuō)“?！弊直坏官N時(shí)，幸福就會(huì)到來(lái)。這個(gè)字看起來(lái)很酷。
The greatest excitement began the night before Spring Festival. Fireworks were being let off across the city, suddenly lighting up the night sky. Children were covering their ears but with an expectant look on their faces. Mrs Chen said that it was to scare away the monster Nian. The fireworks were a lot of fun! We then sat together to enjoy a big dinner,wishing everyone a happy new year.
最讓人興奮的是除夕夜。煙花在城市上空燃放，瞬間照亮了夜空。孩子們雖捂著耳朵，臉上卻充滿期待的表情。陳太太說(shuō)這是為了嚇跑年獸。煙花很有趣！然后我們坐在一起享受豐盛的晚餐，大家互相祝福新年快樂(lè)。
Xu Gang a 28-year-old computer engineer working in Shanghai
徐剛，28歲，計(jì)算機(jī)工程師，在上海工作
I usually start planning my trip home to Shanxi weeks before Spring Festival, as train tickets or flights have to be booked as early as possible. I take great care in choosing gifts for my parents. This year, I bought a bottle of wine for my father and a beautiful sweater for my mother.
我通常在春節(jié)前幾周就開始計(jì)劃回山西的行程，因?yàn)楸仨毐M早預(yù)訂火車票或機(jī)票。我非常細(xì)心地為父母挑選禮物。今年，我給父親買了一瓶酒，給母親買了一件漂亮的毛衣。
Every year, the moment I get on the train, I am surrounded by Shanxi accents—I know that I am heading home to my family. I don’t get to travel back to Shanxi very often, so when I get home, my parents will fill me in on what’s been happening—who has got married or had children or gone away to university. It’s great to hear what everyone’s been up to.
每年，一坐上火車，我就會(huì)被山西方言包圍，我意識(shí)到我踏上了回家的路。我不經(jīng)?；厣轿?，因此每年回到家，我父母就會(huì)把這一年發(fā)生的事一股腦兒地告訴我，誰(shuí)結(jié)婚了，誰(shuí)有小孩了，誰(shuí)上大學(xué)了。很高興聽到大家都在做什么。
We usually have hotpot—it’s so tasty! However, what we eat isn’t the most important thing. What’s important is who we eat it with. It’s a wonderful thing to be back together with my family and talk of old times. When I was a kid, Spring Festival was all about firecrackers, sweets and decorations. As I get older, coming home and being with my entire family is the most important part of it.
我們通常會(huì)吃火鍋，很好吃！但是，吃什么不重要，重要的是和誰(shuí)一起吃。和我的家人一起回到過(guò)去，談?wù)撨^(guò)去是一件很美好的事。當(dāng)我還是個(gè)孩子的時(shí)候，春節(jié)就是爆竹、糖果和裝飾品。隨著年齡的增長(zhǎng)，回家和全家人待在一起則成了春節(jié)最重要的一部分。
Li Yan a 70-year-old grandmother from Heilongjiang
李燕，70歲，一位奶奶，居住黑龍江
Spring Festival is family time for us. My husband and I are both retired. We do not see our children and grandchildren very often and we miss them a lot. Weeks before Spring Festival, we start getting ready for their homecoming. Things start to get really busy. We think about what the children would like to eat, what we need to buy and what dishes need to be prepared.
春節(jié)是我們的家庭時(shí)間。我和丈夫都退休了。我們不經(jīng)常見到我們的孩子和孫子孫女，非常想念他們。春節(jié)前幾周，我們開始為他們回家做準(zhǔn)備。日子慢慢開始變得忙碌起來(lái)。我們琢磨孩子們喜歡吃什么，我們需要買什么，需要準(zhǔn)備什么菜。
Our house buzzes with activities when everyone comes home. Our grandchildren run around shouting and playing, and the adults gather around the table to talk about the past year. Great fun is also enjoyed in the kitchen as jiaozi are being made. We always have jiaozi during this time, as they mean something special on this occasion—they are a sign of our wishes for health and happiness in the coming year. To me, this is Spring Festival—the joy of a family gathering.
當(dāng)每個(gè)人都到家時(shí)，我們的房子充滿活動(dòng)和各種聲響。我們的孫輩一邊跑一邊喊，一邊玩，大人們圍在桌子旁談?wù)撨^(guò)去的一年。廚房里也很有趣，因?yàn)檎诎溩?。在這段時(shí)間里，我們通常是吃餃子，因?yàn)樗谶@個(gè)場(chǎng)合有一些特別的意味——它是我們期望來(lái)年健康和幸福的標(biāo)志。對(duì)我來(lái)說(shuō)，家庭團(tuán)聚的快樂(lè)——就是春節(jié)。
Throughout history, some of the original customs have changed, but the spirit of the festival—the spirit of family—has largely been kept. Most of the important Spring Festival traditions are still being practised by people across the country.
縱觀歷史，一些原始習(xí)俗已經(jīng)改變了，但是春節(jié)的精神——家庭精神——在很大程度上得到了保留，全國(guó)各地的人們?nèi)栽谯`行著大部分重要的春節(jié)傳統(tǒng)。
LESSON 3
Memories of Christmas
圣誕節(jié)的回憶
I still remember the last Christmas Granny spent with us. It began in the middle of November on a cold, windy day. I remember the wind because Granny’s grey hair was a mess when she arrived. That was also the day Granny moved in. Somehow, at the time, I didn’t know she was sick. Maybe I was too young, maybe she hid it too well, or maybe I was just too excited that Christmas was on the way.
我仍記得奶奶和我們一起度過(guò)的最后一個(gè)圣誕節(jié)。十一月中旬寒冷多風(fēng)的日子就來(lái)了。我記得那天的風(fēng)，因?yàn)槟棠痰竭_(dá)時(shí)她的灰頭發(fā)亂作一團(tuán)。那天也是奶奶搬進(jìn)來(lái)的日子。然而，那個(gè)時(shí)候我并未發(fā)現(xiàn)她病了?；蛟S是因?yàn)槲姨×?，或許是她隱藏得太好了，或者可能是我對(duì)圣誕節(jié)的到來(lái)太興奮了。
After Granny moved in, she spent most of her time on the brawn sofa by the fire. Sometimes she was quiet, but she seemed happy. When I wrote a letter to Father Christmas telling him about the presents I wanted, Granny made an effort to help me. Her hand was slightly shaky, but she wrote “Father Christmas, the North Pole” on the envelope.
奶奶搬過(guò)來(lái)以后，大多數(shù)時(shí)間都待在爐火旁棕色的沙發(fā)上。有時(shí)她很安靜，但她看起來(lái)很高興。當(dāng)我寫信給圣誕老人，告訴他我想要的禮物時(shí)，奶奶盡力幫助我。她的手有點(diǎn)發(fā)抖，但她在信封上寫上了“圣誕老人，北極”。
In December, our excitement grew each day—lights appeared in the streets, Christmas cards arrived, and there was snow everywhere. Granny and I made sugar biscuits, stuffed the turkey and then I sat on my granny’s lap and we sang Christmas songs. My favourite song was Frosty the Snowman and I loved the bit that went “Thumpety-thump-thump, thumpety-thump-thump, look at Frosty go!” Granny had patience to sing it over and over again.
十二月，我們的興奮感與日俱增——街道上燈火通明，圣誕賀卡來(lái)了，到處都是雪。奶奶和我做了糖餅干，填了火雞，然后我坐在奶奶的腿上，我們一起唱圣誕歌。我最喜歡的歌是《雪人（雪孩子）》，我喜歡那伴隨著“砰砰砰，砰砰砰砰，看弗羅斯蒂走！”的節(jié)拍。奶奶有耐心地一遍又一遍地唱。
On Christmas Eve, Granny took a seat by the fire as we put up the Christmas tree. I hung most of the decorations on the branches.
在平安夜，奶奶靠著爐火坐著，我們把圣誕樹立起來(lái)。我把大部分裝飾都掛在樹枝上。
“That’s the most beautiful tree I’ve ever seen,” Granny said.
“那是我見過(guò)的最漂亮的樹，”奶奶說(shuō)。
Then she started singing, “Oh, Christmas tree, oh, Christmas tree, you fill my heart with music...”
然后她開始唱，“哦，圣誕樹，哦，圣誕樹，你用音樂(lè)填滿我內(nèi)心……”
Before bed, Granny and I left a plate of sugar biscuits out for Father Christmas, and put a stocking at the end of my bed. I remember Granny sitting on my bed and singing softly until I fell asleep.
睡覺前，奶奶和我為圣誕老人準(zhǔn)備了一盤糖餅干，并在床頭放了一只長(zhǎng)襪。我記得奶奶坐在我的床上，輕聲唱歌直到我睡著。
My stocking was full of small toys and sweets on Christmas morning, and there were presents under the tree. I was on my best behaviour as we opened the presents. Later, Granny called me over.
圣誕節(jié)早上，我的襪子里裝滿了小玩具和糖果，而且樹下有禮物。拆禮物時(shí)，我表現(xiàn)得特別好。后來(lái)，奶奶叫我過(guò)來(lái)。
“I have something special for you,” Granny whispered. “It’s for all your treasures. Merry Christmas.”
“我有一個(gè)特別的東西給你，”奶奶低聲說(shuō)?！盀榱吮４婺闼械呢?cái)富。圣誕快樂(lè)?！?nbsp;
It was a music box with a ballet dancer inside.
那是一個(gè)音樂(lè)盒，里面有個(gè)芭蕾舞演員。
After breakfast, Auntie Kath and my cousin David arrived. While Mum, Dad and Auntie Kath got lunch ready, David and I played outside. We raced around the garden and rolled a big snowball to make a lovely snowman. Granny stayed inside by the fire. I remember catching her eye through the window.
早飯后，凱絲姑媽和我的堂弟大衛(wèi)來(lái)了。當(dāng)媽媽、爸爸和凱絲姑媽準(zhǔn)備好午飯時(shí)，我和大衛(wèi)在外面玩。我們?cè)诨▓@里跑來(lái)跑去，滾了一個(gè)大雪球，做了一個(gè)可愛的雪人。奶奶待在爐火旁。我記得當(dāng)時(shí)從窗戶里看到她的眼睛。
“Come outside, Granny,” I called, but she just waved.
“到外面來(lái)，奶奶，”我叫她，但她只是揮了揮手。
Lunch was late, but it was a loud and exciting affair. We put on silly paper hats and had a big turkey with potatoes, followed by Christmas pudding. David put so much pudding in his mouth that he couldn’t swallow.
午餐晚了，但這是一件既吵鬧又令人興奮的大事。我們戴上傻傻的紙帽子，吃塞有土豆的大火雞，隨后又吃圣誕布丁。大衛(wèi)在嘴里塞了太多布丁，以至于都吞不下去了。
“How’s the pudding?” Granny asked.
“布丁怎么樣？”奶奶問(wèn)。
Mmmph, mmmph, mmmph,' said David.
“唔，唔，唔，”大衛(wèi)說(shuō)。
Auntie Kath didn’t think it was funny, but the rest of us did. Granny laughed so much that her paper hat fell off.
凱思姑媽不覺得有趣，但我們其他人都覺得有趣。奶奶開懷大笑，她的紙帽子掉了下來(lái)。
A few weeks after that Christmas, Granny passed away. I think of her often though, especially at Christmas. Each year, I take out the music box she gave me. Inside I keep Granny’s paper hat and the letter she helped me write that Christmas. Mum gave the letter back to me some years ago when I no longer believed in Father Christmas. When I think about what makes Christmas so magical, it’s not just gifts and Father Christmas that come to mind. It’s also my memory of Granny. Now I’m the one who makes sugar biscuits each year, and I always make one in a G-shape—G for Granny.
圣誕節(jié)后的幾個(gè)星期，奶奶去世了。不過(guò)我經(jīng)常想起她，尤其是在圣誕節(jié)。每年，我都會(huì)拿出她給我的音樂(lè)盒。我把奶奶的紙帽子和她幫我寫的那封圣誕信放在里面。我不再相信有圣誕老人時(shí)，媽媽就把信還給了我。當(dāng)我想到是什么讓圣誕節(jié)如此神奇時(shí)，我想到的不僅僅是禮物和圣誕老人，還有我對(duì)奶奶的記憶。現(xiàn)在的我每年都做糖餅干，我總是做一個(gè)G形的餅干——G代表奶奶。
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