第二份英文作業/2017.08.28-2018.01.19/盧星瑜

第二份英文作業

連結：https://www.hopenglish.com/the-legend-behind-chinese-valentines-day?ref=latest

Happy Chinese Valentine's Day! 中國情人節快樂!

We have a Valentine's Day?! 我們有情人節？!

Yup, it's called Qixi Festival. It's on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. It's also known as the Magpie Festival sometimes.

Ooh, pies! 噢，餡餅!

Not pies—magpies. 不是餡餅－－是喜鵲。

Yeah, yeah, I know. But what do these birds have to do with Valentine's?

Well, it goes back to the ancient Chinese legend, when a beautiful weaver girl, Zhi Nu, who's actually a goddess, went out to play in the human realm and met a human cow herder called Niu Lang and fell in love. They married and had two kids. When Zhi Nu's grandmother, the Queen Mother of the Heaven, Wang Mu Niang Niang, found out, she wasn't too happy. 嗯，這就要回溯到中國古老的傳說了，當時有名美麗的織布少女織女，她其實是個仙女，織女下到人間玩耍，認識了一個名叫牛郎的人類牧牛人，並且墜入愛河。他們結為連理並生下兩個孩子。當織女的祖母西王母，也就是王母娘娘，發現這件事時，她可不大開心。

Are mother-in-laws ever happy? 丈母娘們有開心過嗎？

The Queen Mother-in-law was so pissed that Zhi Nu married a mere mortal that she scratched a wide river in the sky with a hairpin and separated the two, thus forming the Milky Way between the stars Altair, which is Niu Lang, and Vega, which is Zhi Nu. Zhi Nu must sit forever one side of the river weaving her loom while Niu Lang watches her from afar while taking care of their two children. The two were so sad they cried continuously. The magpies in the sky pity them so much that they form a bridge once a year so the star-crossed lovers can see each other. 身為丈母娘的西王母對織女下嫁一介凡人感到十分震怒，因此她用髮簪在空中劃出一道寬廣的河流來分散兩人，因而形成了牽牛星，也就是牛郎，已及織女一，也就是織女，兩顆星之間的銀河。織女必須永遠坐在河的一端在織布機前紡織著，而牛郎則帶著兩個孩子從遠處遙望她。極為憂傷的兩人時常哭泣。天空中的喜鵲十分同情他們，因此牠們每年會搭建一次鵲橋，好讓兩個命運多舛的戀人相見。

So, they, like, step on birds? Aren't they too heavy for birds? I mean, maybe the weaver goddess lady—because she is light, because maybe she is a goddess—but the cow herder guy is definitely gonna kill some birds. 所以，他們會踩到鳥身上？他們對小鳥來說不會太重嗎？我是說，或許那個織布的仙女小姐可以－－因為她很輕，可能因為她是仙女－－但那個放牛的傢伙絕對會害死一些鳥。

Dan, it's a story. Gosh! Can't you just be a bit romantic? Dan，這是故事。天啊!你就不能稍微浪漫一點嗎？

I can be romantic. Want me to prove it? 我可以很浪漫啊。想要我證明一下嗎？

No, not really. 不，不是很想。

Wait, if it's Chinese Valentine's day, shouldn't Chinese people go out on dates? 等等，如果現在是中國情人節，中國人不是該出去約會嗎？

Well, traditionally, on this day, young girls will have needlework competitions or burn papers and items and offerings to the weaver girl. Single and newly-wed women all celebrate the festival and make offerings. 嗯，傳統上在這天，年輕女孩們會比賽做針線活，或是燒紙和一些東西跟供品給織女。單身和新婚女子全都會慶祝這個節日和獻上供品。

So there's no chocolates, dating, or kissing? Mmm, I think I prefer the American Valentine's. 所以沒有巧克力、約會或是親親囉？嗯，我想我比較喜歡美式情人節。

Well, this year, in 2013, Qixi is on August 13. And if you're watching in 2014, August 2. And August 20 if you're watching in 2015. 那麼，今年 2013 年，七夕是在 8 月 13 日。如果你是在 2014 年看到這部影片，那就是 8 月 2 日。如果你是 2015 年看到，那就是 8 月 20 日。

Hey, Carmen, would you be my... 嘿，Carmen，妳想當...

No. 不要。

But you didn't... 不過妳還沒...

No. 不要。