美国习俗面面观.doc

美国人在每次过生日时，不仅庆祝年龄又大了一岁，而且也庆祝又一年过去了。因此，蜡烛既是生命和死亡的象征，也是希望和恐惧的象征。当过生日的人对着蜡烛许愿时，他/她是在祈求神的庇护以便能够交好运。当过生日的人吹熄蜡烛时，他/她则是在希望自己能掌握即将降临到自己身上的任何事情。With each birthday，Americans not only celebrate growth but also the passing of another year.Thus, candles are symbols of both life and death,as well as both hope and fear.When a person makes a wish over these symbols, he or she invokes powers for good fortune. And when that person snuffs out these symbols, he or she expresses the hope to have a degree of control over whatever lies in store for him or her.invoke:(1)援用某事物为行动依据或理由The government has invoked the Official Secrets Act in having the book banned.政府援引国家机密必威体育官网网址法以禁该书。(2)以祷告祈求某事物invoke vengeance(up)on ones enemies求神降或祸给敌人 在星期五这天，可以见到各行各业的人们涌向饭店，酒吧和小酒馆或用餐，释放5天工作日当中的紧张情绪，也可能是为新的一个星期的到来而补充能量。星期五这天还给人们带来欢乐时光，那些鸡尾酒酒廊和酒吧里提供的酒水和开胃菜都会减价。This day finds people from all walks of life frequenting restaurants,?bars, and taverns for drink and nourishment?to release the tension of the five-day workweek and perhaps to replenish their energies for the coming week. An adjust to TGIF is the happy hour, when drinks and appetizers in cocktail lounges and bars are served at reduced prices.tavern: 客栈；酒馆nourishment：食物replenish：补充某物；再将某物充满EG：Let me replenish your glass.( with more wine )appetizer: 正餐前的开胃食物cocktail: 鸡尾酒 这一传统可以追溯到古罗马时期。在那时的婚礼上，父亲“放开”自己的女儿，把她交到她的丈夫的手上。在现代的婚礼上，也可见到相同的“放开”习俗，即新娘的父亲将新娘引交给新郎。The?tradition of a man asking for a womans hand dates back to a Roman marriage custom in which the father let go of his daughter and transferred her to the hand of her husband. An equivalent of the letting go custom can be seen in the modern marriage ceremony, where the father gives the bridre the bride away.dates back to: 自某时代存在至今EG: Our partnership dates back to 2001.??????? 我们从2001年就合伙了equivalent: 相等的事物或数量EG: the metric equivalent of the 2 miles?????? 两英里的公制等距 同学会是许多高中和大学在每年秋天所举行的庆祝活动，在一些小镇上尤为盛行。同学会的庆祝活动通常会持续一个星期，为了庆祝老校友们回归以及新生和他们的朋友、父母的加入，大家在一起举行晚会、舞会以及晚宴。其中最为引人注目的项目之一是给由该校学生所选出的同学会女王加冕