万圣节服装是不是太吓人了？🎃👻👹🧟‍♀️ 6分钟英语：英语精读讲义

6 Minute English from bbclearningenglish.com.

来自 bbclearningenglish.com 的6分钟英语。

Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English.

大家好，这里是 BBC Learning English 的6分钟英语节目。

I'm Sam.

我是 Sam。

And I'm Neil.

我是 Neil。

Ooh, trick or treat. 文化背景

哦，不给糖就捣蛋。

For listeners at home, Neil is dressed up as a ghost. 短語動詞

收音机前的听众们，Neil 现在打扮成了一个鬼魂。

He's wearing a white bedsheet over his head

他头上顶着一条白床单，

with two holes cut out for his eyes, 語法

眼睛的地方挖了两个洞，

which must mean It's Halloween. 語法

这一定意味着万圣节到了。

The start of autumn when the days get shorter

初秋时节日照逐渐变短，

and leaves fall from the trees marks Halloween, 用詞

树叶从树上飘落，这标志着万圣节的到来，

a festival which is celebrated all over the world

这是一个在全世界范围内庆祝的节日，

at this time of year.

就在每年的这个时候。

In Britain, people carve scary faces into pumpkins 短語搭配

在英国，人们在南瓜上雕刻出可怕的面孔，

and children go trick-or-treating, 文化背景

孩子们去玩“不给糖就捣蛋”的游戏，

dressing up in fancy dress costumes 用詞

他们穿上奇装异服，

and visiting people's homes

挨家挨户地拜访，

shouting trick or treat for sweets and candy.

大喊着“不给糖就捣蛋”来要糖果。

Halloween comes from an ancient festival called Samhain, 文化背景

万圣节源于一个叫做萨温节（Samhain）的古老节日，

which celebrated the changing of the seasons,

它是用来庆祝季节更迭的，

a time when it was believed the dead could make contact with the living, 講解

人们曾相信在这个时候死者可以与生者取得联系，

which is why children dress up as ghosts, witches, and other scary monsters. 表達脈絡

这也是为什么孩子们要打扮成鬼魂、女巫和其他可怕怪物的原因。

But recently, online shops have removed several Halloween costumes, 用詞

但最近，几家网店下架了一些万圣节服装，

including creepy clown masks and real-life serial killer costumes, 用詞

包括令人毛骨悚然的小丑面具和逼真的连环杀手服装，

after parents complained they were too frightening.

因为家长抱怨它们太吓人了。

In this programme, we'll be discussing whether Halloween is no longer harmless fun, 講解

在本期节目中，我们将讨论万圣节是否不再是无害的娱乐，

and as usual, we'll be learning some new vocabulary as well.

和往常一样，我们还会学习一些新词汇。

But before that, and since you're all dressed up as a ghost, 表達脈絡

但在那之前，既然你都打扮成鬼魂了，

Neil, my question is this:

Neil，我的问题是：

Why did people traditionally dress up in costumes on Halloween?

为什么人们传统上要在万圣节穿上奇装异服？

Was it A, to scare their neighbours as a joke?

是 A，为了吓唬邻居开玩笑？

B, to use up their old clothes? 短語動詞

B，为了消耗掉旧衣服？

Or C, to hide from ghosts?

还是 C，为了躲避鬼魂？

Hmm, I think it was to hide from ghosts.

嗯，我觉得是为了躲避鬼魂。

OK, Neil, we'll find out the answer later in the programme. 短語動詞

好的，Neil，我们会在节目稍后揭晓答案。

In recent years, Halloween has become more influenced by American horror movies 講解

近年来，万圣节受到美国恐怖电影的影响越来越大，

like Friday the 13th or Scream. 文化背景

比如《13号星期五》或《惊声尖叫》。

Some parents now think Halloween costumes are too scary and over the top, 習語

现在有些家长认为万圣节服装太吓人，且过于夸张（over the top），

a phrase meaning too extreme and unsuitable.

这个短语的意思是太极端且不合适。

Mother of two, Joanne O'Connell, was shocked 短語搭配

作为两个孩子的母亲，Joanne O'Connell 感到很震惊，

when she took her 10-year-old daughters shopping for Halloween costumes. 短語搭配

当她带她10岁的双胞胎女儿去买万圣节服装时。

Here she explains what she saw to BBC Radio 4 programme You and Yours. 表達脈絡

在这里她向 BBC Radio 4 的节目《You and Yours》讲述了她所看到的。

They've seen decorations of small children holding a teddy bear covered in blood.

她们看到了这样一种装饰：小孩子拿着一只沾满鲜血的泰迪熊。

They've seen what's described as a standing animated decoration, 短語搭配

她们还看到了所谓的直立动画装饰，

which looks like a dead girl carrying a knife, 短語搭配

看起来像是一个拿着刀的死去的女孩，

and various Grim Reapers, creepy clowns, and stuff 文化背景

还有各种死神、令人毛骨悚然的小丑等等，

that kids are now finding frightening

孩子们现在觉得这些东西很可怕，

and even to an adult they look pretty vile, actually. 用詞

实际上，即使对成年人来说，它们看起来也相当恶心。

And I think it feels like retailers, 語氣意圖

我觉得这感觉就像零售商们，

are in some kind of race to the bottom 習語

正在进行某种逐底竞争（race to the bottom），

for the grimmest, most vile, sickening outfit

去比拼谁能推出最阴森、最恶心、最令人作呕的服装，

so that they can just make money out of. 語法

这样他们就能从中赚钱。

Joanne was horrified by Halloween costumes of the Grim Reaper, 短語搭配

Joanne 被死神（Grim Reaper）的万圣节服装吓坏了，

an imaginary skeleton who wears a long black cloak,

死神是一个想象中的骷髅，穿着黑色长斗篷，

carries a sharp cutting tool, and represents death.

拿着锋利的切割工具，代表着死亡。

She's worried that costumes like this are too frightening for little children.

她担心这样的服装对小孩子来说太吓人了。

Nowadays, Halloween is big business, 習語

如今，万圣节是一门大生意，

and Joanne thinks that the focus on money encourages shops in a race to the bottom, 短語搭配

Joanne 认为对金钱的追求促使商店进行逐底竞争（race to the bottom），

a phrase which describes a situation where companies compete with each other

这个短语描述的是公司之间相互竞争的局面，

to sell as many products as cheaply as possible. 語法

目的是为了尽可能便宜地卖出尽可能多的产品。

The phrase is connected to the idea of standards getting worse and worse. 短語搭配

这个短语与标准越来越差的概念有关。

But come on, Sam, isn't this going too far? 講解

但是拜托，Sam，这难道不是太小题大做了吗？

I mean, Halloween is supposed to be scary. 講解

我的意思是，万圣节本来就应该是吓人的啊。

Hmm, yeah.

嗯，是啊。

Parents don't want to stop people having fun, 語法

家长们不想阻止人们寻找乐趣，

but over-the-top costumes are too scary for younger children,

但是过于夸张的服装对较小的孩子来说太吓人了，

and some mums say they will no longer open the door to trick-or-treaters 語法

一些妈妈说她们不再给上门讨糖的孩子开门了，

because the costumes are giving children nightmares. 短語搭配

因为这些服装会让孩子们做噩梦。

Siobhan Freegard, founder of the parenting website Channel Mum,

育儿网站 Channel Mum 的创始人 Siobhan Freegard，

thinks a compromise is needed.

认为需要一个折中方案。

Here she is talking to BBC Radio 4's You and Yours.

这是她在接受 BBC Radio 4《You and Yours》节目采访时的讲话。

There's a sort of a halfway house, isn't there? 講解

总是有一种折中方案（halfway house）的，不是吗？

I mean, I know everyone refers to the... you know, the new generation as the snowflake generation, 講解

我的意思是，我知道每个人都把……你们懂的，把新一代称为雪花一代，

and we shouldn't be so worried about our little darlings. 用詞

我们不应该对我们的小宝贝过于担心。

But there's... there's a point beyond which it becomes tasteful or appropriate. 語法

但是……超过了某个界限，就涉及到是否体面或合适的问题了。

Siobhan thinks that scary costumes are okay for teenagers,

Siobhan 认为恐怖的服装对于青少年来说没问题，

but she also wants to protect younger

但她也想保护更年幼的

children. She thinks we need to find a halfway house, 短語搭配

孩子们。她认为我们需要找到一个折中方案（halfway house），

a compromise or arrangement which includes features of two opposing ideas.

即一种包含两种对立观点特征的妥协或安排。

She also uses the expression the snowflake generation,

她还使用了“雪花一代（snowflake generation）”这个词，

a phrase which is sometimes used to describe the generation of young people 語法

这个短语有时被用来描述这样一代年轻人：

who became adults in or after the 2010s

他们在2010年代或之后成年，

and who are considered by some to be easily upset and offended. 語氣意圖

而且被一些人认为容易情绪低落和受到冒犯。

Now, I can see how some costumes are over-the-top, 語氣意圖

现在，我能明白为什么有些服装是过于夸张的了，

and I don't want to spoil Halloween for anyone, 短語搭配

我不想破坏任何人的万圣节兴致，

so I'll stick with my bedsheet ghost. 短語動詞

所以我还是坚持穿我的床单鬼衣服吧。

Anyway, isn't it time for you to reveal the answer to your question, Sam? 語氣意圖

不管怎样，Sam，是不是该揭晓你问题的答案了？

Yes.

是的。

I asked why people started dressing up at Halloween in the first place, 短語搭配

我问人们最初为什么要在万圣节盛装打扮，

and you said it was to hide from ghosts,

你说是因为要躲避鬼魂，

which was the correct answer.

这是正确的答案。

Hundreds of years ago, people thought that ghosts would try to return to their old homes at Halloween. 語法

几百年前，人们认为鬼魂会在万圣节试图回到他们以前的家。

People wore masks so that the ghosts would mistake them for other spirits. 講解

人们戴上面具，这样鬼魂就会把他们误认为是其他幽灵。

OK,

好的，

Let's recap the vocabulary we've learned, 表達脈絡

让我们复习一下我们学到的词汇，

starting with trick-or-treating,

从 trick-or-treating 开始，

the Halloween tradition of dressing up in creepy costumes

这是万圣节的传统，即穿上令人毛骨悚然的服装，

and knocking on neighbours' doors shouting trick or treat for sweets and candy.

敲邻居家的门，大喊“不给糖就捣蛋”来讨要糖果。

Over-the-top describes something which is too extreme unsuitable or unacceptable.

Over-the-top 描述的是过于极端、不合适或不可接受的事物。

The Grim Reaper is an imagined representation of death

Grim Reaper 是想象中的死亡的代表，

and looks like a skeleton in a long black cloak.

看起来像一个穿着黑色长斗篷的骷髅。

A race to the bottom happens when companies compete with each other

A race to the bottom（逐底竞争）发生在公司之间相互竞争时，

in order to sell as many products as cheaply as possible.

为了尽可能便宜地销售尽可能多的产品。

A halfway house is a compromise which includes features of two contrasting ideas.

A halfway house 是一种折中方案，包含两种对比观点的特征。

And finally, the snowflake generation is used by some people to refer to the present generation of young people

最后，the snowflake generation（雪花一代）被一些人用来指代当代的年轻人，

who they think lack resilience and are easily upset. 短語搭配

他们认为这些年轻人缺乏韧性，容易受伤。

Enjoy Halloween, and don't get too scared.

享受万圣节吧，别被吓坏了。

Bye for now.

先说再见啦。

Bye.

再见。

6 Minute English from bbclearningenglish.com.

来自 bbclearningenglish.com 的6分钟英语。