萬聖節服裝是不是太嚇人了？🎃👻👹🧟‍♀️ 6分鐘英語：英語精讀講義

6 Minute English from bbclearningenglish.com.

來自 bbclearningenglish.com 的6分鐘英語。

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

大家好，這裡是 BBC Learning English 的6分鐘英語節目。

I'm Sam.

我是 Sam。

And I'm Neil.

我是 Neil。

Ooh, trick or treat. 文化背景

哦，不給糖就搗蛋。

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

收音機前的聽眾們，Neil 現在打扮成了一個鬼魂。

He's wearing a white bedsheet over his head

他頭上頂著一條白床單，

with two holes cut out for his eyes, 文法

眼睛的地方挖了兩個洞，

which must mean It's Halloween. 文法

這一定意味著萬聖節到了。

The start of autumn when the days get shorter

初秋時節日照逐漸變短，

and leaves fall from the trees marks Halloween, 用詞

樹葉從樹上飄落，這標誌著萬聖節的到來，

a festival which is celebrated all over the world

這是一個在全世界範圍內慶祝的節日，

at this time of year.

就在每年的這個時候。

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

在英國，人們在南瓜上雕刻出可怕的面孔，

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

孩子們去玩「不給糖就搗蛋」的遊戲，

dressing up in fancy dress costumes 用詞

他們穿上奇裝異服，

and visiting people's homes

挨家挨戶地拜訪，

shouting trick or treat for sweets and candy.

大喊著「不給糖就搗蛋」來要糖果。

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

萬聖節源於一個叫做薩溫節（Samhain）的古老節日，

which celebrated the changing of the seasons,

它是用來慶祝季節更迭的，

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

人們曾相信在這個時候死者可以與生者取得聯繫，

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

這也是為什麼孩子們要打扮成鬼魂、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，幾家網店下架了一些萬聖節服裝，

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連環殺手服裝，

after parents complained they were too frightening.

因為家長抱怨它們太嚇人了。

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

在本期節目中，我們將討論萬聖節是否不再是無害的娛樂，

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

和往常一樣，我們還會學習一些新詞彙。

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，我的問題是：

Why did people traditionally dress up in costumes on Halloween?

為什麼人們傳統上要在萬聖節穿上奇裝異服？

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

是 A，為了嚇唬鄰居開玩笑？

B, to use up their old clothes? 片語動詞

B，為了消耗掉舊衣服？

Or C, to hide from ghosts?

還是 C，為了躲避鬼魂？

Hmm, I think it was to hide from ghosts.

嗯，我覺得是為了躲避鬼魂。

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

好的，Neil，我們會在節目稍後揭曉答案。

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

近年來，萬聖節受到美國恐怖電影的影響越來越大，

like Friday the 13th or Scream. 文化背景

比如《13號星期五》或《驚聲尖叫》。

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

現在有些家長認為萬聖節服裝太嚇人，且過於誇張（over the top），

a phrase meaning too extreme and unsuitable.

這個短語的意思是太極端且不合適。

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

作為兩個孩子的母親，Joanne O'Connell 感到很震驚，

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

當她帶她10歲的雙胞胎女兒去買萬聖節服裝時。

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

在這裡她向 BBC Radio 4 的節目《You and Yours》講述了她所看到的。

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

她們看到了這樣一種裝飾：小孩子拿著一隻沾滿鮮血的泰迪熊。

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

她們還看到了所謂的直立動畫裝飾，

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

看起來像是一個拿著刀的死去的女孩，

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

還有各種死神、令人毛骨悚然的小丑等等，

that kids are now finding frightening

孩子們現在覺得這些東西很可怕，

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

實際上，即使對成年人來說，它們看起來也相當噁心。

And I think it feels like retailers, 語氣意圖

我覺得這感覺就像零售商們，

are in some kind of race to the bottom 慣用語

正在進行某種逐底競爭（race to the bottom），

for the grimmest, most vile, sickening outfit

去比拼誰能推出最陰森、最噁心、最令人作嘔的服裝，

so that they can just make money out of. 文法

這樣他們就能從中賺錢。

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

Joanne 被死神（Grim Reaper）的萬聖節服裝嚇壞了，

an imaginary skeleton who wears a long black cloak,

死神是一個想像中的骷髏，穿著黑色長斗篷，

carries a sharp cutting tool, and represents death.

拿著鋒利的切割工具，代表著死亡。

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

她擔心這樣的服裝對小孩子來說太嚇人了。

Nowadays, Halloween is big business, 慣用語

如今，萬聖節是一門大生意，

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

Joanne 認為對金錢的追求促使商店進行逐底競爭（race to the bottom），

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

這個短語描述的是公司之間相互競爭的局面，

to sell as many products as cheaply as possible. 文法

目的是為了盡可能便宜地賣出盡可能多的產品。

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

這個短語與標準越來越差的概念有關。

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

但是拜託，Sam，這難道不是太小題大做了嗎？

I mean, Halloween is supposed to be scary. 講解

我的意思是，萬聖節本來就應該是嚇人的啊。

Hmm, yeah.

嗯，是啊。

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

家長們不想阻止人們尋找樂趣，

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

但是過於誇張的服裝對較小的孩子來說太嚇人了，

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

一些媽媽說她們不再給上門討糖的孩子開門了，

because the costumes are giving children nightmares. 片語搭配

因為這些服裝會讓孩子們做噩夢。

Siobhan Freegard, founder of the parenting website Channel Mum,

育兒網站 Channel Mum 的創始人 Siobhan Freegard，

thinks a compromise is needed.

認為需要一個折衷方案。

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

這是她在接受 BBC Radio 4《You and Yours》節目採訪時的講話。

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

總是有一個折衷方案（halfway house）的，不是嗎？

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

我的意思是，我知道每個人都把……你們懂的，把新一代稱為雪花世代，

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

我們不應該對我們的小寶貝過於擔心。

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

但是……超過了某個界限，就牽涉到是否體面或合適的問題了。

Siobhan thinks that scary costumes are okay for teenagers,

Siobhan 認為恐怖的服裝對於青少年來說沒問題，

but she also wants to protect younger

但她也想保護更年幼的

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

孩子們。她認為我們需要找到一個折衷方案（halfway house），

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

即一種包含兩種對立觀點特徵的妥協或安排。

She also uses the expression the snowflake generation,

她還使用了「雪花世代（snowflake generation）」這個詞，

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

這個短語有時被用來描述這樣一代年輕人：

who became adults in or after the 2010s

他們在2010年代或之後成年，

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

而且被一些人認為容易情緒低落和受到冒犯。

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

現在，我能明白為什麼有些服裝是過於誇張的了，

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

我不想破壞任何人的萬聖節興致，

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

所以我還是堅持穿我的床單鬼衣服吧。

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

不管怎樣，Sam，是不是該揭曉你問題的答案了？

Yes.

是的。

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

我問人們最初為什麼要在萬聖節盛裝打扮，

and you said it was to hide from ghosts,

你說是因為要躲避鬼魂，

which was the correct answer.

這是正確的答案。

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

幾百年前，人們認為鬼魂會在萬聖節試圖回到他們以前的家。

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

人們戴上面具，這樣鬼魂就會把他們誤認為是其他幽靈。

OK,

好的，

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

讓我們複習一下我們學到的詞彙，

starting with trick-or-treating,

從 trick-or-treating 開始，

the Halloween tradition of dressing up in creepy costumes

這是萬聖節的傳統，即穿上令人毛骨悚然的服裝，

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

敲鄰居家的門，大喊「不給糖就搗蛋」來討要糖果。

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

Over-the-top 描述的是過於極端、不合適或不可接受的事物。

The Grim Reaper is an imagined representation of death

Grim Reaper 是想像中的死亡的代表，

and looks like a skeleton in a long black cloak.

看起來像一個穿著黑色長斗篷的骷髏。

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

A race to the bottom（逐底競爭）發生在公司之間相互競爭時，

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

為了盡可能便宜地銷售盡可能多的產品。

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

A halfway house 是一種折衷方案，包含兩種對比觀點的特徵。

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

最後，the snowflake generation（雪花世代）被一些人用來指代當代的年輕人，

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

他們認為這些年輕人缺乏韌性，容易受傷。

Enjoy Halloween, and don't get too scared.

享受萬聖節吧，別被嚇壞了。

Bye for now.

先說再見啦。

Bye.

再見。

6 Minute English from bbclearningenglish.com.

來自 bbclearningenglish.com 的6分鐘英語。