“我爱妈祖，妈祖爱我”

妈祖，俗称“海神娘娘”，是传说中掌管海上航运的女神。

今年“五一”，农历三月廿三，纪念妈祖诞辰1064周年大会暨甲辰年春祭妈祖大典在莆田湄洲妈祖祖庙天后广场举行。

🤔️小作业：

1. According to the article, what aspect of the Mazu celebrations attracts young participants?

A) The opportunity to wear traditional costumes

B) The chance to participate in noisy and colorful processions

C) The experience of following ancient traditions

D) Competitions held during the event

A) Exclusive and rigid

B) Competitive and enthusiastic

C) Tolerant and inclusive

D) Indifferent and dispassionate

无注释原文：

Noisy, Gaudy and Spiritual: Young Pilgrims Embrace an Ancient Goddess

From: The New York Times

In a din of firecrackers, cymbals and horns, a team of devotees carried the shrouded wooden statue of a serene-faced woman, holding her aloft on a brightly decorated litter as they navigated through tens of thousands of onlookers.

As the carriers nudged forward, hundreds of people were lined up ahead of them, kneeling on the road and waiting for the moment when the statue would pass over their heads.

Some wept after it did; many smiled and snapped selfies. “I love Mazu, and Mazu loves me,” the crowd shouted.

Mazu, sometimes known as the Goddess of the Sea, is the most widely venerated of dozens of folk deities that many people in Taiwan turn to for solace, guidance and good fortune. The huge annual processions to honor her are noisy and gaudy. And yet for many, they are also deeply spiritual events, acts of faith showing that Mazu and other spirits remain vibrant presences here, alongside Buddhism and Christianity.

Taiwan's two biggest pilgrimages for Mazu — named Baishatun and Dajia after the temples that pilgrims set out from every year — recently have been drawing record numbers of participants. And a striking number of them are younger Taiwanese, in their teens or 20s, drawn to experiencing the traditions of Mazu, like throwing crescent-shaped pieces of wood in a ritual to divine their futures.

“I didn't expect there'd be so many younger people taking the pilgrimage like this,” said Chou Chia-liang, 28, a fashion designer who had traveled from Taipei, for the Dajia pilgrimage, which starts in Taichung on the west-central coast. “People used to think the Mazu faith was for old people from the countryside. Look around here — it doesn't seem like that.”

Like quite a few other pilgrims, Mr. Chou, in a show of reverence, was pushing along a cart carrying his own small statue of Mazu, usually kept at the temple in Taipei where he typically prays.

“This is a bit different from my family's religion,” he said. “Most Taiwanese people are very tolerant. They don't have the idea that 'this is my faith and that is your faith, and they can't go together'.”

- ◆ -

注：完整题目见本文开头；中文文本为纽约时报官方译文，仅供参考

含注释全文：

Noisy, Gaudy and Spiritual: Young Pilgrims Embrace an Ancient Goddess “我爱妈祖，妈祖爱我”：台湾省年轻人拥抱古老神灵

From: The New York Times

In a din of firecrackers, cymbals and horns, a team of devotees carried the shrouded wooden statue of a serene-faced woman, holding her aloft on a brightly decorated litter as they navigated through tens of thousands of onlookers.

在一阵鞭炮、铙钹和喇叭声中，虔诚的信徒们抬着一尊面容安详的木制雕像，把她高高举起，放在装饰鲜艳的銮驾上，从成千上万的观众中走过。

din /dɪn/ 表示“喧嚣，嘈杂声”，英文解释为“a loud, unpleasant confused noise that lasts for a long time”如：the din of the traffic 车辆的嘈杂声。

firecracker /ˈfaɪəˌkræk.ər/ 表示“爆竹，鞭炮”，英文解释为“a firework that makes a loud noise when it explodes”

cymbal /ˈsɪm.bəl/ 表示“铙钹，钹”，英文解释为“a flat, round musical instrument made of brass that makes a loud noise when hit with a stick or against another cymbal”

horn /hɔːn/ 表示“（乐器）号”，英文解释为“a curved metal musical instrument that is narrow at the end you blow into and much wider at the other end”或者表示“（车辆的）喇叭”，英文解释为“a device on a vehicle that is used to make a loud noise as a warning or signal to other people”举个🌰：The driver blew/sounded (informal honked) her horn. 那个司机按了喇叭。

devotee /ˌdev.əˈtiː/ 表示“（狂热的）崇拜者，爱好者；虔诚的宗教信徒”，英文解释为“a person who strongly admires a particular person or is extremely interested in a subject”

shroud /ʃraʊd/ 表示“覆盖；隐藏；遮蔽”，英文解释为“to cover or hide sth”举个🌰：The city was shrouded in mist. 城市笼罩在雾霭之中。

statue /ˈstætʃ.uː/ 表示“（尤指石头或金属的）雕像，雕塑，塑像”，英文解释为“an object made from a hard material, especially stone or metal, to look like a person or animal”如：a statue of a boy 一尊男孩儿雕像。

serene /sɪˈriːn/表示“清澈的；平静的；宁静的；安详的”，英文解释为“calm and peaceful”如：a lake, still and serene in the sunlight 阳光下宁静安谧的湖水。

aloft /əˈlɒft/ 表示“在高处；在上面；在空中”，英文解释为“in the air or in a higher position”举个🌰：We held our glasses aloft. 我们高举酒杯。

litter /ˈlɪt.ər/ 表示“（散落在公共场所的）小块垃圾，废弃物”，英文解释为“small pieces of rubbish that have been left lying on the ground in public places”，熟词僻义，可以表示“（旧时抬要人的）轿，舆”，英文解释为“a kind of chair or bed that was used in the past for carrying important people”

decorate /ˈdek.ə.reɪt/ 1）表示“装饰，装点，打扮”，英文解释为“to add something to an object or place, especially in order to make it more attractive”举个🌰：They decorated the wedding car with ribbons and flowers. 他们用彩带和鲜花装点婚车。

2）熟词僻义，表示“（尤指授予奖章以）嘉奖，表彰”，英文解释为“to reward or honour a person by giving them something, especially a medal”举个🌰：They were decorated for their part in the rescue. 他们因在此次救援行动中的表现而受到嘉奖。

navigate /ˈnæv.ɪ.ɡeɪt/ 1）表示“浏览，访问（网站）”，英文解释为“to move around a website or computer screen, or between websites or screens”举个🌰：Their website is fairly plain, but very easy to navigate. 他们的网站页面比较简单，但浏览起来很便捷。

2）表示“导航，确定…的方向”，英文解释为“to direct the way that a ship, aircraft, etc. will travel, or to find a direction across, along, or over an area of water or land, often by using a map”举个🌰：There weren't any road signs to help us navigate through the maze of one-way streets. 没有任何路标可以指引我们穿过像迷宫似的单行街道。

onlooker /ˈɒnˌlʊk.ər/ 表示“旁观者，围观者”，英文解释为“someone who watches something that is happening in a public place but is not involved in it”举个🌰：A crowd of curious onlookers soon gathered to see what was happening. 很快聚拢了一群好奇的围观者看发生了什么事。

As the carriers nudged forward, hundreds of people were lined up ahead of them, kneeling on the road and waiting for the moment when the statue would pass over their heads.

銮驾缓缓前行，数以百计人排在他们前面，跪在路上，等待着木像从他们头顶经过的时刻。

nudge /nʌdʒ/ 作动词，本义是表示“轻推，轻触（尤指用肘部）”，英文解释为“to push something or someone gently, especially to push someone with your elbow (= the middle part of your arm where it bends) to attract the person's attention”举个🌰：The children were giggling and nudging each other. 孩子们咯咯地笑着，互相推来推去。

2）表示“（朝某方向）轻推，渐渐推动”，英文解释为“to push sb/sth gently or gradually in a particular direction”举个🌰：He nudged the conversation towards the subject of money. 他将谈话逐步引到钱这个话题上。

3）还有“接近（更高点或水平）”的含义，英文解释为“to move slowly and almost reach a higher point or level”举个🌰：Oil prices continue to nudge higher. 油价持续上涨。LR must be nudging 18 now. LR现在肯定将近18岁了。

4）表示“劝说，鼓励”，英文解释为“coax or gently encourage (someone) to do something.”

📍此前，微信推出拍一拍功能时，「拍了拍」一开始被译成“You nudged xxx”，“xxx nudged you”。

不过，现在你再去看会发现，早就已经改为了“tickle”。至于为什么要改呢，个人猜测，可能是nudge nudge有不太正经的含义。作名词时，有个表达：nudge nudge (wink wink) 什么意思呢？something you say when you want to suggest that there is a sexual meaning in something that has just been said. 看到这儿，用户可能就不敢瞎拍了吧......

knee膝盖（名词），kneel /niːl/ 作动词，表示“跪下”，英文解释为“When you kneel, you bend your legs so that your knees are touching the ground.”举个🌰：Other people were kneeling, but she just sat. 别人都跪下，但她只是坐着。

Some wept after it did; many smiled and snapped selfies. “I love Mazu, and Mazu loves me,” the crowd shouted.

有些人哭了；许多人微笑着自拍。“我爱妈祖，妈祖爱我，”人们喊道。

weep /wiːp/ 表示“哭泣，流（泪）”，英文解释为“to cry tears”举个🌰：He wept tears of rage/joy when he heard the news. 听到这个消息，他生气得/高兴得流泪了。

snap /snæp/ 作动词，1）表示“突然折断，咔嚓一声折断”，英文解释为“to cause something that is thin to break suddenly and quickly with a cracking sound”举个🌰：Some vandal's snapped off my car aerial again. 某个蓄意作恶的家伙又把我的汽车天线折断了。

2）表示“拍照；摄影”，英文解释为“(informal) to take a photograph”举个🌰：A passing tourist snapped the incident. 一个过路的游客把这件事拍了下来。

3）作名词，表示“（尤指抢拍的）照片”，英文解释为“a photograph, especially one taken quickly”如：holiday snaps 假日拍的照片。

4）作形容词，snap /snæp/ 表示“匆忙的；不加思索的；不做准备的”，英文解释为“done suddenly without allowing time for careful thought or preparation”举个🌰：He always makes snap decisions and never thinks about their consequences. 他总是匆忙作决定，从不考虑后果。

selfie /ˈsel.fi/ 表示“自拍照”，英文解释为“a photograph that you take of yourself , usually with a mobile phone. Selfies are often published using social media.”

Mazu, sometimes known as the Goddess of the Sea, is the most widely venerated of dozens of folk deities that many people in Taiwan turn to for solace, guidance and good fortune. The huge annual processions to honor her are noisy and gaudy. And yet for many, they are also deeply spiritual events, acts of faith showing that Mazu and other spirits remain vibrant presences here, alongside Buddhism and Christianity.

妈祖，有时也被称为海神娘娘，是台湾省许多人寻求慰藉、指引和好运的几十个民间神灵中最受尊敬的一位。每年为纪念她而举行的盛大游行既喧闹又华丽。然而，对许多人来说，它们也是深刻的精神活动，这些虔诚的举动表明，像妈祖这样的神灵与佛教和基督教一样，在这里仍然充满活力。

venerate /ˈven.ər.eɪt/ 表示“尊重；敬重”，英文解释为“to honour or very much respect a person or thing”举个🌰：He is the most venerated poet. 他是最受尊崇的诗人。

deity /ˈdeɪ.ɪ.ti/ 表示“神；女神”，英文解释为“a god or goddess”如：the ancient Greek deities of war and love 古希腊的战神和爱神。

solace /ˈsɒl.ɪs/ 表示“安慰，抚慰，慰藉”，英文解释为“help and comfort when you are feeling sad or worried”举个🌰：When his wife left him, he found solace in the bottle (= drank alcohol). 妻子离开他之后，他借酒消愁。

procession /prəˈseʃ.ən/ 表示“行列，队伍”，英文解释为“a line of people who are all walking or travelling in the same direction, especially in a formal way as part of a religious ceremony or public celebration”如：a wedding/funeral procession 婚礼/葬礼的行列。

gaudy /ˈɡɔː.di/ 表示“俗丽的；花哨的；过于鲜艳的”，英文解释为“unpleasantly bright in colour or decoration”如：gaudy plastic flowers 俗丽的塑料假花。

vibrant /ˈvaɪ.brənt/ 1）表示“活跃的；精力充沛的；热情洋溢的”，英文解释为“energetic, exciting, and full of enthusiasm”如：a vibrant young performer 充满朝气的年轻演员。

2）表示“（色彩）鲜艳的；（光线）明亮的”，英文解释为“Vibrant colour or light is bright and strong.”举个🌰：He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中经常运用鲜艳的色彩。

Taiwan's two biggest pilgrimages for Mazu — named Baishatun and Dajia after the temples that pilgrims set out from every year — recently have been drawing record numbers of participants. And a striking number of them are younger Taiwanese, in their teens or 20s, drawn to experiencing the traditions of Mazu, like throwing crescent-shaped pieces of wood in a ritual to divine their futures.

台湾省最大的两个妈祖进香活动以进香者每年出发的寺庙白沙屯和大甲命名，最近的参与者创下了纪录。其中有相当一部分是十几岁或二十多岁的年轻台湾人，他们被妈祖的传统所吸引，比如在一种仪式中投掷月牙形的木片（掷杯筊）来预测将来。

pilgrimage /ˈpɪlɡrɪmɪdʒ/ 1）表示“朝圣，朝觐”，英文解释为“a special journey made by a pilgrim”，如：make a pilgrimage/go on a pilgrimage to... 去...朝圣。

2）表示“朝圣之旅；参拜之行”，英文解释为“a visit to a place that is considered special, where you go to show your respect”举个🌰：For many fans, the national stadium is a place of pilgrimage. 对许多足球迷来说，国家体育馆就是圣地。

pilgrim /ˈpɪl.ɡrɪm/ 表示“朝圣者，香客”，英文解释为“a person who makes a journey, often a long and difficult one, to a special place for religious reasons”

striking /ˈstraɪ.kɪŋ/ 1）表示“异乎寻常的，惊人的；引人注目的；显著的；不同寻常的”，英文解释为“Something that is striking is very noticeable or unusual.”举个🌰：The most striking feature of those statistics is the high proportion of suicides. 那些统计数据最显著的特征是高自杀率。

2）表示“俊秀的；妩媚动人的；很有魅力的”，英文解释为“Someone who is striking is very attractive, in a noticeable way.”举个🌰：She was a striking woman with long blonde hair. 她曾是一个留着金色长发的俊秀女子。

crescent /ˈkres.ənt/ 表示“新月形（物），弦月形（物），蛾眉月形（物）”，英文解释为“(something with) a curved shape that has two narrow pointed ends, like the moon when it is less than half of a circle”举个🌰：The moon was a brightly shining crescent. 当时月亮是一弯明亮的新月。

ritual /ˈrɪtʃ.u.əl/ 表示“例行公事，老规矩；（尤指）仪式”，英文解释为“a set of fixed actions and sometimes words performed regularly, especially as part of a ceremony”举个🌰：Coffee and the newspaper are part of my morning ritual. 喝咖啡和读报纸是我早晨必做的事情之一。

divine /dɪˈvaɪn/ 作形容词 1）表示“神的；像神一样的”，英文解释为“connected with a god, or like a god”举个🌰：Some fans seem to regard the players as divine beings. 有些球迷似乎把球员神化了。

2）表示“极好的，美妙的，美好的”，英文解释为“extremely good, pleasant, or enjoyable”举个🌰：We had a perfectly divine time in Shanghai. 我们在上海度过了一段非常美好的时光。

3）作名词，表示牧师，神学家；天意，上帝（the Divine）。

4）作动词，表示“猜，猜测；估计”，英文解释为“to guess something”举个🌰：I divined from his grim expression that the news was not good. 他的表情很严肃，我猜不是什么好消息。

“I didn't expect there'd be so many younger people taking the pilgrimage like this,” said Chou Chia-liang, 28, a fashion designer who had traveled from Taipei, for the Dajia pilgrimage, which starts in Taichung on the west-central coast. “People used to think the Mazu faith was for old people from the countryside. Look around here — it doesn't seem like that.”

“我没想到会有这么多年轻人来进香，”28岁的时装设计师周嘉良（音）说。他从台湾省台北市赶来，参加从中西部沿海的台中市开始的大甲进香。“人们过去认为妈祖信仰是农村老人的事。看看这里——似乎不是那样。”

Like quite a few other pilgrims, Mr. Chou, in a show of reverence, was pushing along a cart carrying his own small statue of Mazu, usually kept at the temple in Taipei where he typically prays.

像其他很多进香者一样，周嘉良推着一辆小车，上面载着他自己的小妈祖像，以示敬意。这尊小像通常放在他祈祷的台北寺庙里。

reverence /ˈrev.ər.əns/ 表示“尊敬；崇敬”，英文解释为“a feeling of respect or admiration for someone or something”举个🌰：She has/shows/feels great reverence for her professors. 她对教她的那些教授们很崇敬。

“This is a bit different from my family's religion,” he said. “Most Taiwanese people are very tolerant. They don't have the idea that 'this is my faith and that is your faith, and they can't go together'.”

“这和我们家的信仰有点不一样，”他说。“大多数台湾人都很宽容。他们不认为'这是我的信仰，那是你的信仰，不能混为一谈'。”

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