White Christmas

[00:00.03]This is Steve Ember with a VOA Special English holiday program.#
这里是史蒂夫·恩伯主持的美国之音特别英语周末栏目。#

[00:08.68]Music fills the air.#
音乐在空气中欢唱。#

[00:11.59]Colorful lights shine brightly in windows.#
五彩缤纷的颜色光彩夺目的照耀在窗户玻璃上。#

[00:15.35]Children and adults open gifts from loved ones and friends.#
孩子们和大人们打开至爱的人和朋友送来的礼物。#

[00:20.76]These are all Christmas traditions.#
这是圣诞节的传统习俗。#

[00:26.82]Another tradition is snow.#
圣诞节另一个传统便是雪#

[00:30.18]Christmas in the northern part of the world comes a few days after the start of winter.#
在北方的世界里，冬季开始几天之后便迎来了圣诞节。#

[00:36.36]In many places, a blanket of clean white snow covers the ground on Christmas Day.#
许多地方，圣诞节期间，世间万物包裹在洁白的雪被之中。#

[00:43.64]This is what is meant by a “White Christmas”.#
“这就是“白色圣诞节的”涵义所在。#

[00:47.81]Of course, many places do not get snow at Christmas.#
当然，世界还有些地方圣诞节期间并不下雪。#

[00:52.11]In fact, they may be very warm this time of year.#
实际上，在这一时节，这些地区还会非常暖和。#

[00:56.36]People who like snow, but live where it is warm, can only dream of having a white Christmas.#
人们大都喜欢白雪，但是对于那些生活在此时正值温暖时节的人来说，只能梦想拥有一个白色的圣诞节。#

[01:04.71]American songwriter Irving Berlin captured these feelings in his song “White Christmas.” #
美国词作者欧文·伯林在他的歌词中描绘了这种感情，“白色圣诞节”，#

[01:13.04]It is one of the most popular Christmas songs of all time.#
一直以来，这是最受欢迎的一首圣诞节之歌。#

[01:18.42]The opening words explain why the singer is dreaming of a white Christmas.#
这首歌开头的几句歌词解释了为什么演唱者梦想白色的圣诞节。#

[01:24.60]Most people never hear these words, so they never really understand the true meaning of the song.#
大多数人没听过歌词，所以不会真正懂得这首歌的真实含义。#

[01:32.52]Here’s how it starts:#
开头的几句是这样的：#

[01:34.45]The sun is shining.#
太阳照耀着大地。#

[01:36.73]The grass is green.#
绿色荫荫。#

[01:38.83]The orange and palm trees sway.#
桔子树的棕榈树的树叶随风摇曳。#

[01:41.71]I’ve never seen such a day in Beverly Hills, L.A.#
在洛杉矶的比佛利山庄, 我经历了从未经历的这一天，#

[01:46.45]But it’s December the 24th.#
这一天是12月24日。#

[01:49.29]And I’m longing to be up north.#
我向往着去北方，#

[01:53.06]Up north, where it is cold and snowy.#
去雪花飘舞的寒冷的北方.#

[01:57.19]Not south, where it is warm and sunny.#
而不是在阳光普照的温暖的南方。#

[02:00.07]Over the years, hundreds of singers and musicians have recorded “White Christmas.”#
这么多年来，数百位歌手和音乐家录制了这首 “白色圣诞节”,#

[02:05.82]But the version most people still know best was sung by Bing Crosby.#
但是由平·克劳斯贝演唱的版本人们至今仍然最为熟悉。