昔日文章

進階搜尋
關鍵字
專欄
年份
期數
kjy04_20220501_b_f
400 400 FAMOUS_SAYING
Stories Behind Popular Sayings
2022.05.01
May Day
As Labour Day on the 1st of May falls on Sunday this year, the Hong Kong Government has designated Monday, the 2nd of May, as a general holiday in substitution. What are the other names for Labour Day in the world? This special day is also known as the International Workers' Day or May Day. May Day traditionally was an occasion for the celebration of the return of spring in Europe. In these ancient agricultural rituals, people would gather wildflowers and green branches, weave floral garlands and crown a May king and queen. In the 19th century, May Day took on a new meaning. On the 1st of May, 1886, a group of workers in the USA started a campaign to demand an eight-hour working day. During that time, it was common for workers to work more than sixteen hours a day for very low pay. In the 20th century, traditional May Day festivities declined in many countries because the 1st of May subsequently became an annual event honouring workers and the labour movement.   由於今年5 月1 日勞動節(Labour Day)為星期日,因此香港政府將5月2日星期一訂為補假。在世界上,Labour Day的其他名稱是甚麼?這個特殊的日子又被稱為International Workers' Day(國際工人日)或 May Day(五朔節)。 五朔節傳統上是歐洲慶祝春回大地的時節。在這些古老的農耕禮儀裡,人們會採集野花和青樹枝,編織花冠, 並為五月國王和王后戴上王冠。 在19世紀,May Day添了新的意義。1886年5月1日,美國一群工人展開了一場運動,要求每天工時為八小時。當時,工人一天工作超過16小時且工資非常低,這是常見的情況。 在20世紀,傳統的May Day 慶典在許多國家式微,因為5月1 日漸漸成為了一年一度向工人致敬並紀念勞工運動的盛事。
kjy04b_20220424_s
400 400 FAMOUS_SAYING
Stories Behind Popular Sayings
2022.04.22
Fight tooth and nail
Since Russian forces invaded Ukraine in late February, the idiom " fight tooth and nail " has often been used to describe Ukraine's resistance. In March, The Washington Post reported,  " Zelensky's defiance and bravery have rallied Ukrainian soldiers and civilians to " fight tooth and nail " for every square inch of their homeland. "  The image of " fight tooth and nail " is very vivid in that people use their teeth and nails as weapons or adopt biting and scratching as strategies. The origin of the expression might be related to the fierce fights between wild animals. When they hunt prey, they use all their best resources, such as their sharp teeth and claws.  Its figurative meaning first appeared in the 16th century. However, it is believed that it has a much longer history. This idiom is still commonly used in everyday English. It means that you put utmost effort into something to get what you want. For example,  Both football teams are fighting tooth and nail to win the match.  Let us pray for peace in Ukraine and for the Ukrainian refugees around the world.  俄羅斯部隊自二月底入侵烏克蘭以來, 「fight tooth and nail」這個習語就經常用於描述烏克蘭的抵抗。三月,《華盛頓郵報》報導, 「澤連斯基的反抗和勇敢,團結了烏克蘭士兵與平民,為祖國的寸寸河山『fight tooth and nail。』」 「Fight tooth and nail」的影像栩栩如生,乃是人們使用牙齒和指甲作為武器,或者採用咬和抓作為策略。這個用語的來源可能與野獸之間的激烈戰鬥有關。當牠們獵取捕獲物的時候,牠們用自己的最佳資源,例如尖銳的牙齒和爪。 其比喻意義最初在16世紀出現。可是,人們認為它有更悠久的歷史。這個習語在日常英語依然普及。它的意思是,你竭盡全力, 以獲得你想要的東西。例如:  兩隊足球隊正在奮力作戰(fight tooth and nail),務求贏得比賽。 讓我們為烏克蘭的和平以及世界各地的烏克蘭難民祈禱。     捐款支持公教報  http://kkp.org.hk/donation  
kjy04b_20220410_s
400 400 FAMOUS_SAYING
Stories Behind Popular Sayings
2022.04.08
Popcorn movie
A lot of people eat snacks while watching a movie ( " film " in British English) at the cinema. What is your favourite movie snack, crisps, sweets, or peanuts? Popcorn has been a popular snack among movie fans in the USA for nearly a century. People love popcorn because it is aromatic and has a variety of flavours, such as sweet, salty and spicy.  However, before the Great Depression in the 1920s, American cinema and theatre owners did not allow audiences to bring in popcorn because they saw popcorn as a messy and noisy snack. As the poor economy continued, these owners tried hard to improve their businesses. They reduced ticket prices and allowed vendors to sell the inexpensive but tasty popcorn inside.  As popcorn and movies often go together, movie critics created the term " popcorn movie " in the 20th century to describe a particular type of movie.  A " popcorn movie " is a motion picture which is merely entertaining, but generally lacks serious dramatic content or a profound message. Famous examples are Spider Man and Jurassic Park.  許多人在電影院裡一邊看電影一邊吃零食。你最喜愛的電影零食是甚麼?薯片、糖果還是花生?爆谷(或「爆米花」)一直在美國受影迷歡迎,已將近一個世紀了。人們喜愛爆谷,因為它芳香且有多種的味道,例如甜的、鹹的和辣的。 可是,在1920年代經濟大蕭條之前,美國電影院和劇院的老闆不容許觀眾帶進爆谷,因為他們認為爆谷是亂七八糟和嘈雜的零食。隨著經濟持續不景,這些老闆努力改善業務。他們調低門票價錢,並且容許小販在裡面售賣價廉卻美味的爆谷。 由於爆谷和電影經常連在一起,因此影評人在20世紀創造了「popcorn movie」這個術語,用來形容特定類型的電影。 「爆谷電影」(popcorn movie)指的是純粹娛樂性豐富的電影,但是一般缺乏嚴肅的戲劇內容或深邃的寓意。顯著的例子有《蜘蛛俠》和《侏儸紀公園》。     捐款支持公教報  http://kkp.org.hk/donation  
kjy04b_20220403_s
400 400 FAMOUS_SAYING
Stories Behind Popular Sayings
2022.04.01
Walk on eggshells
In two weeks, Christians will celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday. They also participate in some traditional customs. One of them is decorating Easter eggs, which symbolise new life. If people want to keep an Easter egg as a permanent decoration, they will first hollow the inside out because a hardboiled or raw egg will go bad over time. The delicate eggshell will not crack when it is being painted. However, what will happen if you " walk on eggshells " ?  Obviously, the eggshells will break. This imagery is so vivid that it became an idiom as early as the 19th century. The expression " walk on eggshells " means to behave in a cautious manner so as not to upset someone. For example,  My friend gets angry easily, so I always have to walk on eggshells when talking to her.  Its original version, " tread upon eggs " , appeared much earlier in the 18th century, but is not commonly used nowadays.  An eggshell, which is mostly made of calcium carbonate, is strong enough to allow a hen to sit on it but not to be trodden upon.  兩個星期後,基督徒會在復活主日慶祝耶穌復活。他們也參與一些傳統習俗。其中之一是裝飾象徵新生命的復活蛋。如果人們想把復活蛋保留為永久的裝飾品,他們就會先掏空雞蛋,因為烚熟了的蛋或生的蛋都會隨著時間而變壞。脆弱的蛋殼在被塗上顏色的時候並不會破裂。然而,倘若你「walk on eggshells」,這會發生甚麼事情?  顯然地,蛋殼會破碎。這個意象是多麼的生動,所以早在十九世紀就成為了習語。「Walk on eggshells」這個語句的意思是舉止要小心翼翼, 以免令人不高興。 例如: 我的朋友容易發怒, 所以我跟她談話時總是戰戰兢兢( walk on eggshells)。  它的原始版本「tread upon eggs」更早的出現在十八世紀,但是現今並不常用。 主要由碳酸鈣形成的蛋殼很堅固,足以讓母雞坐在它的上面,卻不足以任人踐踏。    捐款支持公教報  http://kkp.org.hk/donation