By Algernon/陈丽梅（译）

◆语篇导读

泰国“水灯节”作为世界上最浪漫的节日之一，不仅有一个美妙的名字，也有着很多神秘的传说。泰国“水灯节”以向河里投放形状各异的水灯的方式来祭祀河神，让漂流的水灯带走自己一年的罪恶，同时许下新年和平幸福的愿望……

Loy meansdriftand Krathong means waterlamps in Thailand.

If you have to go to Thailand only once in your life，then you can go there in November.Anyone there at that time will be moved by romantic waterlamps，gentle songs andmonks'praying...

The Waterlamps Festival is ancient and traditional in Thailand.It is held in November every year.In this rainy season，rivers are high and the moon is bright.The Thai people put the waterlamps that are made by their own hands into the rivers to pray for peace，happiness，the progress of their children，true loveand so onfor the next year.

As the night falls，the most beautiful time of the Waterlamps Festival begins.You can seethe old and the youngholding various shapes of waterlamps，towers'or boats'or lotus'（莲花）shapes.In the middle of the waterlamps，there are candles，fresh flowers and colorful small paper flags.Everyone would light the candles close to their eyes andmumbleto pray，then put the lamps gently into the river to express their best wishes and blessings，watching them drift away until they could not be seen...The pictures are very dreamy...

The later it is，the more lively the night is.Theeventis held for 24 hours a day，including waterlamp design competition，singing competition and so on.

November's Waterlamps Festival has become one of the happiest festivals in Thailand today.Tens of millions of colorful anddazzlingwaterlamps spread the dark river surface like a night sky full of twinkling stars.Its romantic andmysteriousscene attracts countless tourists all over the world.

The waterlamps carry away the worries of the past year and also carry away the blessings for the next year...

◆词语积淀

drift/drɪft/v.&n.飘移；漂流

monk/mʌŋk/n.修道士；僧侣

and so on等等；诸如此类

the old and the young老老少少

mumble/'mʌmbl/v.喃喃自语

event/ɪ'vent/n.重要事情；事件；大事

dazzling/'dæzlɪŋ/adj.耀眼的；眼花缭乱的

mysterious/mɪ'stɪərɪəs/adj.神秘的

◆典句赏析

1.If you have to go to Thailand only once in your life，then you can go there in November.你若一生只能去一次泰国，那么就在十一月吧。

该句是含if引导的条件状语从句的复合句。当主句是一般将来时态、祈使句或者由情态动词构成的句子时，条件状语从句通常用一般现在时态，即主将（祈、情）从现。条件状语从句位于句首时，可用逗号与主句隔开。有时，条件状语从句也可放在主句之后。

【即时尝试】如果将来我很富有，我也不会铺张浪费。

2.It is held in November every year.它在每年十一月份举行。

这是一个一般现在时态的被动语态句子。一般现在时态被动语态的结构为：助动词am/is/are+及物动词的过去分词（+其他成分）。

【即时尝试】长城不是一天建成的。

3.The Thai people put the waterlamps that are made by their own hands into the rivers to pray for peace，happiness，the progress of their children，true love and so on for the next year.泰国人把自己亲手做的水灯放到河里，祈祷新一年的和平、幸福、孩子的进步和真爱等等。

此句是含有定语从句的复合句。that引导的定语从句，修饰先行词waterlamps；pray for是固定词组，意为“为……而祈祷；为……而恳求”。

【即时尝试】他从来不吃店里做的饭。

4.The later it is，the more lively the night is.夜晚越晚越热闹。

“the＋形容词（副词）比较级＋……，the＋形容词（副词）比较级＋……”是一个典型的句式结构，意为“越……就越……”。

【即时尝试】吃得越多，你就越胖。

译文助读

在泰国，Loy是“漂流”的意思，Krathong是“水灯”的意思。

假如你一生只能去一次泰国，那么就在十一月吧。浪漫的水灯、温柔的歌声及僧侣的祈福，那一刻，任何人都会被感动……

“水灯节”是泰国古老而传统的节日，它在每年十一月份举行。在这个河水高涨、月亮明亮的雨季，泰国人民把自己亲手做的水灯放到河里，祈祷新一年的和平、幸福、孩子的进步和真爱，等等。

夜幕降临，水灯节最美好的时光开始了。你会看到老老少少，手里拿着各种或塔或船或莲花形状的水灯。在水灯中央，有蜡烛、鲜花和颜色鲜艳的小纸旗。每个人都会把近在眼前的蜡烛点亮，喃喃自语祈祷着，然后把灯轻轻放入河里，目送它们飘向远方，直到看不见为止，来表达他们最美好的祝愿和祝福……画面很梦幻……

夜晚越晚越热闹。该活动一天24小时举行，包括水灯设计比赛、歌唱比赛等。

十一月的水灯节现已成为泰国最快乐的节日之一。数千万朵色彩斑斓、耀眼的水灯，将漆黑的河面铺成宛如布满闪烁星星的夜空，浪漫又神秘的色彩吸引了全世界无数的游客。

水灯带走了人们过去一年的烦恼，也带去了人们心中对新一年美好的祝愿……