Spitalfields Christmas 倫敦東區的圣誕
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Neil: It’s that time of year again, Jean.
Jean: I know.
Neil: Have you done your Christmas shopping yet?
Jean: Christmas shopping. 圣誕的大購物。在英國，每年圣誕前夕的圣誕大購物要算是英國最大的消費活動了。 Of course I haven’t done it yet. But I really want to find something a little different this year.
Neil: Yeah, I fancy shopping somewhere that’s a little alternative.
Well, there’s always something quite magical about this area anyway. I think Spitalfields Market has such a long history, it’s always been involved with creativity, there’s a lot of artists that live in the area and there’s a great energy about the place. So, particularly in festive times such as Christmas, this really comes to the fore.
Emily, Spitalfields Market
Neil: Welcome to On the Town from BBC Learning English, I’m Neil. This is the programme where we visit some of the most interesting places to spend some time in London.
You can get a bite to eat while shopping
Jean: And I’m Jean. 歡迎收聽由 BBC Learning English 為您提供的《都市掠影》節目。在這檔節目中我們走訪英國倫敦許多有趣的地方，為大家做深入接觸的現場專訪。
Neil: Today, Jean and I are going to Spitalfields Market in the East End of London. This year they have an event called ‘Alternative Christmas’.
Jean: 我們會到倫敦東邊的 Spitalfields Market, 因為在這里他們今年要過一個 alternative Christmas. 非傳統的，另類的 alternative.
Neil: So Jean, what do you know about Spitalfields Market?
Jean: Hmmm, not much.
Neil: Well here’s Malcolm, who works for the company that runs the market.
It’s about a hundred and twenty years old and it originally started as a fruit and veg market. A company called SDG had a lease and they formed this market that we see now: just a general arts and crafts and fashion market.
Malcolm, Spitalfields Market
Neil: So, it was a fruit and veg market.
Jean: Veg. 這是一個英語里常用到的簡短形式單詞，就是 vegetables 的簡短說法。而 veg 的復數形式就是 veggies.
Neil: But now it’s a general arts and crafts and fashion market. Arts and crafts.
Jean: Arts and crafts. 手工藝品。這兩個詞經常以這樣一先一后的次序出現。把它說成 crafts and arts 就錯了。就像我們同樣常說的 fruit and veg, 而不能不它說成 veg and fruit. So what about this Alternative Christmas?
Neil: Earlier we heard from Emily, who owns a shop called Caravan at the market which makes decorative birds.
Jean: She says there’s always something magical about the place. Magical 充滿魔力的。
Neil: Magical. And she says it’s always been involved with creativity because lots of artists live in the area. Creativity.
Jean: Creativity. 創造力。 There’s a great energy about the place. 這里充滿著一種活力。
Neil: And at festive times…
Jean: 節日期間. Festive.
Neil: Yes, at festive times this really comes to the fore. To come to the fore.
Jean: To come to the fore. 顯露出來。
Well, there’s always something quite magical about this area anyway. I think Spitalfields Market has such a long history, it’s always been involved with creativity, there’s a lot of artists that live in the area and there’s a great energy about the place. So, particularly in festive times such as Christmas, this really comes to the fore.
Emily, Spitalfields Market
Jean: So what’s alternative about this year’s Christmas at Spitalfields?
Neil: Well, they’ve taken Christmas traditions and changed them slightly.
Jean: How?
Neil: Well, for example, instead of the traditional Christmas tree they’ve got a punk rock Christmas glade.
Jean: 沒有了傳統的圣誕樹，而設了一個 punk rock Christmas glade. Glade 就是一片林中空地的意思，而他們代替圣誕樹的就是這樣一片裝飾成龐克搖滾風格的林間空地。
Neil: And instead of Christmas carols they’ve got surf music.
Jean: Christmas carols 就是圣誕頌歌。他們代替傳統圣誕頌歌的是沖浪音樂。 And what about these fantastic decorations?
Neil: Well, here’s Gary from a shop called Queens, which makes very unusual decorations.
Jean: Decorations 裝飾品。
We try to make each year different. We’ve got like Santa on a spaceship, this is like supersonic Santa; and we’ve got like a reindeer dressed up quite sassy.
Gary, Spitalfields Market
Neil: They’ve got Santa on a spaceship.
Jean: 坐著太空船的圣誕老人。
Neil: He calls Santa “supersonic”.
Jean: Supersonic 超音速。 And they’ve got reindeer who are sassy.
Neil: Sassy.
Jean: 潑辣的。
Neil: Well, there’s loads more stuff we could look at here Jean, but we’ve run out of time again already.
Jean: Well, I’ve got a few ideas to make Christmas a bit different this year and I’ll carry on looking.
Neil: If you want some more help with your English then go to our website.
Jean: www.bbc.co.uk/china.
Neil: Or if you have a question you’d like to ask us, send us an email at chinaelt@bbc.co.uk. Merry Christmas!
Jean: And a Happy New Year!
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