元宵节看花灯，英文灯谜猜猜看

元宵节小知识

The Lantern Festival has been part of Chinese New Year celebrations since the Han Dynasty (206 BC- 221 AD). Usually held on the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar, it marks the end of New Year festivities.

自汉朝（公元前206年—公元221年）起，元宵节就已成为了中国新年庆祝活动中的一部分了。一般农历的正月十五为元宵节，这一天也标志着新年庆祝活动的结束。

It is said that the holiday evolved from an ancient Chinese belief that celestial spirits could be seen flying about in the light of the first full moon of the lunar calendar. To aid them in their search for the spirits they used torches. These torches gave way to lanterns of every shape, size and colour.

据说元宵节由古代中国的一个传说演化而来，传言每至农历第一个月圆之夜，便可看到天上飞动的神灵。为了更容易寻找神灵，他们都会用一些火把照明，而这些火把也逐渐由一些形状、大小、颜色各异的灯笼所取代。

The Lantern Festival is also popularly referred to as the Chinese Valentine’s Day because in days of old it gave girls and boys a rare chance to go out in the evening and mingle. Today, lantern festivals are held each year in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan to mark the end of Chinese New Year celebrations. Competitions are held to select the best lanterns.

元宵节广受喜爱的另一个原因在于：它也被看做中国的情人节，因为在过去，这一天少男少女们可以利用这个宝贵的机会晚上一起出去约会。而今，在中国、香港、新加坡和台湾每年都会欢庆元宵节，以此作为中国新年庆祝的收尾。同时这些地方每年也会举办一些比赛来评选最佳彩灯。

灯谜（Lantern riddles）

灯谜是中国元宵节或中秋节写在灯笼上的谜语。人们必须从一个字、一首诗或是一个短语猜出答案。猜灯谜和打老虎一样难，所以灯谜有一个别名——灯虎（lantern tigers）。

现在，我们一起来开动脑筋，猜猜下面的英文灯谜吧！

Riddles: What's full of holes but still holds water?

问：什么东西浑身是洞，却能装水？

Answer: a sponge

答：海绵

Riddles: What building has the most stories?

问：什么建筑楼层最多？

Answer: A library

答：图书馆（注：story有楼层和故事两个意思）

Riddles: Which is faster, hot or cold?

问：热和冷哪个速度更快？

Answer: Hot's faster. You can catch a cold.

答：热更快，因为你能抓住冷（catch a cold:感冒）

Riddles: When is your mind like a rumpled bed?

问：你的脑子什么时候像皱巴巴的床？

Answer: When it is not made up.

答：当它没有叠的时候（make up mind:下定决心）

Riddles: What is it that everybody does at the same time?

问：所有人同时在做的事情是什么？

Answer: grow older

答：长大

Riddles: What month do soldiers hate?

问：士兵们最恨几月份？

Answer: March

答：三月（注：march也有行军的意思）

Riddles: How many feet are there in a yard?

问：院子里有多少只脚？

Answer: It depends on how many people stand in the yard.

答：这取决于多少人站在院子里（注：yard码；院子）

Riddles: Why is an empty purse always the same?

问：为什么空钱包永远是一样的？

Answer: There is no change in it.

答：因为没零钱（注：change变化；零钱）

Riddles: What book has the most stirring chapters?

问：什么书有最动人的章节？

Answer: A cook book.

答：烹饪书（注：stirring动人的；搅拌的）

Riddles: What kind of dog doesn't bite or bark?

问：什么狗不咬人不吠叫？

Answer: Hot dog.

答：热狗

Riddles: What is the smallest room in the world?

问：世界上最小的房间是什么？

Answer: Mushroom.

答：蘑菇

Riddles: What kind of water should people drink in order to be healthy?

问：为了保持健康应该喝什么水？

Answer: Drink well water.

答：喝井水（注：well井水；健康的）

Riddles: How do we know the ocean is friendly?

问：我们如何知道海洋是友善的？

Answer: It waves.

答：海有波浪（注：wave起波浪；招手致意）

Riddles: What man cannot live in a house?

问：什么人不能住在房间里？

Answer: snowman

答：雪人

Riddles: What question can you never answer "Yes" to?

问：什么问题你永远不能回答“是”？

Answer: Are you dead?

答：你死了吗？

Riddles: A mouse has a large pocket. What is it?

问：有大口袋的老鼠是什么？

Answer: a kangaroo

答：袋鼠

Riddles: It has a head, but no neck. It has a body, but no warmth. No feet, but can travel?

问：它有头，但没脖子；有身体，却没温度；没有脚，但是能旅行。它是什么？

Answer: a car

答：汽车

编辑：许雅宁

来源：中国日报网英语点津&网络

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