常春藤生活英語(yǔ)：Irish Superstitions 愛爾蘭迷信

Every culture has its own superstitions1, which are about mysterious events and powers that cannot be seen. Luck and omens2 are the most common superstitions. These beliefs were formed because people didn't have modern science to understand the world around them. They didn't grasp why some people got sick and why others didn't. They didn't know why bad weather would ruin their crops from time to time. They thought about natural disasters in a different way than we do now.

Because of all this, events they saw in the sky, like shooting stars3, could be terrifying. So, they developed behaviors that helped them feel they had control of their lives. Superstitions were one way to feel safe in a scary world.

Some people have more superstitions than others. The Irish are one group of people that is known to have interesting superstitions. However, they are not just naturally more superstitious. The Irish and their ancestors4 have been in Ireland for thousands of years. Despite attacks from other countries, Ireland hasn't become disconnected from its roots. Ancient beliefs are still part of modern Irish society and most of its traditions are still maintained today. Now, Irish superstitions are noted around the world. That is why anytime you look for a four-leafed clover5, you should think of the Irish. Or, if you worry about bad luck after breaking a mirror, use the Irish solution of spinning around three times counterclockwise6. Thanks to Ireland's history, everyone can enjoy Irish superstitions. Hopefully, they'll bring you some good luck, too.

每種文化都有其特有迷信，這些迷信是關(guān)于一些難以解釋的事件，或是那些看不見的神秘力量。運(yùn)氣和預(yù)兆是最普遍的迷信。這些想法之所以成形，是因?yàn)槿藗儧]有現(xiàn)代科學(xué)來幫助他們了解周遭的世界。他們無法理解為何有些人會(huì)生病而其它人卻不會(huì)。他們不知道為何壞天氣有時(shí)會(huì)損毀他們的農(nóng)作物。他們對(duì)天然災(zāi)害的看法與我們現(xiàn)在大不相同。

正因如此，他們?cè)谔炜罩心慷玫氖录?，像是流星，可能?huì)顯得十分駭人。所以他們就發(fā)展出一些行為，使他們覺得能掌控自己的生命。而迷信就是他們?cè)谶@個(gè)可怕世界中，能覺得有安全感的方法之一。

某些人所抱有的迷信比別人多。愛爾蘭人就是以其有趣迷信著稱的一支民族。但是他們不是天生就比較迷信。愛爾蘭人和他們的祖先已在愛爾蘭住了數(shù)千年之久。雖然它國(guó)多所侵略，不過愛爾蘭卻沒有斷了根。古老的信仰仍是現(xiàn)代愛爾蘭社會(huì)的一部份，而多數(shù)的傳統(tǒng)依然保留至今。如今愛爾蘭的迷信已聞名全世界。這就是每當(dāng)您在找尋四葉苜蓿草時(shí)，心中要想著愛爾蘭的原因?；蛘撸绻蚱歧R子后擔(dān)心會(huì)招來壞運(yùn)，就用愛爾蘭人逆時(shí)鐘轉(zhuǎn)三圈的方法來消災(zāi)解厄吧。多虧了當(dāng)?shù)氐臍v史，每個(gè)人才能將愛爾蘭的迷信引以為樂。希望這些迷信也能為您帶來些許好運(yùn)。

Building Your Vocabulary

1. mysterious　a. 難以解釋的，神秘的

The old man died of a mysterious disease.

那名老人死于一種神秘的疾病。

2. grasp　vt. 理解，領(lǐng)會(huì)

I couldn't grasp the meaning of his words.

我無法領(lǐng)會(huì)他話里的意思。

3. .terrifying　a. 極其可怕的

剛才是什么東西發(fā)出了那個(gè)恐怖的聲響?

4. .maintain　vt. 保持，維持

That Italian restaurant tries to maintain a high level of service.

那家意大利餐廳試著維持高水平的服務(wù)質(zhì)量。

Phrases for Learning

1.from time to time 　　偶爾，有時(shí)

Old Hank still goes golfing from time to time.

老漢克偶爾還是會(huì)去打高爾夫球。

2.have control of/over... 　　得以控制∕掌握……

The general had no control over his troops.

那位將軍控制不了他的部隊(duì)。

參考字詞

1. superstition　n. 迷信

superstitious　a. 迷信的

2. omen　n. 預(yù)兆，兆頭

3. shooting star　n. 流星

4. ancestor　n. 祖先，祖宗

5. clover　n.(三葉)苜蓿草

6. counterclockwise　adv. 逆時(shí)針方向地

Tips In Use

That is why anytime you look for a four-leafed clover...

(這就是每當(dāng)您在找尋四葉苜蓿草時(shí)……的原因。)

本句中的"four-leafed"為復(fù)合形容詞中的一種，其形式屬于『形容詞 + 名詞變成的過去分詞』。此類結(jié)構(gòu)形成的復(fù)合形容詞均與動(dòng)植物的部位或組織有關(guān)。其形成方法為：在形容詞子句中，若有表『動(dòng)植物的部位或組織』的名詞，之前有形容詞修飾時(shí)，可在該形容詞之后置入連字符號(hào)，再將該名詞變成過去分詞置于連字符號(hào)之后，即成復(fù)合形容詞。例：

a clover that has four leaves

→a four-leafed clover

(一株四葉苜蓿草)

a girl who has big eyes

→a big-eyed girl

(一位大眼睛的女孩)