氣質姐與可愛可

（可按右鍵另存音檔）

　　On holidays, like New Year's Eve and the fourth of July, they light up the night sky. For over a thousand years, they have turned night into day with fantastic displays of color. Of course, we are talking about fireworks, an explosive invention we never seem to get tired of.
　　The exact origin of fireworks is not known, though most historians believe they began sometime in 7th century China. There, fireworks were invented to be used in celebrations. The Chinese believed that by setting off fireworks, they could drive away evil spirits and attract good fortune. Everyone from emperors to commoners could enjoy fireworks displays, and firework-making became an important profession.
　　In 1758, a French Jesuit missionary living in Beijing wrote about how fireworks were made. His account would later be widely published and translated, leading to fireworks "blowing up" all over Europe.
　　Today, fireworks can be seen across the globe during celebrations and even fireworks competitions. At the Montreal Fireworks Festival, around three million onlookers watch as teams from different countries put on musical displays that include fire. As many as 6,000 fireworks are set off to music, making for a magical evening.

Words & Phrases

1. explosive a. 爆炸（性）的；爆發的
   Eggs can become explosive if they are put into the microwave.
   雞蛋若被放進微波爐裡，它們是會爆炸的。
2. exact a. 確切的，精確的
   Olivia's mother is not sure of the exact time of her daughter's birth.
   奧莉薇亞的媽媽不確定她女兒的確切出生時間。
3. set off sth / set sth off　　施放……；使……爆炸
   Some people set off firecrackers to celebrate the start of Chinese New Year.
   有些人會放鞭炮來慶祝農曆新年的開始。
   * firecracker n. 鞭炮；爆竹
4. drive away... / drive...away　　驅趕∕趕走……
   It is said that garlic can drive away vampires.
   據說大蒜可以驅走吸血鬼。
   * vampire n. 吸血鬼
5. fortune n. 運氣；財富
   It is common practice for people in Asia to pray for good fortune.
   拜拜祈求好運對亞洲人來說是常見的習俗。
6. publish vt. 刊載，刊登；出版
   Our professor's article was published in the newspaper.
   我們教授的文章被刊登在報紙上了。
7. translate vt. 翻譯
   translate... (from A) into B　　把……（從 A 語言）翻譯成 B 語言
   The writer translated the novel from English into Chinese.
   那位作家把這本小說從英文翻譯成中文。
8. competition n. 競賽，比賽
   Jill entered a beauty competition and finished third.
   吉兒參加了選美比賽並獲得第三名。

1. spark n. 火花
2. profession n. 職業，行業
3. Jesuit n. 天主教耶穌會會士
4. missionary n. 傳教士
5. onlooker n. 旁觀者，觀看者

假日時，像是跨年夜和七月四日美國獨立紀念日，它們會點亮夜空。它們藉由精彩的顏色呈現來把夜晚變成白天有一千多年了。沒錯，我們是在講煙火，它是一種我們似乎絕對不會感到厭煩的會爆炸的發明。
　　煙火的確切起源沒人知道，然而大部份的歷史學家認為煙火起始於第七世紀的中國。在中國，煙火被發明來用在慶祝活動中。中國人認為藉由放煙火，他們可以趕走惡魔並帶來好運。從皇帝到平民百姓，每個人都可以欣賞煙火表演，而且煙火製造也成為了一項重要職業。
　　1758 年時，住在北京的法國天主教耶穌會傳教士寫下了關於製造煙火的方法。他的描述後來被廣泛刊登及翻譯出來，導致煙火在全歐洲『雨後春筍般地出現』。
　　如今，煙火在全球各地的慶祝活動以及甚至是煙火競賽裡都看得到。在蒙特婁煙火節裡，當來自不同國家的隊伍上演含有火的音樂表演時，有大約三百萬個觀眾觀看。音樂表演搭配施放多達六千枚煙火，造就了魔幻的夜晚時分。

引用自常春藤網路書城https://www.ivy.com.tw/index.php