英国问答 第10期

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为什么13号星期五被称为“黑色星期五”？英国人还有什么奇特的迷信风俗？万圣节到了，让我们听听《英国问答》这个节目，从中找到答案吧。想练习英式发音的同学，可别忘了模仿说话人的发音哦！

Neil: Careful Jean, don’t walk under that

ladder!

Jean: Why not?

Neil: Because it’s bad luck!

Jean: Bad luck?

Neil: Yes, in Britain some people say it’s bad luck to walk under a ladder. It’s a superstition[迷信]. A person who believes in superstitions is called superstitious.

Jean: Are you superstitious, Neil?

Neil: A little yes. Actually we got an email about superstitions.

Jean: Oh really?

Neil: Yes, Kathy in Hong Kong wants to know why people think the number 13 is unlucky, especially Friday the 13th.

Jean: That’s an interesting question.

Neil: Here’s an expert on superstitions.

Many people are scared of it really going back to the Last Supper. It’s said that as there are 13 people around the table, and Jesus was crucified[在十字架上钉死] on the Friday. That’s where people believe it originates from.

（许多人对13号星期五的恐惧要回溯到“最后的晚餐”。据说因为当时有13个人坐在桌子旁，而耶稣被钉死在十字架的那一天刚好是星期五。这就是多数人相信的黑色星期五的起源。）

Neil: That’s where the superstition

originates from. So, people have thought the number 13 is bad luck, and Friday the 13th is even worse for about 2,000 years. Listen again.

Many people are scared of it really going back to the Last Supper. It’s said that as there are 13 people around the table, and Jesus was crucified on the Friday. That’s where people believe it originates from.

Neil: Did you know that lots of tall buildings don’t have a 13th floor? It just goes from the 12th to the 14th.

Jean: It’s the same in China but the unlucky number is four.

Neil: Oh, really?

Jean: Yeah, four is really bad.

Neil: No, four’s fine!

Jean: Maybe for you! So, is everyone scared of Friday the 13th?

Neil: No, lots of people think it’s just

nonsense[胡说]. There’s a place called the York Dungeon注 where they laugh in the face of

superstition. They celebrate Friday the 13th and they challenge their visitors to tempt fate[冒险]. Listen to this reporter:

Here at York Dungeon, they laugh in the face of superstition, and today they were celebrating Friday the 13th by challenging their visitors to tempt fate.

（在约克地牢博物馆这里，他们对迷信毫不畏惧。今天，他们在这里庆祝黑色星期五，让访客们挑战自己，捉弄命运。）

Neil: They tempt fate by getting visitors to do things which, if they are superstitious, will bring them bad luck.

Neil: See if you can hear what the first

challenge is, Jean.

Jean: Okay.

A: Right, Bernie, so what’s the first challenge?

B: First challenge today is smashing a mirror, which would signify[表示] seven years’ bad luck.

A: Okay.

Neil: Did you get that?

Jean: Something about a mirror.

Neil: Yes, smashing a mirror. And what

happens if you smash a mirror?

Jean: I heard something about seven years’ bad luck. Can that be true?

Neil: Yes, I’m afraid so. We say that if you break a mirror it will bring you seven years’ bad luck, or it signifies seven years’ bad luck. So be careful next time you’re in the bathroom, Jean.

Jean: I will be. Have you ever broken a

mirror, Neil?

Neil: I think I’ve broken about five. I have about 35 years’ bad luck.

Jean: You are superstitious really, aren’t you?

Neil: Well, that’s all we have time for today in Ask About Britain. Bye.

注：约克地牢，约克市市中心一个著名的博物馆。