A Visit from St. Nicholas 圣尼古拉斯的来访

A Visit from St. Nicholas

圣尼古拉斯的来访

【听力音频】

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　　By VOA

　　23 December 2023

　　In 1822, an American professor named Clement Clarke Moore wrote a poem that redefined the image of Saint Nicholas. It was called "Account of a Visit from Saint Nicholas." He did not expect it to be published. He wrote it as a Christmas present for his young children. In recent years, experts have questioned whether Moore actually wrote the poem.

　　Some believe it was written by Henry Livingston, a map maker in New York who wrote and published funny poems in his spare time.

　　But whoever wrote this classic poem, it has since become a favorite around the world. This poem combines the traditions of Santa Claus, seasonal decorations and gift-giving that have come to define Christmas in America.

　　We give you the staff of Learning English reading Clement Clarke Moore's poem, popularly known as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas."

　　‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

　　Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

　　The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

　　In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there.

　　The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

　　While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.

　　And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,

　　Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.

　　When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

　　I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

　　Away to the window I flew like a flash,

　　Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

　　The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

　　Gave lustre of mid-day to objects below.

　　When, what to my wondering eyes did appear,

　　But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

　　With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

　　I knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick.

　　More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

　　And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

　　"Now Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!

　　On, Comet! On, Cupid! On Donder and Blitzen!

　　To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!

　　Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

　　As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

　　When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.

　　So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

　　With the sleigh full of toys, and Saint Nicholas, too.

　　And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

　　The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

　　As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

　　Down the chimney Saint Nicholas came with a bound.

　　He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

　　And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.

　　A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

　　And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

　　His eyes -- how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!

　　His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

　　His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

　　And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

　　The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

　　And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

　　He had a broad face and a little round belly,

　　That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

　　He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

　　And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!

　　A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

　　Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

　　He spoke not a word, and went straight to his work,

　　Filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.

　　And laying his finger aside of his nose,

　　And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

　　He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

　　And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

　　But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,

　　"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

　　Dorothy Gundy produced the video.

　　Do you have a favorite holiday poem? Tell us about it in the comments section.

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　　由VOA

　　2023年12月23日

　　1822年，一位名叫克莱门特·克拉克·摩尔的美国教授写了一首诗，重新定义了圣尼古拉斯的形象。这首诗被称为"圣尼古拉斯来访的记述"。他并未期望这首诗会被出版，他只是为了他的小孩子写的一个圣诞礼物。近年来，专家们开始质疑这首诗是否真的是摩尔所写。

　　有些人认为这首诗是由亨利·利文斯顿所写，他是纽约的一位地图制作者，业余时间喜欢写作并出版有趣的诗歌。

　　但无论这首经典诗歌的作者是谁，它已经成为全世界人们喜爱的诗歌。这首诗融合了圣诞老人、节日装饰和礼物赠送的传统，这些已经成为了美国圣诞节的定义。

　　我们为你呈现的是学习英语的工作人员朗读克莱门特·克拉克·摩尔的诗，这首诗被广泛称为"圣诞节前夜."

　　圣诞节的前一夜，整个房子里

　　没有一个生物在动，连老鼠也没有。

　　袜子被小心翼翼地挂在烟囱旁，

　　希望圣尼古拉斯能早点来到。

　　孩子们舒适地躺在床上，

　　脑海中跳动的是糖梅的幻想。

　　妈妈戴着头巾，我戴着帽子，

　　刚刚安定下来，准备开始冬天的长眠。

　　当草坪上突然传来一阵喧闹声，

　　我从床上跳起来看看发生了什么事。

　　我像闪电一样飞到窗边，

　　撕开了百叶窗，推开了窗框。

　　月光照在新落的雪上，

　　给下面的物体带来了中午的光辉。

　　当我惊奇的眼睛看到的是，

　　一辆小雪橇，和八只小驯鹿。

　　一个小个子的老司机，如此活泼和迅速，

　　我立刻就知道那一定是圣尼克。

　　他的马比鹰还要快，

　　他吹着口哨，大喊大叫，还叫出了他们的名字！

　　"现在是Dasher！现在是Dancer！现在是Prancer和Vixen！

　　来吧，Comet！来吧，Cupid！来吧，Donder和Blitzen！

　　到门廊的顶部！到墙的顶部！

　　现在快跑！快跑！全部都快跑！"

　　就像干叶在狂风前飞扬，

　　当它们遇到障碍，就飞向天空。

　　于是，他们就飞到了房顶，

　　雪橇满载着玩具，还有圣尼古拉斯。

　　然后，一瞬间，我听到屋顶上

　　每只小蹄子的踩踏声。

　　当我把头收回来，正要转身，

　　圣尼古拉斯从烟囱里跳了下来。

　　他从头到脚都穿着皮毛，

　　他的衣服都被灰烬和煤烟弄脏了。

　　他背上扔了一包玩具，

　　他看起来就像一个小贩，刚打开他的包裹。

　　他的眼睛--它们多么闪亮！他的酒窝多么快乐！

　　他的脸颊像玫瑰，鼻子像樱桃！

　　他的小嘴巴像弓一样翘起，

　　他下巴上的胡须白得像雪。

　　他嘴里紧紧咬着烟斗的烟嘴，

　　烟雾环绕着他的头，就像一个花环。

　　他有一张宽阔的脸和一个小圆肚子，

　　他笑起来时，肚子会晃动，就像一碗果冻！

　　他胖乎乎的，圆滚滚的，是个快乐的老精灵，

　　我看到他时忍不住笑了出来！

　　他眼睛的一眨，头的一转，

　　很快让我知道我没有什么可怕的。

　　他一言不发，直接开始工作，

　　填满了所有的袜子，然后突然转身。

　　他把手指放在鼻子旁边，

　　点了点头，就从烟囱里飞了上去！

　　他跳上雪橇，对他的团队吹了一声口哨，

　　他们都飞快地离开，就像蓟的绒毛。

　　但我听到他喊道，他驶出视线之前，

　　"祝大家圣诞快乐，晚安！"

　　你有最喜欢的节日诗歌吗？