Luis國際資訊事務所

by Rebecca A. Fratzke
An inside look at one of the largest festivals in the world

　　When someone mentions Oktoberfest, Germany's most famous festival, most people think of one thing—lots and lots of beer. However, this festival has a long and rich history that is rooted in Bavarian tradition. Beer is an element of today's Oktoberfest, but for the citizens of Munich, where the festival started, it will always be first and foremost a festival of culture.
　　The very first Oktoberfest was held in 1810 to celebrate the marriage between Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese von Sachen-Hildburghausen. The events of that day were quite different from those of the modern Oktoberfest because the celebration was honored with a horse race. Years later, though, the horse racing tradition was no longer the focus of the festival and new ones began. This is when the traditions of today's Oktoberfest began to take shape. In 1818, Oktoberfest was changed into a carnival-like celebration with rides, booths, games, and beer stands. Other changes that took place around this time affected the length and regularity of the festival. Munich officials decided that Oktoberfest would become an annual event without exception and that it would be extended to a 16-day event.
　　Although it was declared that Oktoberfest would happen every year without fail, it has been interrupted by hardships that shook Germany and its citizens. These include war, cholera epidemics, and financial troubles, leading to a total of 24 Oktoberfests having been canceled since its beginning. During World War I, Oktoberfest was not held at all and was later downsized to a simple autumn festival. Oktoberfest was again canceled during World War II.

1. Oktoberfest n.（德國）慕尼黑啤酒節；10 月節
2. festival n. 節日
3. focus n. 焦點
4. carnival n. 嘉年華會，狂歡節
5. ride n.（遊樂園的）乘坐裝置，遊樂設施（如旋轉木馬、雲霄飛車等）
6. booth n.（有蓬的）攤位；電話亭
7. stand n. 攤位
8. regularity n. 規律性
9. annual a. 每年的；一年一次的
10. hardship n. 困難，艱苦
11. cholera n. 霍亂
12. downsize vt. 縮小規模

the very + N　　正是……，就是……
= just the + N
注意:
a. very 作形容詞時是一種強調用法，表『正是、就是、只要是』，之前一定要有定冠詞 the, this, that 或代名詞所有格 his, your, my 等。翻譯時 very 可視情況不必譯出。
例: The very sight of a spider makes Annie scream with fear.
= Just the sight of a spider makes Annie scream with fear.
（一看見蜘蛛就會讓安妮害怕地大叫。）
b. 在嚴謹的文法中，『the very + N』之後若有形容詞子句加以修飾時，關係代名詞一定要用 that，但在現代美語中，也可用 who、whom、which，而不限於 that。
例: The very first place that/which I visited outside of my own country was Bali.
（我出國玩去的第 1 個地方就是峇里島。）

1. be rooted in...　　根植於∕源自於……
例: The city's traffic problems are rooted in poor planning and overpopulation.
（該市的交通問題源自於規劃不當和人口過多。）

2. element n. 要素，元素
例: The elements of success include honesty and hard work.
（成功的要素包括誠實及努力。）

3. first and foremost　　最重要地，首要地
foremost a. 最重要的；最先的
例: There are many steps in baking a pie. First and foremost, you need a good crust.
（烤派時有許多步驟。首先，要有好的麵皮。）

4. honor vt. 致敬
例: The mayor honored the fire fighters that died in the line of duty.
（市長向因公殉職的消防隊員致敬。）

5. no longer...　　不再……
= not...any longer
= not...anymore
例: May no longer smokes because she is pregnant.
（小梅不再抽菸，因為她懷孕了。）

6. take shape　　逐漸成形
例: I'm glad that our plan is finally taking shape.
（我很高興我們的計劃終於逐漸成形。）

7. be changed into...　　被轉變為……
= be turned into...
例: Vast stretches of farmland have been changed into residential areas over the past five years.
（在過去 5 年中，大片的農田已變更為住宅區。）

8. take place　　發生（= occur = happen）；舉行（= be held）
例: A terrible car accident took place early this morning.
= A terrible car accident occurred/happened early this morning.
（今天清晨發生了一起嚴重車禍。）
例: The meeting took place at 9:00 AM.
= The meeting was held at 9:00 AM.
（會議在早上 9 點鐘舉行。）

9. without exception　　沒有例外
with the exception of...　　除了……之外
例: Lori goes to yoga class three times each week without exception.
（蘿莉每個星期去上 3 次瑜珈課，毫無例外。）
例: With the exception of his bad temper, John is quite a nice person.
（約翰除了脾氣壞之外，為人倒是挺不錯的。）

10. extend vt. 延長；延伸
例: We extended our stay in Hawaii to two months instead of just one.
（我們把在夏威夷停留的時間從 1 個月延長為 2 個月。）

11. declare vt. 宣布；宣稱
declare + that 子句　　宣布∕宣稱……
declare A (to be) B　　宣布 A 為 B
例: The woman declared that she was able to communicate with dead people.
（那個女人宣稱她能和死者溝通。）
例: The mayor declared the city a disaster zone after the earthquake.
（地震過後，市長宣布該市為災區。）

12. without fail　　必定，一定
例: Without fail, Dora arrives five minutes late for work every day.
（朵拉每天上班一定會遲到 5 分鐘。）

13. interrupt vt. 打斷，中斷（談話等）
例: It was annoying when Shirley kept interrupting our discussion.
= It was annoying when Shirley kept cutting in on our discussion.
（雪莉一直打斷我們的討論真的很煩。）

14. epidemic n. 傳染病，流行病
例: A worldwide influenza epidemic killed about 20 million people during WWI.
（第一次世界大戰期間，全球流行感冒的疫情造成大約 2 千萬人死亡。）

15. a total of + 數字　　總共……（數目）
in total　　總共
例: The company lost a total of US$5 million during the recession.
= The company lost US$5 million in total during the recession.
（那家公司在不景氣時總共虧損了 5 百萬美金。）

乾杯！慕尼黑啤酒節來囉!
一窺世上最大節日之一的真貌

　　提到慕尼黑啤酒節（又稱『10 月節』）這個德國最有名的節日，大部分人都會想到有很多很多的啤酒。但是，這個節日其實源自於歷史悠久且豐富的巴伐利亞區傳統。雖然現今的啤酒節都少不了啤酒，但對起源地慕尼黑當地的市民來說，啤酒節主要是文化的節慶。
　　第 1 個啤酒節於 1810 年舉行，是為了慶祝巴伐利亞王儲路德維希王子和王妃黛蕾瑟‧撒克森西德堡豪森的婚禮。當天的節目和現代啤酒節大不相同，因為當時的慶典還安排 1 場賽馬大會作為慶祝。不過數年後，賽馬的傳統不再是節日重心，轉而開啟了新的傳統。今日的啤酒節傳統就是從這個時候開始成形。1818 年，啤酒節被改成類似嘉年華的節日，有遊樂設施、貨攤、遊戲和啤酒攤。這個時期發生的其他改變影響了節日的長短和舉辦頻率。慕尼黑官員決定，啤酒節成為每 年固定舉行的活動，並延長為 16 天。
　　雖然宣布啤酒節一定會舉辦，但該節日仍被動搖德國和其人民的困境所中斷。戰爭、霍亂流行以及財政困頓等困境，導致啤酒節開辦至今總共停辦 24 次。第一次世界大戰時，啤酒節全面停辦，其後規模縮小成 1 個簡單的秋季節慶。第二次世界大戰期間啤酒節又再度中斷。