关于圣诞的美文(圣诞美文英语)

每年圣诞节期间英国女王伊丽莎白二世（Elizabeth II）都会向英联邦国家发表圣诞致辞。从1932年开始，乔治五世（King George V）每年在圣诞节当天通过BBC向全国发表讲话，乔治五世去世后英国女王伊丽莎白二世延续这一传统至今，这一圣诞致辞在英语中也称为Her Majesty's Most Gracious Speech

每年的圣诞讲话稿都由女王亲笔撰写，讲话稿从主题确立到撰写再到完成中间可能要经历好几个月的时间，可以说字斟句酌，是非常值得学习的语言材料。今年的圣诞致辞围绕"small steps"这一关键词展开，整篇演讲稿只有610词，但small step(s)出现了7次。女王从阿波罗11号登月这一历史事件展开，引用阿姆斯特朗的名言来说明“巨大的进步往往来源于微小的积累”。演讲中还提到“诺曼底登陆”75周年纪念活动以及当今年轻人对于气候变化议题的责任感等。我找到了致辞全文，在这里对一些精彩片段进行赏析：

As a child, I never imagined that one day a man would walk on the moon. Yet this year we marked the fiftieth anniversary of the famous Apollo 11 mission. As those historic pictures were beamed back to earth, millions of us sat transfixed to our television screens, as we watched Neil Armstrong taking a small step for man and a giant leap for mankind -- and, indeed, for womankind. It’s a reminder for us all that giant leaps often start with small steps.

开篇介绍阿波罗11号登月这一历史事件，并由阿姆斯特朗的名言That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. 引入“一小步”与“一大步”这两个相对概念，这两个概念接下来也会贯穿全文。

millions of us sat transfixed to our television screens这里transfixed to our television screens是主语补足语，意思是“我们当中数百万人坐在电视机前目不转睛地盯着屏幕”。

最后一句It’s a reminder for us all that giant leaps often start with small steps. 意思是“这提醒我们所有人，巨大的进步往往来源于微小的积累”。这里也可以学习一个句式：something is a reminder for us all that… 比如我们可以说：The rise in global sea level is a reminder for us all that fighting climate change is an urgent task.

This year we marked another important anniversary: D-Day. On 6th June 1944, some one hundred and fifty-six thousand British, Canadian and American forces landed in Northern France. It was the largest ever seaborne invasion and was delayed due to bad weather. I well remember the look of concern on my father’s face. He knew the secret D-Day plans but could of course share that burden with no-one.

女王在这里提到了D-Day，这是指二战期间同盟国进攻欧洲的登陆日，著名的“诺曼底登陆”也是在那一天进行的。关于这一天为什么叫D-Day目前西方学界有多种解释，有些人认为D代表Disembarkation，还有人认为D-Day是Day of Decision的缩写。人们现在也用D-Day来指“大日子，重要日子”（a day when something important will happen）

For the Seventy-Fifth Anniversary of that decisive battle, in a true spirit of reconciliation, those who had formerly been sworn enemies came together in friendly commemorations either side of the Channel, putting past differences behind them.

这一段提到在盟军登陆75周年的纪念日上，曾经不共戴天的敌人在英吉利海峡两岸参加和平纪念活动。the Channel是一个专有名词，指的是“英吉利海峡”。

Such reconciliation seldom happens overnight. It takes patience and time to rebuild trust, and progress often comes through small steps. Since the end of the Second World War, many charities, groups and organisations have worked to promote peace and unity around the world, bringing together those who have been on opposing sides. By being willing to put past differences behind us and move forward together, we honour the freedom and democracy once won for us at so great a cost.

…progress often comes through small steps…这里small steps与第一段中"giant leaps often start with small steps"形成呼应。这一句的句型也值得学习 …seldom happens overnight. It takes patience and time to… 比如我们可以说：Academic success seldom happens overnight. It takes patience and time to develop good learning habits and improve critical thinking skills.

The challenges many people face today may be different to those once faced by my generation, but I have been struck by how new generations have brought a similar sense of purpose to issues such as protecting our environment and our climate.

…but I have been struck by how new generations…这里之所以要用现在完成时是为了强调自己不止一次被年轻人的表现所震撼。使用现在完成时来表示重复事件在地道英文中经常出现，比如米歇尔·奥巴马在她的传记Becoming中就有这样的句子：

I’ve heard about the swampy parts of the internet that question everything about me, right down to whether I’m a woman or a man. A sitting U.S. congressman has made fun of my butt. I’ve been hurt. I’ve been furious. But mostly, I’ve tried to laugh this stuff off.

这里作者用I’ve been hurt. I’ve been furious. But mostly, I’ve tried to laugh this stuff off. 来描写自己多次被恶意中伤，愤怒无比，并最终学会一笑置之的经历。

My family and I are also inspired by the men and women of our emergency services and Armed Forces; and at Christmas we remember all those on duty at home and abroad, who are helping those in need and keeping us and our families safe and secure.

Two hundred years on from the birth of my great, great grandmother, Queen Victoria, Prince Philip and I have been delighted to welcome our eighth great grandchild into our family.

XX years on表示“XX年以后”，Two hundred years on from the birth of my great, great grandmother, Queen Victoria 意思是“在我的曾曾祖母维多利亚女王出生两百年以后”。

Of course, at the heart of the Christmas story lies the birth of a child: a seemingly small and insignificant step overlooked by many in Bethlehem. But in time, through his teaching and by his example, Jesus Christ would show the world how small steps taken in faith and in hope can overcome long-held differences and deep-seated divisions to bring harmony and understanding. Many of us already try to follow in his footsteps. The path, of course, is not always smooth, and may at times this year have felt quite bumpy, but small steps can make a world of difference.

Bethlehem是指“伯利恒”，它位于约旦河西岸，在基督教传说中它是耶稣的出生地。这一段中女王用耶稣的故事来说明即使是微小的事物，只要给予时间和耐心，最后也能产生巨大的影响。

句子中long-held differences and deep-seated divisions两个短语结构相同，对仗工整，读起来很有韵律感，这也是演讲中经常使用的修辞手法。

As Christmas dawned, church congregations around the world joined in singing It Came Upon the Midnight Clear. Like many timeless carols, it speaks not just of the coming of Jesus Christ into a divided world, many years ago, but also of the relevance, even today, of the angels’ message of peace and goodwill.

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear是指《在晴朗午夜降临》，这是一首基督教圣诗和圣诞颂歌。

It’s a timely reminder of what positive things can be achieved when people set aside past differences and come together in the spirit of friendship and reconciliation. And, as we all look forward to the start of a new decade, it’s worth remembering that it is often the small steps, not the giant leaps, that bring about the most lasting change.

"it is often the small steps, not the giant leaps, that bring about the most lasting change" 再次呼应文章开头，这句话与中文的“不积跬步，无以至千里”有异曲同工之妙，可以背起来。

And so, I wish you all a very happy Christmas.

伊丽莎白二世在每年的圣诞致辞中用的几乎都是Happy Christmas，而不是Merry Christmas。关于这一用法倾向，一个解释是Merry一词还带有“饮酒”的意味，在维多利亚时代中产阶级为了提倡人们健康生活而使用Happy Christmas, 女王本人也支持这一提议。目前Happy Christmas这一祝福语在英国和爱尔兰被广泛使用。

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