母親節

編者注：母親節是在中國港澳臺地區流行起來之后才進入大陸的。20世紀80年代，母親節逐漸被中國內地的民眾所接受。從1988年開始，中國南方的廣州等一些城市開始舉辦母親節的慶祝活動。20世紀末，隨著中國與國際的日益接軌，母親節這一節日在中國大陸各地日益推廣開來，越來越多的人開始接受母親節。

As a day to thank all the mothers， Mother’s Day firstly appeared in ancient Greece. It was on January 8th. But in China， America， Canada and some other countries， Mother’s Day was on the second Sunday in May. And the dates in other countries were not the same. Mothers will receive many gifts on that day. And carnations（康乃馨） were regarded as flowers for mothers.

母親節作為一個感謝母親的節日，最早出現在古希臘，當時時間是每年的一月八日。而在中國、美國、加拿大和其他一些國家，則是每年5月的第二個星期天，其他一些國家的日期也并不一樣。母親們在這一天通常會收到禮物?？的塑氨灰暈楂I給母親的花。

In May， 1934， America firstly issued commemorative（紀念的） stamps of Mother’s Day. On the stamp， a kindly mother delightedly（欣喜地） looked at a bunch of beautiful carnations in the vase （花瓶） with her hands on her knees. With the spread of the stamps， many people connected Mother’s Day to carnations. And then carnations became the symbol of maternal（母親的） love and were respected by people.

1934年5月，美國首次發行母親節紀念郵票，郵票上一位慈祥的母親，雙手放在膝上，欣喜地看著前面的花瓶中一束鮮艷美麗的康乃馨。隨著郵票的傳播，許多人把母親節與康乃馨聯系起來，康乃馨便成了母愛的象征，受到人們的敬重。

In Egypt， Mother’s Day is on the last Friday in March. On this day， all the young people in the country should send flowers and gifts to their own mothers. And they will hold concerts and performances for mothers and choose the most ideal mother.

每年三月的最后一個星期五是埃及的母親節。這一天，全國各地的年輕人都要給母親贈送鮮花和禮物，為母親舉辦音樂會和文娛演出，并評選出全國最理想的母親。

In India， Mother’s Day is on April 5th. Mothers who have given birth to babies have to wear colorful sari（紗麗） and exquisite（精美的） jewelries and enjoy themselves in public to display images of women.

每年四月五日是印度的母親節。這一天，凡是生了孩子的母親都要穿上五彩繽紛的紗麗，戴上精美的首飾，來到公共場所盡情娛樂，以顯示做母親的女性風采。

Serbs in Yugoslavia will celebrate Mother’s Day two weeks before Christmas Day. Children will slip（溜） into their mothers’ rooms on the morning of Mother’s Day and tie their mothers in bed. When mothers wake up， finding themselves tied， they will plead with（向……求情） their children to release them and give the children some small gifts under their pillows as exchange.

南斯拉夫的塞爾維亞人的母親節于每年圣誕節的前兩個禮拜慶祝。小孩子們在母親節的清晨溜進母親房間，將母親綁在床上，母親醒來時發現自己被五花大綁，便哀求孩子們放開她，并以她預先藏在枕頭下的小禮物作為交換。

Here are some expressions about mothers.

My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral， intellectual and physical education I received from her.

—George Washington

我的母親是我見過的最漂亮的女人。我所有的一切都歸功于我的母親。我一生中所有的成就都歸功于我從她那兒得到的德、智、體的教育。

——喬治·華盛頓

There was never a woman like her. She was gentle as a dove and brave as a lioness... The memory of my mother and her teachings were， after all， the only capital I had to start life with， and on that capital I have made my way.

—Andrew Jackson

從來沒有一個女人像她那樣。她非常溫柔，就像一只鴿子；她也很勇敢，像一頭母獅……畢竟，對母親的記憶和她的教誨是我人生起步的唯一資本，并奠定了我的人生之路。

——安德魯·杰克遜

In all my efforts to learn to read， my mother fully shared my ambition and sympa-thized with me and aided me in every way she could. If I have done anything in life worth attention， I feel sure that I inherited the disposition from my mother.

—Booker T. Washington

在我努力學習閱讀的過程中，母親一直分享著我的抱負、充分理解我，盡她所能幫助我。如果我一生中做了什么值得人們注意的事情，那一定是因為我繼承了她的氣質。

——布克·T·華盛頓

It seems to me that my mother was the most splendid woman I ever knew... I have met a lot of people knocking around the world， but I have never met a more thoroughly refined woman than my mother. If I have amounted to anything， it will be due to her.

—Charles Chaplin

對我而言，我的母親似乎是我認識的最了不起的女人……我遇見過太多太多的世人，可是從未遇上像我母親那般優雅的女人。如果我有所成就的話，這要歸功于她。

——查爾斯·卓別林

The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.

—Author Unknown

父親能夠為孩子所做的最重要的事就是愛他們的母親。

——作者不詳