来自：查字典高考网 2018-10-30
On October 31st, dozens of children dressed in costumes(节日服装)knock on their neighbors doors and yell Trick or Treat when the door opens. Pirates and princesses, ghosts and popular heroes of the day all hold bags open to catch the candy or other goodies that the neighbors drop in. As they give each child a treat the neighbors exclaim over the costumes and try to guess who is under the masks.
Since the 800s November 1st is a religious holiday known as All Saints Day(万圣节). The Mass that was said on this day was called Allhallowmas. The evening before became known as All Hakkiw een, or Halloween. Like some other American celebrations, its origins lie in both pre-Christian and Christian customs.
October 31 st was the eve of the Celtic(凯尔特人的)new year. The Celts were the ancestors of the present-day Irish, Welsh and Scottish people. On this day ghosts walked and mingled with the living, or so the Celts thought. The townspeople baked food all that day and when night fell they dressed up and tried to resemble the souls of the dead. Hoping that the ghosts would leave peacefully before midnight of the new year.
Much later, when Christianity spread throughout Ireland and October 31 was no longer the last day of the year, Halloween became a celebration mostly for children. Ghosts went from door to door asking for treats, or else a trick would be played on the owners of the house. When millions of Irish people immigrated to the United States in the 1840s the tradition came with them.
Today school dances and neighborhood parties called block parties are popular among young and old alike. More and more adults celebrate Halloween. They dress up like historical or political figures and go to mmasquerade parties(化妆舞会). In larger cities, costumed children and their parents gather at shopping malls early in the evening. Stores and businesses give parties with games and treats for the children.
Teenagers enjoy costume dances at their schools and the more outrageous the costume the better!
Certain pranks(恶作剧)such as soaping car windows and tipping over garbage cans are expected. But partying and pranks are not the only things that Halloweeners enjoy doing. Some collect money to buy food and medicine for needy children around the world.
Symbols of Halloween
Halloween originated as a celebration connected with evil spirits. Witches flying on broomsticks with black cats, ghosts, goblins(小精灵)and skeletons have all evolved as symbols of Halloween. They are popular trick-or-treat costumes and decorations for greeting cards and windows. Black is one of the traditional Halloween colors, probably because Halloween festivals and traditions took place at night. In the weeks before October 31, Americans decorate windows of houses and schools with silhouettes(轮廓)of witches and black cats.
Pumpkins are also a symbol of Halloween. The pumpkin is an orange-colored squash, and orange has become the other traditional Halloween color. Carving pumpkins into jack- olanterns is a Halloween custom also dating back to Ireland. A legend grew up about a man named Jack who was so stingy(吝啬的)that he was not allowed into heaven when he died, because he was a miser(吝啬鬼). He couldnt enter hell either because he had played jokes on the devil. As a result, Jack had to walk the earth with his lantern until Judgement Day(审判日). The Irish people carved scary faces out of turnips(芜菁根), beets(甜菜根)or potatoes representing Jack of the Lantern, or Jack-olantern. When the Irish brought their customs to the United States, they carved faces on pumpkins because in the autumn they were more plentiful than turnips. Today jack-o-lanterns in the windows of a house on Halloween night let costumed children know that there are goodies(糖果)waiting if they knock and say Trick or Treat!
【关于万圣节的英语作文素材】相关文章：
★ 掌握这10个英语万能结尾句型，写英语作文将从此简单轻松！
★ 北京信息科技大学2017年“外培”招生英语单科成绩不低于120
高考阅卷名师给考生的高考作文密训课 第5集 高考作文审题实操方法精讲（三）
张雪峰高考志愿填报指南 第28集 高考志愿分析，材料科学与工程专业，就业很一般，建议慎重选择
amc传媒音乐影像 第一季 第600集 高中校长演唱《记忆花园》为高考学子助力打气
优秀！英语数学双满分，广西“最牛”高考状元730分刷新最高纪录
amc传媒音乐影像 第一季 第598集 西安原创乐队走进英泰青卓 用音乐助力高考学子
加油吧考生：2019高考咨询大直播 第43集 科学填报志愿 规划精彩人生
乾坤已定，组合解读2019高考数学全国3卷理科18题，你是黑马吗？
高考阅卷名师给考生的高考作文密训课 第3集 高考作文审题实操方法精讲（一）
