Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree 特拉法加广场的圣诞树

Jo: Hello and welcome to On the Town from BBC Learning¹ English. I'm Jo.

Feifei: 大家好，我是冯菲菲。在这个欢庆的季节里，我们要和大家聊点儿什么呢? 带大家到哪儿里去走走呢？

Jo: Today we are going to Trafalgar Square to look at the big beautiful Christmas tree.

Feifei: 不过 Jo, 我觉得那不就是随处可见的一棵圣诞树吗？

Jo: No Feifei, every year this particular Christmas tree is chosen and sent to London from Oslo in Norway.

Feifei: But why from Norway?

Jo: Here’s the Mayor² of Oslo.

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For us it's a very deep thing – important – and it brings out emotions and memories. I can remember very well the first Allied³ soldiers that came to Oslo in May 1945 and of course they were British.

Jo: He says it's a very deep thing and it brings out emotions and memories.

Feifei: Emotions 感情; memories 回忆, allied soldiers盟军士兵。

Jo: Ever since 1947, every year this beautiful tree is given to the people of London from the people of Norway in gratitude⁴ for Britain's support for Norway during World War II.

Feifei: 正是为了对英国在第二次世界大战期间对挪威的支持和帮助表示感谢，从1947年开始，挪威人民每年都会给伦敦市民送一棵圣诞树。不过我有一个问题，为什么他们会选择送一棵圣诞树而不是别的什么东西呢？

Jo: Here's BBC reporter Sally Nugent.

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During the Second World War, the Norwegian Royal Family had to escape the country as the German occupation of Europe advanced. They came here to Britain and were sheltered here in exile⁵ for five years. During that time the Norwegian resistance⁶ would send a Christmas tree every year in secret to their exiled⁷ king to remind him of his homeland. Of course at the end of the war, they returned home, and every year since then, the Norwegian government has sent this Christmas tree to London to say thank you.

Jo: So the Norwegian Royal Family had to escape the country as the German occupation of Europe advanced. Escape.

Feifei: 逃亡。

Jo: Occupation.

Feifei: 侵占。由于法西斯德国对欧洲大陆的侵占，挪威皇室不得不逃离他们的国家。

Jo: During the five years when they were sheltered in exile here in Britain, the Norwegian resistance would send a Christmas tree every year in secret to their exiled king to remind him of his homeland.

Feifei: 在挪威皇室流亡的五年里，他们一直生活在英国，并得到了很好的保护。挪威人民为了让他们的国王不要忘记自己的祖国，在那五年里每年都会秘密的送一棵挪威的圣诞树到国王的身边。

Jo: They returned home at the end of the war, and ever since then, the Norwegian government has sent a Christmas tree to London to say thank you. And because of that this Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square is decorated in a Norwegian style.

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It is decorated in traditional Norwegian style with simple white lights – 500 energy efficient light bulbs – and a simple white star on the top.

Jo: Now looking at this tree, it’s over twenty metres high, and decorated with five hundred energy efficient light bulbs and a simple white star on the top.

Feifei: 这棵圣诞树有二十米高，上面挂着五百个装饰用的节能灯。Energy efficient light bulbs 节能灯。在树的顶端还有一颗白色的星星。

Jo: We can also see different groups of carol singers from the country are waiting to take to the stage.

Feifei: Carol singers 唱圣诞颂歌合唱团；take to the stage登台表演。

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Carol singing

Jo: These carol singers will be here every day at Trafalgar Square from 5pm to 9pm, between the 10th to 23rd December. So if you're in the area, why not come have a look and listen to the carol singers.

Feifei: 圣诞期间的特拉法加广场的确非常漂亮，如果你正好离这儿不远的话，可千万别错过了漂亮的圣诞树，对了还有美妙的歌声啊!

Jo: Join us again next time for another On the Town, and don't forget you can visit our website at www.bbcchina.com.cn. See you!

Feifei: Bye!