圣诞节

【内容提示】

圣诞节在西方如同我们中国的春节一样，是孩子们的节日。请你根据下面的提示写一篇文章，记叙孩子们在圣诞节的情况：

①12月25日是圣诞节。对于许许多多男孩和女孩们来说，圣诞节是一个非常快乐的日子。

②在有些学校里，学期结束之前，孩子们就表演一出表现耶稣是如何在马棚里诞生的，名字叫做“诞生”或“生日”的节目。

③12月24日所有的孩子们都非常兴奋。通常，父母们早早地就打发他们上床睡觉，这样父母好把礼物准备好。

④年纪比较小的孩子们想，圣诞老人可能从烟囱或者从壁炉里出来，于是他们就挂上一只袜子，以便圣诞老人把礼物放到里面。贪心的孩子甚至把枕头套或布袋挂起来，以便得到更多的礼物。

⑤圣诞节的早晨，孩子们很早就醒了。他们寻找自己的礼物，与此同时大人们忙着准备饭菜。

⑥大约在下午一点钟的时候，圣诞家宴开始。很快吃完火鸡或鸡后，孩子们就在布丁里寻找藏在里面的新硬币。

⑦家宴之后一直到夜晚，人们尽情欢乐。最快乐的一天就是这样度过的。

【作文示范】

Christmas Day

Christmas Day falls on the twenty-fifth of December. It is a very happy day for many boys and girls . Before the term ends in some schools , the children act a nativity① or “birth” play, showing how Jesus② was born in a stable③.

On the twenty-fourth of December, all children are very excited. Usually they are sent to bed early so that their parents can get the presents ready. The younger children think that Father Christmas will come down the chimney or fireplace , so they hang up a sock for him to put presents in. The greedy ones even hang up a pillow-case④ or a sack⑤ to try to get more presents. Later that night, Father or Mother will put presents in the sock, and leave others at the side of the bed.

On Christmas morning, the children wake up very early. Some even turn on the light at two o'clock, and most of them are awake by six o'clock although it is not light in England for another hour or two at this time of the year.

Children look for their presents , and the young ones play while the dinner is prepared. At about one o'clock in the afternoon, the Christmas dinner is brought in . The turkey or chicken is quickly eaten . Children search in their Christmas pudding for new coins which are hidden in it . The rest of the day is full of games and eating until the happiest of all Christmas hollidays comes to an end.

(节选自《英语学习》1985年第12期)

【词语解释】

①nativity [n+'tiviti] n.出生;诞生;(宗教)耶稣诞生

②Jesus ['dNi:z+s] n.耶稣

③stable ['steibl] n.厩;马棚;牛棚

④pillow-case ['pil+ukeis] n.枕套

⑤sack [s$k] n.袋;布袋

【写法指要】

这是一篇用一般现在时写成的记叙文，所以叫做现在记叙文(present narration)。现在记叙文适合于写经常发生的事情，比如圣诞节就是每年都要过的节日。这种记叙文一般按照人物行为情节的时间顺序安排文章结构，本文分为“圣诞前”、“圣诞夜”和“圣诞当天”三个时间顺序的行为情节。