新年前夜,找个地方去过节!

Countries around the world will be ringing in the New Year soon with fireworks， festivals， friends and parties. It is an exciting time and a holiday that knows no nationality. Everyone loves ringing in the New Year！ It’s a fun night that kicks out the old and brings in the new. For those still looking for places to go and want the best of the best， here are some places to go around the world on New Year’s Eve：

世界各国很快就会敲响新年的钟声，随之而来的还有烟花焰火、节日庆典、亲朋同聚以及庆祝派对。这是一个万众欢腾的时刻，一个不分国界的节日。人人都热爱那响彻新年的钟声！在这个快乐的夜晚，我们辞旧迎新。对于那些依然在寻觅着新年好去处、希望找到最佳地点的人来说，以下就是世界上一些欢度新年前夜的胜地：

Sydney is the first major city in the world to greet the New Year （sorry New Zealand， you aren’t as big！）， and they know how to do it right with the largest fireworks 3）celebrations in the world. You can witness absolutely 4）stunning fireworks over the famous Sydney Harbor Bridge from many 5）vantage points around the harbor， but the best views come from a boat in the 6）harbor. After the celebrations， the city stays up pretty late.

悉尼是全世界第一个迎接新年的大城市（对不起，新西兰，你们国家太小了！），当地人可清楚如何欢度佳节呢――这里会举行全世界最大型的烟花庆祝活动。著名的悉尼海港大桥上会燃放美不胜收的焰火，你可以在海港周边的有利位置尽情观赏，不过，泛舟海上才能看到最佳景观。庆祝活动结束之后，整个城市依然彻夜不眠。

Times Square注1 has been a 1）focal

point of New Year’s activity for more than a hundred years. Millions crowd into the square to watch the famous ball drop. If you want to be at Times Square， dress warm and arrive early―people start gathering around 3PM on New Year’s Eve. The 2）festivities continue after midnight with remarkable fireworks around the city and lots of late night drinking at local bars and clubs.

一百多年以来，时报广场一直是新年活动的焦点所在。数百万人涌向广场观看落球仪式。如果你也想成为其中的一份子，可要穿得暖和一些，还要早点到场――在新年前夕的下午三点左右，人们就开始在广场聚集了。午夜过后，各种庆祝活动会继续举行，市内各地都会燃放盛大的焰火，各家酒吧和俱乐部里还有不少深夜酒会呢。

Paris has great festivities―from high class dining to fantastic fireworks to 7）champagne on the Champs-Elysees注2， which is the place to be for New Year’s Eve in Paris. Around 9PM， people gather along the famous street and start to count down to the New Year. Around midnight here， you can watch the Eiffel Tower’s light show. Montmartre注3 is another fantastic place to ring in the New Year， as it’s 8）elevated and has 9）spectacular views of the entire Paris skyline. While Paris doesn’t typically have a fireworks show， there are still great parties， and many people light off fireworks from the Champs-Elysees.

巴黎有各种精彩的庆祝活动――从高档盛宴到璀璨烟花，到香榭丽舍大道（新年前夕的必到之地）上的美味香槟酒。晚上九点左右，人们走上这条著名的大街，开始新年倒数。午夜时分，你可以在这里欣赏到埃菲尔铁塔的灯光秀。蒙马特高地也是迎接新年的一个好地方，因为这里的地势比较高，能够将整个巴黎天际线的美景尽收眼底。尽管巴黎通常没有焰火晚会，但这里依然有各种盛大的派对，许多人还会在香榭丽舍大道上放烟花呢。

What better way to ring in the New Year than to be the first person to do it？ This spot in the Pacific is officially the first place in the world to see the New Year. It’s like going into the future！ Tourism here has picked up in recent years as the locals have tried to 10）capitalize on that interesting fact. And regardless of the fact， what better way to spend the New Year than on an island in the South Pacific？ The next day you can 11）nurse your 12）hangover on a beautiful white sand beach with crystal clear， warm blue water.

成为第一个敲响新年钟声的人――还有比这更好的新年敲钟方式吗？全世界第一个迎接新年的地方，其正式位置处在太平洋上。那感觉就像踏入未来似的！近年来，当地人开始利用这一有趣事实发展本土旅游业。即使撇开这一点，有什么过节方式比得上在一个南太平洋的小岛上欢度新年呢？第二天，你还可以在美丽的白沙滩上用清澈透底、温暖宜人的碧蓝海水好好治疗你的宿醉哦。

If you want to start celebrating early， head to Tokyo， where the celebration starts on the 29th of December. Here， you also have a chance to 13）prolong your New Years celebration up to January 4th. Even though most of the major tourist sites are closed， the streets of Tokyo， as well as all restaurants and clubs， are packed with people. The city is jumping with loads of fireworks， dancing， and singing. On January 1st， the Imperial Palace注4 also opens to the public.

如果你想早点开始庆祝，那就去东京吧――那里从12月29日就开始庆祝新年了，你还可以将庆祝活动延长到1月4日呢。尽管大部分主要旅游景点都会关门，但东京的大街小巷以及饭店酒馆可是人满为患哦。整个城市欢腾雀跃，到处烟花盛放，人们劲歌热舞。在1月1日，皇居也会向公众开放。

In Iceland， New Year’s Eve traditions offer the chance to brighten up one of the darkest days of the year. With little more than four hours of daylight and sunset before 4PM on December 31st， the celebration starts early， beginning at 6PM at Reykjavik Cathedral. Locals attend or listen in on the radio， then share a meal with family and friends before heading outdoors for neighborhood bonfires. Visitors 14）wandering the city may easily come across one of these flame-fueled gatherings， where drinking， folk songs and even people dressed up as 15）elves and trolls注5 are not uncommon. By the way， Icelanders love fireworks！ Sometimes the Northern Lights get in on the act as well.

冰岛的新年前夜习俗让人们有机会点亮一年当中最黑暗的日子。12月31日的白昼时间仅为四小时，下午四点前太阳就下山了，于是庆祝活动也早早开锣，晚上六点就在雷克雅未克大教堂举行。当地人会到场观礼或者通过电台收听，接着与亲朋好友共享大餐，然后出门参加附近的篝火晚会。在城中闲逛的游客很容易就会遇到这种有火焰助兴的聚会――到处洋溢着美酒与民谣，还经常可以看见有人打扮成精灵以及巨魔的模样。顺带一提，冰岛人可喜欢烟花了！有时连北极光也会过来助兴呢。

Throughout Greece， tradition plays a great role in New Year’s celebrations. But since you can only be in one place at a time， I 16）recommend heading for the 17）medieval district of Rhodes Town on the island of Rhodes. In this historic setting， you can witness activities such as New Year’s 18）carols or card games， the latter an opportunity for locals to 19）enhance their luck for the upcoming year. Luck， in fact， plays a significant role in ringing in the New Year. The first person， usually a child， who steps foot over your doorstep on New Year’s Day will determine the year’s luck， and in most households， a vasilopita cake注6 is prepared with a coin inside―the person who gets the piece with the coin will have good luck all year long. On New Year’s Day， enjoy a 20）ritual usually practiced on Christmas in other places around the world， as St. Basil （the Greek Santa Claus） delivers holiday gifts.

纵观整个希腊，传统习俗在当地的新年庆祝活动当中发挥着相当重要的作用。不过，鉴于你每次只能去一个地方，我的建议是罗德岛上的中世纪老区――罗德镇。你可以在这个历史悠久的环境里观看各色活动，例如新年颂歌或者桥牌游戏，后者让当地人在来年更加好运。事实上，“好运”正是（当地）迎新活动的重要部分。在新年当天，第一个跨过你家门槛的人（通常是小孩）将会决定你在这一年的运势。大多数家庭会制作新年蛋糕，里面藏着一个硬币――分到藏有硬币那一块饼的人在接下来的一整年都会非常幸运。在元旦那一天，你还可以体验到一个其他地方通常在圣诞才有的风俗：圣巴西略（希腊版圣诞老人）要派发节日礼物咯。

No matter where you are in the world， this holiday is about celebrating with friends and family. Wherever they are will be the best place to celebrate. Who wants to spend such a great day with strangers？ Paris， New York， a jungle， the beach， your home―it doesn’t matter. As long as you are with those you like and love， it will be the best New Year’s party in the world.

无论你身处世界哪个角落，这个节日的意义就是和亲朋好友一起庆祝。他们在哪里，哪里就是最好的过节胜地。谁会想和一群陌生人度过这么重要的一天呢？无论是巴黎还是纽约，无论是丛林还是海滩――就算安坐家中也没有关系。只要与自己喜欢的人在一起，你的新年派对就一定是全世界最棒的！

短语ring in一般有两种用法：

1）（英式英语）给办公室或电台等打电话，如：

Jane has rung in to say

she’ll be late today.（简来电话说她今天要晚一点到。）

2）特别用在 ring in the new year当中，专指教堂鸣钟迎来新年。反义词是ring out，表示教堂鸣钟辞别旧岁。