基础英语轻松学：美国婚俗知多少
The bride（新娘） carrying a bouquet（花束） enters last with her father who will “give her away”．The groom（新郎） enters the church from a side door．When the wedding party is gathered at the altar（祭坛），the bride and the groom exchange vows（誓言）． It is traditional to use the words “To have and to hold from this day forward，for better，for worse，for richer，for poorer，in sickness and in health，to love and to cherish，till death do us part（分开）”．
Following the vows，the couple exchange rings．Wearing the wedding ring on the fourth finger of the left hand is an old custom．
婚礼结束后，新人会乘车离开。
The car in which the couple leave the church is decorated（装饰） with balloons，streamers（饰带） and shaving cream（刮须膏）．The words“Just Married”are painted on the trunk（汽车尾箱） or back window．The bride and groom run to the car under a shower（一阵……雨） of rice thrown by the wedding guests．When the couple drive away from the church，friends often chase（追逐） them in cars，honking（按喇叭） and drawing（吸引、招来） attention to them．
「读书笔记」
新娘手持一束鲜花和她的父亲最后进来，父亲要把她交给新郎。（The bride carrying a bouquet enters last with her father who will “give her away”）而新郎则要从侧门进入教堂。（The groom enters the church from a side door）当婚礼一行人聚集到教堂的祭坛前时，（When the wedding party is gathered at the altar）新娘和新郎互相表达誓言。（the bride and the groom exchange vows）
常用的结婚誓言是（It is traditional to use the words）：“从今以后，（To have and to hold from this day forward）不论境遇好坏，（for better，for worse）家境贫富，（for richer，for poorer）生病与否，（in sickness and in health）誓言相亲相爱，（to love and to cherish）至死不分离。”（till death do us part）
宣誓过后，（Following the vows）二人交换戒指。（the couple exchange rings）通常把戒指戴在左手无名指上，（Wearing the wedding ring on the fourth finger of the left hand）这是一个古老的风俗。（is an old custom）
新郎和新娘离开教堂时乘坐的汽车上装饰有气球，彩色纸带、刮须膏之类的东西。（The car in which the couple leave the church is decorated with balloons，streamers and shaving cream）“新婚燕尔”几个字常写在汽车后的行李箱上或后玻璃窗上。（The words“Just Married”are painted on the trunk or back window）新娘新郎从婚礼客人撒下的雨点般的生大米中跑向汽车。（The bride and groom run to the car under a shower of rice thrown by the wedding guests）小两口儿开车离开教堂时，（When the couple drive away from the church）朋友们常常开车追赶他们，（friends often chase them in cars）不停地按喇叭，引起他们注意。（honking and drawing attention to them）
couple（ of）可以表示两个同类的东西或人，比如：
We just need a couple more chairs so everyone can sit down.
我们还需要两把椅子，大家就都有座位了。
There's a couple of girls waiting for you outside.
有两个女孩在外面等你。
还可以表示“几个”的意思，如：
I don't know why I feel so bad, I only had a couple of drinks.
我不知道为什么这么难受，我只喝了几杯。
在文中，couple指的则是“小两口”，也可以表示未婚的情侣，举个例子：
In Venice we met a South African couple.
我们在维纳斯见到一对南非夫妇。
「语法小教室」
今天的小教室里，我们重点讲解一个常用而且意思很多的短语give away.
1、give sth. away
如果某样东西你不再需要或者别人比你更需要它，你就可以give sth. away to another person（丢掉、送人），比如：
I need to give away some of these old baby clothes.
我要把这些旧的婴儿服送人。
如果一个公司gives away something，那可不是他们在做慈善活动，而是一种促销手段，可以理解为“附赠”的意思，比如：
They're giving a plastic model skeleton away with a children's book on the body.
他们在一个塑料骨骼模型的身体里附赠了一本育儿书。
如果下次再见到某样商品写这give-away的字样，别误以为是要丢弃的，而是“赠品”。
2、give sb. away
文中的用法意思是“在婚礼上把（新娘）交给新郎”，可做这项工作的不总是父亲，也可以是家族中的其它长辈，比如下面这个人就是哥哥主持的婚礼：
She asked her eldest brother to give her away.
此外，这个短语还可以表示“泄漏”的意思，
His accent gave him away as a northerner.
他的口音让人听出他是北方人。
不过，如果中间的sb是oneself的形式，通常表示这个人做了什么错事被人发现了，有“露马脚”、“现原形”的意思，比如：
Most shoplifters gave themselves away by constantly looking around for cameras.
商店里大部分扒手都是由于不停寻找摄像机而露出马脚的。
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