Once upon a time, long long ago, there was a man-eating monster called “Nian”. This beast lived deep in the ocean. It would sleep every day of the year, except on the last day of the Lunar Year, when the cold winter months would turn into Spring.

很久很久以前，有一个吃人的怪物叫“年”。这头野兽住在海底。它一年到头都在睡觉，除了在阴历的最后一天，寒冷的冬季将变成春天的时候。

Nian would come on land to attack, and eat whatever it could find and whatever lay in its path. This was the night that everyone lived in terror!

年兽会来到陆地上，攻击并吃掉它能找到的任何东西。这个夜晚每个人都生活在恐惧之中！

Year after year Nian returned, as this was a beast that was far too powerful for anyone to take on or defeat. Many had tried and all had perished. On New Year’s eve, all the villagers would take their loved ones, old and young, deep into the mountains to take shelter from the beast.

年复一年，年兽都会回来，因为野兽很强大，任何人都无法战胜它。许多人尝试过，但都失败了。除夕之夜，所有的村民都会带着他们的亲人，无论老幼，深入到深山里躲避野兽。

One year on that night, a traveller came to town, looking for food and shelter. Everyone, with the exception of an old lady, was far too busy packing to pay him any kindness or offer him a simple plate of dumpling or a place to sleep. After his meal, the passerby was touched by the old lady’s generosity and decided to bestow a long hidden secret of how to be rid of the New Year beast.

有一年的晚上，一位旅者来到城里，寻找食物和住所。每个人都忙着收拾行李，无暇顾及旅者。只有一位老妇人对旅者表达了善意，她给旅者提供了一盘简单的饺子和一个睡觉的地方。饭后，这位旅者被老妇人的慷慨感动，决定告诉一个如何摆脱新年怪兽的方法。

That evening when Nian arrived at their village, all the houses were dark, except the one in which the old woman lived. As Nian saw the light, it licked its lips with anticipation and approached the house.

当天晚上，当年兽来到他们的村子时，所有的房子都是黑的，除了那个老妇人住的房子。当年兽看到亮光时，它满怀期待地舔了舔嘴唇，走近房子。

Suddenly, it was greeted with deafening noises of firecrackers  sounding endlessly. The monster was frightened and startled.

突然，迎接它的是震耳欲聋，一直在响的鞭炮声，怪物吓了一跳。

Next, the beast saw that the house was covered in red paper.

接着，野兽看到房子被红纸盖着。

That scared Nian even more ,and it took off running back into the ocean.

这更吓坏了年兽，它逃回了回了海里。

When the villagers returned ,they saw that the old woman was unharmed! Everyone was eager to learn what she did to survive Nian.

当村民们回来时，他们看到老妇人安然无恙! 每个人都很想知道她是怎么躲避年兽活下来的。

The old woman told the villagers that Nian was afraid of loud noises and the color red.

老妇人告诉村民，年兽害怕噪音和红色。

The next year, the villagers stayed up all night, lit firecrackers, lit red lanterns all around their houses pasted red paper on their walls and doors, wore red clothing danced to loud music, and banged loud gongs and drums.

第二年，村民们通宵达旦，燃放鞭炮，在他们的房子周围点亮红灯笼，把红纸贴在墙上和门上，穿着红色的衣服，随着响亮的音乐跳舞，敲锣打鼓。

That year and every year since, Nian has never returned. This eventually became a tradition and the way to celebrate Chinese New Year.

从那以后，“年”再也没有来过，而村民们每年的活动最终成为了一种传统和庆祝中国新年的方式。

重点词句：

1. monster 怪物

2. beast 野兽

3. dark 黑暗

4. light 光，点亮

5. villager 村民

6. drum 鼓，敲鼓

1.As Nian saw the light , it licked its lips with anticipation and approached the house.

当年兽看到亮光时，它满怀期待地舔了舔嘴唇，走近房子。

2. Everyone was eager to learn what she did to survive Nian.

每个人都很想知道她是怎么躲避年兽活下来的。