托福备考之双语阅读：“五一”劳动节范文

2016-04-28 09:16

来源：新东方

作者：新东方

　　Labor Day， the first Monday in September， is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength， prosperity， and well-being of our country.

　　Founder of Labor Day

　　More than 100 years after the first Labor Day observance， there is still some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday for workers.

　　Some records show that Peter J. McGuire， general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor， was first in suggesting a day to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold."

　　But Peter McGuire"s place in Labor Day history has not gone unchallenged. Many believe that Matthew Maguire， a machinist， not Peter McGuire， founded the holiday. Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire， later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson， N.J.， proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. What is clear is that the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic.

　　The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday， September 5， 1882， in New York City， in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later， on September 5,1883.

　　In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday， as originally proposed， and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen"s holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations， and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.

　　Labor’s Day is on May 1st. Labor’s Day is an international day for workers. Working is glorious， and we should respect workers. The Labor’s Day is workers’ holiday and workers can enjoy themselves to their heart’s content. Many people choose to travel. And some others will go to the cinema. Some will go to parks. And others will stay at home.

　　五一的由来

　　五一国际劳动节简称五一节，在每年的5月1日。它是全世界劳动人民的共同节日。关于“五一节的由来”是这样的：

　　此节源于美国芝加哥的工人大罢工。1886年5月1日，芝加哥的20 多万工人为争取实行八小时工作制而举行大罢工，经过艰苦的流血斗争，终于获得了胜利。为纪念这次工人运动，1889年7月14日五一节，由各国马克思主义者召集的社会主义者代表大会，在法国巴黎隆重开幕。大会上，与会代表一致同意：把5月1日定为国际无产阶级的共同节日。这一决议得到世界各国工人的积极响应。1890年5月1日，欧美各国的工人阶级率先走上街头，举行盛大的示威游行与集会，争取合法权益。从此，每逢这一天世界各国的劳动人民都要集会、游行，以示庆祝。

　　中国人民庆祝劳动节的活动可追溯至1918 年。是年，一些革命的知识分子在上海、苏州等地向群众散发介绍“五一”的传单。1920年5月1日，北京、上海、广州等城市的工人群众走上街头举行了声势浩大的游行、集会。新中国成立后，我国于1949 年12月将“五一”定为法定的劳动节。

　　1921年“五一”前夕，在北京的共产主义小组成员邓中夏等人创办的长辛店劳动补习学校里，工人们学唱《五一纪念歌》。其歌词是：“美哉自由，世界明星，拼吾热血，为他牺牲五一节，要把强权制度一切扫除净，记取五月一日之良辰。红旗飞舞，走光明路，各尽所能劳动节放假几天，各取所需，不分贫富贵贱，责任唯互助，愿大家努力齐进取。”这首雄壮有力的歌，是由长辛店劳动实习学校的教员和北京大学的进步学生共同创编而成的。