雕成人面的南瓜灯
Jack-o'-Lantern: Why Is It Named 'Jack'?
Words in This Story
lantern– n. a usually portable lamp with a protective covering灯笼；提灯；灯笼式天窗
decorate– v. to make (something) more attractive usually by putting something on it装饰；布置；授勋给
pumpkin patch– n. a small piece or area of land where this usually large round orange fruit of a vine related to the squash and cucumber that is used for food or decoration grows : a patch is often different from what is around it小南瓜，南瓜园，南瓜地
candle– n. wax that has been formed into a stick or another shape and has a string in the middle that can be burned蜡烛；烛光；烛形物
slimy– adj. having a wet, slippery feel or look黏滑的；泥泞的；谄媚的，虚伪的
heaven– n. the place where God lives and where good people go after they die according to some religions天堂；天空；极乐
hell– n. the place where the devil lives and where evil people go after they die according to some religions地狱；究竟（作加强语气词）；训斥；黑暗势力
wander– v. to move about without a fixed course, aim, or goal游荡，漫游
carve– v. to cut (something, such as a pattern or design) into a surface雕刻；切开；开创
costume– n. the clothes that are worn by someone (such as an actor) who is trying to look like a different person or thing服装，装束；戏装，剧装
One of the most well-known signs of Halloween is thejack-o'-lantern(雕成人面的南瓜灯). You can findjack-o'-lanternson the front steps of countless American homes on October 31, Halloween night.
Decorating a pumpkin for the holiday can be a lot of fun, especially for children. Many people buy a pumpkin from a store or from a realpumpkin patch（南瓜园，南瓜地）on a farm.
Making ajack-o'-lanterntakes time and at least one good, sharp knife. So, make sure you have plenty of both. This is why children do this activity with someone older.
First, cut off the stem, or top of the pumpkin. But don't throw it out. You will need it later to finish thejack-o'-lantern. Now, reach your hands inside the pumpkin and remove everything inside. And yes -- it will feel slimy.
Next, make a picture of a face or something else on the skin, or rind, of the pumpkin. Then, carefully cut along the lines of your artwork.
Finally, put a candle or some other lighting inside to light up the design you have cut. And there! You have turned a pumpkin into ajack-o'-lantern.
Now, you might have a few questions. For example, why does the termjack-o'-lanternhave a man's name -- "Jack?"
Merriam-Webster's（韦氏词典）online dictionary gives one explanation. It says people in England began using the term in the 17th-century. It meant "a man with a lantern" or a night watchman.
At that time, people living in England reportedly called a man they did not know "Jack." So, an unknown man carrying a lantern was sometimes called "Jack with the lantern" or "Jack of the lantern."
Your next question might be: But what does this have to do with Halloween?
Merriam-WebsterandEncyclopedia Britannica（大英百科全书）both say the term "jack-o'-lantern" comes from a very old Irish story about a man namedStingy Jack（小气鬼杰克）.
As the story goes, he trickedthe Devil（魔鬼）to get money. When Jack died, God refused to let him go to heaven. Andthe Devil, still angry about being tricked, did not allow Jack to go to hell either.
So, Jack's punishment was to wander the earth forever. His soul was stuck. And like most spirits trapped on Earth, he probably spent most of his time trying to frighten humans. At least, that's what I imagine trapped souls would do.
To protect themselves and frighten away Jack's wandering soul, people in Ireland would carve scary faces on turnips. I suspect that turnips were a common root vegetable at the time.
When Irish families moved to the United States, they brought this tradition with them. These immigrants began carvingjack-o'-lanternsfrom pumpkins, which were more common than turnips in their new home.
Halloween is based on the Celtic celebration from ancient times. It marked the end of summer. It was believed that during this time of the year, the souls of those who had died that year would return to visit their homes.
Encyclopedia Britannicagoes on to explain that in the 8th century, the Roman Catholic Church moved All Saints' Day, a religious day, to November 1. This meant thatAll Hallows' Eve（万圣节前夜）, or Halloween, fell on October 31.
Traditions from the old Celtic celebration remained, such as wearing costumes to hide yourself from the souls of the dead and carvingjack-o'-lanterns.
Today, people who celebrate Halloween continue to do both!
Jack-o'-lantern中文意思为：雕成人面的南瓜灯， 例如：
The Irish name for these lanterns was "jack with the lantern" or "jack of the lantern," abbreviated as "jack-o '-lantern" and now spelled "jack-o-lantern."
这种灯笼的爱尔兰名字是“拿灯笼的杰克”或者“杰克的灯笼”，缩写为jack - o ' – lantern， 现在拼写为jack - o - lantern。
He spends the summer watching it grow and grow and grow... until it's finally the perfect size for a Halloweenjack-o '-lantern.
他用了整整一个夏天来观察南瓜的生长，它长啊、长啊……一直长到可以用它来做万圣节的“杰克灯”那么大。
（图片源自网络）
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