20091224 The First Christmas (1)

The First Christmas

The humble birth that changed the world

About 2,000 years ago, the birth of a baby in Israel changed the world. At that time, Rome ruled the territory, and the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus declared that a census should be taken throughout the Roman world. That meant everyone had to go to their ancestral homes to reigster. A couple from Nazareth, Joseph and Mary made the three-day journey to Bethlehem to be counted. When the weary couple arrived, they searched in vain for a place to stay, but every inn was full. And to make matters worse, Mary was expecting. Finally, a kind innkeeper took pity on them and allowed them to sleep in his stable.

There, Mary gave birth to her firstborn, a son she named Jesus. She wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger. That same night in a nearby field, and angel from God appeared to some shepherds. How terrified they were! But the angel told them not to be afraid and that he had good news for all people. He told them that in Bethlehem a Savior had been born: Christ the Lord. And so the shepherds went and found Jesus just as the angel had said - the Son of God! That night, the birth of Jesus changed history and the lives of millions, allowing people to know God and the forgiveness he freely offers.


census n. 人口普查/人口調查
eg: The city took a census last year and found out that its population had doubled.

vain adj. 無用的/徒勞的
in vain 徒勞無功地(當副詞片語使用)
eg: Robert tried to get Barb to go to the dance with him, but it was in vain because she went with Sam.
eg: We tried in vain to contact George. He probably turned off his cell-phone accidentally.
eg: I apologized to Brenda in vain. She's still angry.
=> 我向Brenda道歉但是沒有用。她還是在生氣。

cloth n. 布/布料
eg: The cloth that she chose to make her dress out of was brightly colored.
eg: Since the new curtains are not ready yet, we hung some cloth to cover the windows.

cloths n. (當可數名詞)布塊/布料
eg: Jen bought new white towels and cloths for her bathroom.

terrify v. 使害怕/使驚嚇
=> 常用被動式
eg: The children were terrified of their teacher because he yelled at them all the time.
eg: The lawyer tried to terrify us with all those legal terms, but didn't succeed.
eg: I was terrified by the sight of the car accident.

stable n. 馬棚
manger n. 馬槽

//== Chat Room ==//

Mary was expecting.
=> Mary有喜了
=> 當使用expect進行式且後面沒有受詞時，此時為懷孕的意思。

The woman is expecting.
eg: The woman is pregnant 懷孕

deliver v. (正式)生產/分娩
have v. (口語)生產/分娩
eg: Where are you going to have the baby? 你要在那裡生你的小孩?

bear
bear born born
eg: The baby is born. 小孩出生了


//== Grammar on the Go ==//

throughout prep. 遍及/遍佈/從頭到尾

eg: You looked throughout the entire house but couldn't find them.
eg: It could be heard throughout the entire neighborhood.