首先我们可以告诉孩子们,龙是一种想象的动物。在高端英语第二年的卡片上,就有这么一句话:A dragon is an imaginary creature.
我给二宝输入这句英文 或者,你还可以说:龙完全是人们想象的,并非自然界真实存在的动物:The dragon is completely imagined by people and does not exist in nature. 其次,我们需要了解,在中国封建社会,龙一直是皇帝和皇权的象征。凡是皇帝用的东西都会冠上一个“龙”字。他们垄断龙纹,只许自己使用。
In feudal society in China,dragons always symbolize the emperor and his power. Everything used by the emperors would be called the thing of the dragon. They allowed nobody but themselves to use the dragon design.
现在已经没有皇帝了,普通人也可以穿印有龙的图案的衣服。所以现在龙就成了吉祥物(mascot)或者吉祥符号(a sign of good luck)。 因为龙是吉祥的象征(an auspicious sign),所以逢年过节经常可以看到舞龙的队伍。 龙除了是吉祥的象征,还是力量、朝气,更是中华民族的象征。The dragon represents good luck,power,vitality,as well as the Chinese nation. 最后要和大家分享的是龙在西方的象征:西方的龙身形巨大,口吐烈火,背上还有两片大翅膀,被认为是邪恶的魔兽。
With a huge body and two large wings on its back,the Western dragon,able to spit raging fire,is regarded as an evil monster.