La Befana—Italy’s Christmas Witch▼ 義大利送禮的聖誕醜巫婆 If you are good this year, maybe you’ll get a visit from the Christmas witch. 如果你今年很乖的話，也許聖誕巫婆就會拜訪你喔。
In most countries, the Christmas season ends on New Year’s Day. For Italians, Christmas lasts a bit longer, until January 6th. That’s when a holiday called the Epiphany takes place. It’s a day to celebrate when the Three Wise Men brought gifts to honor the baby Jesus. This is also the time when Italian children receive their Christmas presents. Their gifts don’t come from Santa Claus, though. Instead, an old witch named Befana delivers them. As the story goes, Befana let the Three Wise Men stay at her home. They told her they were on the way to see baby Jesus and invited Befana to come along and give gifts to Jesus. Befana had lots of cleaning to do, so she told them she was too busy. Afterwards, she felt guilty about not going to pay her respects. So, every year she flies around on her broom and leaves presents and candy for the good children of Italy. Bad children may only get a piece of coal, to remind them to be better next year. This year, if you see a witch flying around in January, don’t worry because it’s just Befana giving Santa Claus a hand.
1. wise a. 有智慧的；明智的 The wise old professor has a lot of life experience to share with his students. 這位充滿智慧的老教授有許多人生經驗要和學生分享。
2. deliver vt. 遞送，傳送；發表 This package was delivered to me by the mailman. 這件包裹是由郵差遞送給我的。
3. afterwards adv. 隨後；之後 Drake and his son decided to go shopping first and see a movie afterwards. 德瑞克跟他兒子決定先去購物後再去看場電影。
4. feel guilty about... 對……感到愧疚 guilty a. 有愧疚感的，感到罪惡的；有罪的 There is no need to feel guilty about eating too many snacks. 不需要為了吃太多點心而感到愧疚。 Dennis felt guilty after admitting that he was no longer in love with his girlfriend. 丹尼斯在承認他不再愛他的女友之後有了罪惡感。
5. pay sb’s respects 致上某人的敬意 Roger wanted to pay his respects to his college professor by sending him a watch as a gift. 羅傑想送一只手錶給他的大學教授以示敬意。
6. broom n. 掃帚 The little girl dreamed of flying around on a broom like a witch. 這個小女孩夢想像巫婆一樣騎著掃帚到處飛。
7. coal n. 木炭；煤 In the past, people used trains to transport coal. 在過去，人們利用火車運送煤。
8. give sb a hand 幫助某人；向某人伸出援手 Glen was very thankful to the stranger for giving him a hand when he fell from his bike. 葛蘭很感謝那位在他摔下腳踏車時幫助他的陌生人。
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