A Short History of the Weekend
Before 1800, many people spent one day a week at church [1]at church: 在教堂；做礼拜. In England, people called it a “holy day”. On that day, they rested and prayed.
In the early 1800s [2]in the early 1800s: 在十九世纪初, Sunday was the “holy day”. However [3]however: US: [haʊˈevər] UK: [haʊˈevə(r)] adv. 然而；不过；无论如何；不管怎样 , many workers played games and had fun [4]have fun: 玩得开心 on that day. And then they felt too tired to work [5]too … to …： 太……而不能……. on Monday mornings. In the USA, workers called them “blue Mondays”.
To solve [6]solve: US: [sɑlv] UK: [sɒlv] v. 解决；处理；解答；破解 the problem of “blue Mondays”, the English made Sunday afternoon a holiday in 1874. At one o’clock, everyone stopped working [7]stop doing sth. : 停止做某事. This was the beginning of the idea of the weekend in England. By 1930 [8]by 1930 : 到1930年, most American offices were closed [9]closed: 英 [kləʊzd]美 [kloʊzd] adj. … 继续阅读 on Saturday afternoons. By 1940, offices and factories [10]factory: US: [ˈfækt(ə)ri] UK: [ˈfæktri] n. 工厂；制造厂 in the USA were closed all day [11]all day: 整天 on Saturdays, and the two-day weekend began.
Word Bank
| ↑1 | at church: 在教堂；做礼拜 |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | in the early 1800s: 在十九世纪初 |
| ↑3 | however: US: [haʊˈevər] UK: [haʊˈevə(r)] adv. 然而；不过；无论如何；不管怎样 |
| ↑4 | have fun: 玩得开心 |
| ↑5 | too … to …： 太……而不能…… |
| ↑6 | solve: US: [sɑlv] UK: [sɒlv] v. 解决；处理；解答；破解 |
| ↑7 | stop doing sth. : 停止做某事 |
| ↑8 | by 1930 : 到1930年 |
| ↑9 | closed: 英 [kləʊzd]美 [kloʊzd] adj. 关着的，闭合的；闭关自守的，不愿接受新思想的；（部件、成员或答案的数量）有限定的，固定的；（商家）（尤指短时间）歇业的； |
| ↑10 | factory: US: [ˈfækt(ə)ri] UK: [ˈfæktri] n. 工厂；制造厂 |
| ↑11 | all day: 整天 |
