20.On that chilly Christmas Eve in 1914 many of the German forces sang Silent Night（平安夜）, its haunting melody(久久回荡的音符) inching across the line.

21. That carol(颂歌) is still much-loved today, a legacy(遗产) of the Christmas truce, and a reminder to us all that even in the unlikeliest of places hope can still be found.

22. A very happy Christmas to you all.

Tasks:

1. What does the queen mainly want to convey to the audience through the speech?

2. To make her opinions convincing and persuasive, what examples are listed in the

speech?

3. Write down the meanings of the underlined words and phrases without referring to the dictionary.

第二篇：20xx英国女王圣诞致辞

The Queen's Christmas Broadcast 2011

25日下午3时，英国女王伊丽莎白二世在圣诞节发表了一年一度的圣诞致辞。

伊丽莎白二世在致辞中强调了家庭的重要性，她说，在艰难时代人们总是能从家庭获得力量，在逆境中获得友谊，在危机中团结互助。

伊丽莎白二世表示，对于许多人来说，今年圣诞都不太好过，但家庭、朋友与社会总是我们获得勇气的源泉。 In this past year my family and I have been inspired by the courage and hope we have seen in somany ways in Britain, in the Commonwealth and around the world. We’ve seen that it’s in hardshipthat we often find strength from our families; it’s in adversity that new friendships are sometimesformed; and it’s in a crisis that communities break down barriers and bind together to help oneanother.

Families, friends and communities often find a source of courage rising up from within. Indeed,sadly, it seems that it is tragedy that often draws out the most and the best from the human spirit.

When Prince Philip and I visited Australia this year we saw for ourselves the effects of naturaldisaster in some of the areas devastated by floods, where in January so many people lost their livesand their livelihoods. We were moved by the way families and local communities held together tosupport each other.

Prince William travelled to New Zealand and Australia in the aftermath of earthquakes, cyclones andfloods and saw how communities rose up to rescue the injured, comfort the bereaved and rebuildthe cities and towns devastated by nature.

The Prince of Wales also saw first hand the remarkable resilience of the human spirit after tragedystruck in a Welsh mining community, and how communities can work together to support theirneighbours.

This past year has also seen some memorable and historic visits – to Ireland and from America. The spirit of friendship so evident in both these nations can fill us all with hope. Relationships thatyears ago were once so strained have through sorrow and forgiveness blossomed into long termfriendship. It is through this lens of history that we should view the conflicts of today, and so giveus hope for tomorrow.

Of course, family does not necessarily mean blood relatives but often a description of acommunity, organisation or nation. The Commonwealth is a family of 53 nations, all with acommon bond, shared beliefs, mutual values and goals.

It is this which makes the Commonwealth a family of people in the truest sense, at ease with eachother, enjoying its shared history and ready and willing to support its members in the direst ofcircumstances. They have always looked to the future, with a sense of camaraderie, warmth andmutual respect while still maintaining their individualism.

The importance of family has, of course, come home to Prince Philip and me personally this yearwith the marriages of two of our grandchildren, each in their own way a celebration of the God-given love that binds a family together.

For many this Christmas will not be easy. With our armed forces deployed around the world,thousands of service families face Christmas without their loved ones at home. The bereaved andthe lonely will find it especially hard. And, as we all know, the world is going through difficult times.All this will affect our celebration of this great Christian festival.

Finding hope in adversity is one of the themes of Christmas. Jesus was born into a world full of fear.The angels came to frightened shepherds with hope in their voices: ‘Fear not’, they urged, ‘webring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the Cityof David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord.’

Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes needsaving from ourselves – from our recklessness or our greed. God sent into the world a uniqueperson – neither a philosopher nor a general (important though they are) – but a Saviour, with thepower to forgive.

Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith. It can heal broken families, it can restorefriendships and it can reconcile divided communities. It is in forgiveness that we feel the power ofGod’s love.

In the last verse of this beautiful carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem, there’s a prayer:

O Holy Child of Bethlehem Descend to us we pray Cast out our sin And enter in

Be born in us today

It is my prayer that on this Christmas day we might all find room in our lives for the message of theangels and for the love of God through Christ our Lord.

I wish you all a very happy Christmas.