L: Hello again, and welcome back to Britain under the microscope. 欢迎回到闲话英伦。Hello Alan.
A: Hello everybody.
L: So, what's our topic today.
A: Now, we're coming into November, and in Britain it's quite a famous festival that's about to take place. To remember this festival we always say the same nursery rhymes: "Remember, remember, the fifth of November, gunpowder, treason and plot. I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot."
L: I learned that at school, but I unfortunately have forgotten all about it. So we are going to talk about that particular festival. What is it called again?
A: This is called Guy Fawkes Night.
L: Guy Fawkes Night. Guy Fawkes is a name. 盖·福克斯之夜。
A: Or we can also call it Bonfire Night.
L: Bonfire是篝火，篝火之夜，也有人叫烟火之夜。On November the fifth it's pretty big holiday in the UK.
A: Well, it's not actually a holiday because people don't get a day off work. But it's a day in which people set off fireworks and light bonfires to commemorate the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.
L: So this is a special date linked with historical events.
A: Yeah.
L: 更多是一个历史性，一个特殊的庆典。Gunpowder Plot. Plot is when people were doing something evil, they have an evil plan. Gunpowder Plot. 火药阴谋 in 1605, so let's hear from Alan what was that about.
A: So the Gunpowder Plot comes from the conflicts between Catholics and Protestants.
L: So this is a religious struggle. Catholics 是天主教，Protestants 是新教。And back then the king in England was Protestant.
A: Yeah, the new king, King James the first did not like Catholics, he was persecuting lots of Catholics.
L: He's trying to punish them.
A: So in revenge, Guy Fawkes and other Catholic noblemen plotted to blow up the houses of parliament to kill the king, his family and the entire English government.
L: Houses of parliament is that famous building in London?
A: Yeah.
L: 英国的国会大厦。And then they were trying to blow up to use bombs, explosives. 要炸掉国会大厦，这样一个阴谋。
A: This is because in November, we have the opening of parliament. It's when the King or queen comes to parliament and makes a speech. It's a very important occasion.
L: That's why they were plotting.
A: So the nights before the opening of the parliament, Guy Fawkes was discovered by soldiers in the cellars of the houses of the parliament with barrels of gunpowder.
L: So underneath of the parliament, he was trying to set off. He was trying to ignite the explosives.
A: So, Guy Fawkes was arrested, he was tortured as well.
L: 严刑拷打。
A: And then he was executed in front of a large audience for being a traitor.
L: A traitor is someone who betrays his own country. Obviously he was trying to murder the King, and the entire royal family.
A: Yeah, so this is what he was punished for. He was a traitor and he was committing treason.
L: So how do English people nowadays think of that? Do they still think of that as a traitor's plot failed?
A: It's more now an excuse to let off fireworks.
L: It's not as historical.
A: No, it's more of a tradition and it's just an excuse for us to have a little bit of a party. So we go to big firework displays in the UK. There's big public events in parks.
L: So you have big firework displays almost like on New Year's Eve or 4th of July in the united states.
A: Yeah, so people set off fireworks in their garden sometimes as well, but the government prefers if you go to big events in the parks.
L: By the way, is that legal to buy fireworks and set them off in the UK?
A: It is, during that time, Yeah.
L: Any other celebrations, any other ways? What do kids do? Kids must love this kind of fireworks, bonfires.
A: Yeah absolutely. I remember when I was a kid, I used go to the public events because all the local councils would try to outdo the other by putting on a bigger, and better display.

L: Each area has their own fireworks display.
A: Yeah, and then people would then … because it's quite cold, it's November, so then people would go to a pub afterwards for a drink.
L: Sounds less of a historical rememberance, more of er… just a celebration and an excuse to celebrate.
A: Oh, it's the same of most celebrations nowadays, isn't it?
L: I believe children also do something quite specific on this night.
A: Yes, it's a tradition that children would make a figure of Guy Fawkes.
L: Like a doll.
A: Yeah, so dress in old clothes and then go around streets collecting money and they would cry out "a penny for the Guy."
L: 孩子会做盖·佛克斯，当时这个叛国者的一个人偶，and then they would go around saying "penny for the Guy", asking for money.
A: Yeah, and then would use that money to buy fireworks and at the end of the evening the figures are burnt on a bonfire.
L: So the doll, Guy Fawkes was burned on a bonfire. That just signifying that the plot didn't work.
A: And also when Guy Fawkes was executed, his body was burned as well.
L: Quite graphic for kids.
A: Yeah, it's quite graphic. I won't go into how he was executed but if you are interested you are more than welcome to look online.
L: I don't think it will be pretty because he was seen as a traitor. So do kids still do that burning Guy Fawkes on the bonfire?
A: Sometimes in villages, less so in the cities.
L: Guess so, so in the end let's look at some of the expressions relating to explosions and gunpowder, which is something that you don't really get to learn in class.
A: So the first one we are gonna look at is "to drop a bombshell."
L: "To drop a bombshell" "a bombshell" 丢一颗炸弹，let me guess. "To drop a bombshell" is it that you tell someone something really shocking.
A: Yeah, so it's like a bomb is exploded and everyone is shocked when you tell this piece of news or you say something.
L: For example, you said "I quit my job two weeks ago" if it's a big thing then people would say "I can't believe you just came in and dropped a bombshell."
A: Yeah, and you can also say the expression "blow up in your face."
L: "To blow up" "blow up" means to explode in your face, what does that mean?
A: So "blow up in your face" is when you do something, but it doesn't work and it affects you in a negative way.
L: Something essentially like an epic fail.
A: Yeah.
L: Something you planned that didn't work out.
A: And it affected you negatively.
L: And sometimes I also heard people say "she or he is a loose cannon" Cannon 就是大炮，也是一种炮。"Loose cannon", if we say someone is a loose cannon, what does that mean?
A: It's somebody that is not easy to control, you don't know what they're going to do next.
L: So they are sort of like a wild card.
A: Yeah.
L: "loose cannon", suppose "a loose cannon" is something that you can't control, they can destroy everything.
A: Yeah, absolutely.
L: OK, so what is your plan since you are not in the UK right now?
A: Well, I live in Beijing, so it's quite difficult to set off fireworks on the fifth November.
L: Are you going to watch online some of the fireworks displays?
A: Probably not, because it's not the same as actually being there. It's not the same as being in the park or experiencing it with your friends or family.
L: Yeah, if you're travelling to London around this period, maybe you could just catch some of the amazing fireworks.
A: Absolutely.
L: So, if you have any comments, any related experiences to share, let us know in the comment section. I will see you next time. Bye.
A: Bye.

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