Minor Cold, or Xiao Hanin Chinese, is the 23rd of China’s 24 solar terms. It marks the coldest time of the year.

小寒，中国传统二十四节气中的第23个节气，标志着一年中最冷的时候到了。

The average temperature across North China has fallen below freezing, with some areas expected to reach lows of -40°C.

中国北方的平均气温降至冰点以下，部分地区最低气温将达到零下40摄氏度。

A Chinese proverb describes the days after Minor Cold as the “three phenological phenomena” —first, the wild geese set off for the north, second, the magpies start building nests, third, the pheasants start to sing and mate.

中国谚语将小寒后的物候变化描述为“三候”：—— 一候，雁北乡；二候，鹊始巢；三候，雉始鸲。

Spring Born Of The Deep Freeze

极寒中孕育着新春

Though the coldest days are here, spring is just around the corner. For Chinese people, this period marks the start of preparations for the year's most important festival—the Spring Festival.

尽管此时气温极低，但春天即将来临。对于中国人来说，小寒意味着开始为一年中最重要的节日——春节做准备。

Laba

腊八

LabaFestival, which falls on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, is a traditional Chinese time to give thanks for the harvest and the blessings of ancestors and deities. Although customs vary by region—with specialties like Laba garlic, tofu, or noodles—theLabaporridge, a rich congee made from grains and beans, is the festive staple enjoyed by families across the country on this day.

腊八节，农历腊月初八，是中国感谢丰收、祭祀祖先和神明的传统节日。尽管各地习俗不同——例如腌腊八蒜、制作腊八豆腐或腊八面，但用由谷物和豆类熬制成的丰盛的腊八粥，才是全国家家户户在这天享用的节日主食。

The porridge is traditionally made with a varied selection of eight to eighteen ingredients, such as rice, peanuts, red beans, lotus seeds, green beans, jujube, longan and yam. It can be enjoyed sweet, often with sugar, or savory with a pinch of salt.

传统做法中，腊八粥由8到18种原料制成，比如大米、花生、红豆、莲子、绿豆、大枣、桂圆、山药。腊八粥可以加糖吃，也可以加少许盐吃。

With roots tracing back to the Song Dynasty,Labaporridge gained popularity across all levels of society—from the imperial court and local governments to temples and ordinary households. In Henan Province, it is known as “Union Food,” a name that honors the national hero Yue Fei.

腊八粥的历史可以追溯到宋朝，从宫廷、官府、寺庙到普通家庭，腊八粥都很受欢迎。在河南，腊八粥又被叫作“大家饭”，这个名字是为了纪念民族英雄岳飞。

Glutinous Rice

糯米饭

A tradition in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, is to enjoy a special glutinous rice dish on Minor Cold morning. This staple is made with a precise blend of 60% glutinous and 40% regular rice. To enhance its flavor, savory Cantoneselawei, along with peanuts, are finely chopped and folded into the rice during stir-frying.

广东广州有个传统，就是在小寒的早上享用一道特殊的糯米饭。这道主食由六成的糯米和四成的普通大米精确混合而成。为了提升风味，人们会在炒制过程中，把切碎的广式腊味和花生拌入米饭中。

Why let the cold keep us indoors? Shelley's timeless question offers the perfect response: “If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?”

为何要让寒冷把我们困在室内？雪莱那句永恒的诘问给出了完美的回答：“如果冬天来了，春天还会远吗?”

话题词汇

solar term 节气

lunar year 太阴年

proverbn 谚语

phenologicaladj 物候学的

phenomena n现象（phenomenon的复数）

around the corner 即将来临

specialty /ˈspeʃəlti/n 特产

custom /ˈkʌstəm/ n 习俗

festive /ˈfestɪv/ adj 节日的

staple /ˈsteɪpl/n 主食

ingredient /ɪnˈɡriːdiənt/n（尤指烹饪）材料

trace back to 追溯到

popularity /ˌpɑːpjuˈlærəti/ n 普及；受欢迎

root /ruːt/ n 起源

imperial /ɪmˈpɪriəl/ adj 皇帝的

enhance/ɪnˈhæns/v 提高

savory /ˈseɪvəri/ adj 美味的

timeless /ˈtaɪmləs/ adj 永不过时的

precise /prɪˈsaɪs/ adj 精确的

pheasant /ˈfeznt/ n 雉

deity /ˈdeɪəti/ n 神

pinch /pɪntʃ/ n 一撮

glutinous /ˈɡluːtənəs/ adj 黏的

blend /blend/ n 混合物

“新要点英语”系列

该系列图书由《高考英语阅读高效突破》《高考英语听说高效突破（北京版）》《高中英语语法高效突破》《高中英语读后续写高效实练》《高中英语写作高效突破》五册组成，全面覆盖高中英语听、说、读、写四项基本技能。每本书都针对高中英语的一个重要技能进行深入讲解，并提供了针对不同题型的备考策略干货和全真模拟练习，不仅有助于高效提升学生的英语水平和应试能力，而且能够培养学生的思维能力和创新能力，为学生的未来发展打下坚实的基础。

《高考总复习全效新方略》

《高考总复习全效新方略》是依据新课标编写，按照话题分类，提高学生阅读和写作能力的高考总复习用书。本书瞄准新高考，将词汇、语法、阅读、写作，按照三大主题语境分门别类，让所学即所考，构建网络化、结构化的知识体系，让零散的知识系统化，将知识转化为能力。