The following story is about the reason we say 過guò 年nián （Passing Nian) for having a new year.
Our students in 5th grade will perform the play in the Lunar New Year Celebration in our Chinese school on 2/13.
We also take this opportunity to learn a whole lesson about the production of a play.
Here are the vocabularies and cast.
After this play, everyone will be on the stage to memorize to sing the 恭喜恭喜 song and say the blessing words:
祝大家恭喜發財，虎年行大運
We may have two students 楊家豪 and 楊家浚 to play the keyboard and violin for the song.
Please help the students to memorize his/her script and practice acting at home. We will have two classes to practice together before the Lunar New Year celebration. Everyone will dress in red. 廖宇捷 will need to dress something not red outside and can take it off later to show the red clothe under.
Our students are talented and motivated much more to participate in this play. Please encourage them to try their best and enjoy the process at the same time.
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The following script is translated to English. You can download the recording at the bottom of this webpage.
年獸的故事
陳曼玲老師編
旁白：很久很久以前，在某村莊 (Long time ago at some village)
場景一 Scene 1
村民一：聽說去年除夕，有一隻叫年的怪獸會出來吃人。(I heard last year New Year Eve, there was a monster called Nian would come out to eat people)
村民二：真的嗎？好可怕 (Really? It's horrible.)
村民三：明天就是除夕了，你應該會待在家裡吧？ (Tomorrow will be New Year Eve. You should stay at home, aren't you?)
村民四：我正好要去山的另一邊看我的奶奶。(I happen to need to go to the other side of the mountain to visit my grandmom.)
村民五：那真危險哪！你一定要去嗎？ (That's really dangerous. Do you have to go?)
村民四：因為我奶奶生病了，我一定得去看她。(Because my grandmom is sick, I have to go to visit her.)
村民五：那就祝你好運，希望別碰到年獸了。(Then wish you good luck. Hope you don't run into Nian monster.)
場景二 Scene 2
旁白：除夕這一天早上，在森林裡 (The morning on New Year Eve, in the forest)
年獸：我肚子好餓，嗯，好像聞到人的味道。(I am hungry. Hmm, I seem to smell people)
村民四：啊～～是年獸 (Ahhhh, it's Nian monster.)
年獸：嘿嘿，你就當我的晚餐吧！我已經一年沒有吃東西了。 (Hey, you will be my supper! I haven't eaten anything for one year.)
村民四：年獸，你要吃我可以，但是我告訴你，如果用BBQ烤的話會更好吃哦！(Nian monster, it's ok if you want to eat me. But let me tell you, I will be more tasty with Barbe Q flavor.)
年獸：真的嗎？好吧，那我就來試試看新的BBQ口味。(Really? Ok, then I will try the new Barbe Q flavor.)
村民四：那我先拿鍋子出來。（故意不小心掉到地上）(Then let me take out the cooking pot.)
年獸：哇～～吵死了，快拿走開，我最討厭敲敲打打的聲音了。(Wow, it's so noisy. Take it away now. I hate the sound of knocking and hitting.)
村民四：好吧！那我來生火。(All right! Then let me make fire.)
年獸：啊～～我最討厭紅色的火光了，快把火滅了 (Ahhh, I hate the red fire light. Put out the fire now.)
村民四：（我想到一個好點子）我還有一樣好東西可以給你。(I still have one good thing for you.)
年獸：你再耍什麼花招，我就要吃你了。(If you are making trick again, I will eat you now.)
村民四：OK（拿出爆竹，點燃）
年獸：啊～～好可怕的聲音。（逃走了）(Ahhh, how horrible sound.)
場景三 Scene 3
旁白：除夕晚上，回到村子裡 (The night on New Year Eve, back to the village)
村民三：你回來了！(You are back!)
村民四：我告訴你們，原來年獸很怕紅色和火，還有很大的聲音，所以我們趕快穿上紅色的衣服，今天晚上圍在火爐旁邊守夜。 (let me tell you. I found Nian monster hates red and fire and big noise. So let's wear red clothes and guard the night surrounding the fireplace tonight.)
場景四 Scene 4
旁白：除夕夜晚上十二點 (12 o'clock on New Year Eve night)
村民四：我們來放鞭炮把年獸嚇跑吧！ (Let's light up fireworks to scare away the Nian monster.)
大家：大家都平安吧？那就恭喜恭喜，新年快樂。 (Is everyone safe? Then congratulations and Happy New Year.)
（一起唱恭喜恭喜歌） (sing song together)
（祝大家恭喜發財，虎年行大運）(say to audience: Congratulations to everyone and wish you make a fortune. Good luck in the Tiger Year. )