When someone mentions Oktoberfest, Germany's most famous festival, most people think of one thing—lots and lots of beer. However, this festival has a long and rich history that is rooted in Bavarian tradition. Beer is an element of today's Oktoberfest, but for the citizens of Munich, where the festival started, it will always be first and foremost a festival of culture.
　　The very first Oktoberfest was held in 1810 to celebrate the marriage between Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese von Sachen-Hildburghausen. The events of that day were quite different from those of the modern Oktoberfest because the celebration was honored with a horse race. Years later, though, the horse racing tradition was no longer the focus of the festival and new ones began. This is when the traditions of today's Oktoberfest began to take shape. In 1818, Oktoberfest was changed into a carnival-like celebration with rides, booths, games, and beer stands. Other changes that took place around this time affected the length and regularity of the festival. Munich officials decided that Oktoberfest would become an annual event without exception and that it would be extended to a 16-day event.
　　Although it was declared that Oktoberfest would happen every year without fail, it has been interrupted by hardships that shook Germany and its citizens. These include war, cholera epidemics, and financial troubles, leading to a total of 24 Oktoberfests having been canceled since its beginning. During World War I, Oktoberfest was not held at all and was later downsized to a simple autumn festival. Oktoberfest was again canceled during World War II.

1. Oktoberfest n.（德國）慕尼黑啤酒節；10 月節
2. festival n. 節日
3. focus n. 焦點
4. carnival n. 嘉年華會，狂歡節
5. ride n.（遊樂園的）乘坐裝置，遊樂設施（如旋轉木馬、雲霄飛車等）
6. booth n.（有蓬的）攤位；電話亭
7. stand n. 攤位
8. regularity n. 規律性
9. annual a. 每年的；一年一次的
10. hardship n. 困難，艱苦
11. cholera n. 霍亂
12. downsize vt. 縮小規模員

the very + N　　正是……，就是……
= just the + N注意:
a. very 作形容詞時是一種強調用法，表『正是、就是、只要是』，之前一定要有定冠詞 the, this, that 或代名詞所有格 his, your, my 等。翻譯時 very 可視情況不必譯出。
例: The very sight of a spider makes Annie scream with fear.
= Just the sight of a spider makes Annie scream with fear.
（一看見蜘蛛就會讓安妮害怕地大叫。）
b. 在嚴謹的文法中，『the very + N』之後若有形容詞子句加以修飾時，關係代名詞一定要用 that，但在現代美語中，也可用 who、whom、which，而不限於 that。
例: The very first place that/which I visited outside of my own country was Bali.
（我出國玩去的第 1 個地方就是峇里島。）

乾杯！慕尼黑啤酒節來囉!
一窺世上最大節日之一的真貌

　　提到慕尼黑啤酒節（又稱『10 月節』）這個德國最有名的節日，大部分人都會想到有很多很多的啤酒。但是，這個節日其實源自於歷史悠久且豐富的巴伐利亞區傳統。雖然現今的啤酒節都少不了啤酒，但對起源地慕尼黑當地的市民來說，啤酒節主要是文化的節慶。
第 1 個啤酒節於 1810 年舉行，是為了慶祝巴伐利亞王儲路德維希王子和王妃黛蕾瑟•撒克森西德堡豪森的婚禮。當天的節目和現代啤酒節大不相同，因為當時的慶典還安排 1 場賽馬大會作為慶祝。不過數年後，賽馬的傳統不再是節日重心，轉而開啟了新的傳統。今日的啤酒節傳統就是從這個時候開始成形。1818 年，啤酒節被改成類似嘉年華的節日，有遊樂設施、貨攤、遊戲和啤酒攤。這個時期發生的其他改變影響了節日的長短和舉辦頻率。慕尼黑官員決定，啤酒節成為每年固定舉行的活動，並延長為 16 天。
雖然宣布啤酒節一定會舉辦，但該節日仍被動搖德國和其人民的困境所中斷。戰爭、霍亂流行以及財政困頓等困境，導致啤酒節開辦至今總共停辦 24 次。第一次世界大戰時，啤酒節全面停辦，其後規模縮小成 1 個簡單的秋季節慶。第二次世界大戰期間啤酒節又再度中斷。