Lares and Penates were the Roman household gods.   They watched over the household and its members.   The Romans used to offer food to them at every meal and set aside special occasions to pay them rites.   Today we use the phrase “Lares and penates” to designate the treasured household belongings. 

[解說]

1.      “Lares and Penates were the Roman household gods”： Lares 和 Penates (皮內提斯) 是羅馬人的家神 (社稷神)。

2.      “They watched over the household and its members”：他們守護家庭以及它的成員。 “watch over”：監視、守護。

3.      “The Romans used to offer food to them at every meal”：羅馬人ㄧ向每頓飯都供奉他們食物。

4.      “and set aside special occasions to pay them rites”：而訂出特殊的節日來給他們辦儀式。 “set aside”：訂出、保留。 “occasion”：場合、時機、節日。 “pay rites”：付給儀式、給予祭拜。

5.      “Today we use the phrase ‘Lares and penates’ to designate the treasured household belongings”：今日我們用 “lares and penates” 這成語去標示家庭珍愛的所有物。 “designate”：標示、指為。 “treasured”：珍愛的、被珍視為寶物的。 

[複習填充]

Lares and Penates were the Roman h          gods.  They watched       the household and its members.  The Romans used to offer food to them      every meal and set a       special occasions to pay them r     .  Today we use the phrase “Lares and penates” to de        the treasured household belongings.

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