每逢清明节，或其它一些死者的纪念日，人们总要为死去的人烧纸钱。纸钱的习俗早在汉代就有了，一般是将白纸剪成铜钱的形状，或抛撒于野外墓地，或焚化给死者，人们相信，纸钱就是死者在另一个世界里用的钱，多烧一些纸钱，死者在那个世界里才会有钱用，继续在另外一个世界生活。此俗一直沿习至今。
Every year on Tomb-Sweeping Day or other days that remember the deceased, people always burn paper money. This tradition has been practiced since as early as the Han Dynasty. Usually, people cut pieces of white paper into the shape of copper coins, then scatter it at outdoor cemeteries or burn it for the deceased. People believe paper money is the currency the dead will use in the other world. The more paper money they burn, the more the deceased will have and can continue to live in the other world. This tradition still exists today. 
      其实，随着科学文化知识的普及，人们已经知道这种风俗是一种迷信思想，他们烧给逝去之人的纸钱，对方是收不到、也花不了的，人们希望通过这种方式怀念死者，并且在以后的日子里能够记住他们。纸钱烧过的灰烬或者抛散的纸钱经常会被风刮的满天飞，污染环境，同时也会造成资源的浪费。因此社会正在提倡用其他方式寄托对死者的哀思，比如献鲜花、网络点蜡烛等，这样既能够缅怀先人，也能够保护环境。
In the fact, with the popularization of science and knowledge, people know it is a superstition. The deceased will neither get nor use the paper money burned. But people hope to cherish the memory of the deceased in this way and remember them. However, the ash of the scattered paper money is often blown away, polluting the environment. At the same time, it wastes resources. Thus, many in society have advocated for people to find other ways to express their grief for the departed, like presenting fresh flowers or lighting candles on the internet. This not only memorializes the deceased, but also protects the environment. 




图片来源：http://news.lnd.com.cn/htm/2010-04/02/content_1133957.htm

• tradition [trə´diʃən]   n.传统；惯例；传说   (初中英语单词)
• copper [´kɔpə]   n.铜 a.铜制的   (初中英语单词)
• currency [´kʌrənsi]   n.通货；通用；货币   (高中英语单词)
• superstition [,su:pə´stiʃən, ,sju:-]   n.迷信(行为)   (高中英语单词)
• cherish [´tʃeriʃ]   vt.珍爱；怀有(感情)   (高中英语单词)
• environment [in´vaiərənmənt]   n.郊区；周围；条件   (高中英语单词)
• dynasty [´dinəsti]   n.王朝；朝代   (英语四级单词)
• lighting [´laitiŋ]   n.照明，发光   (英语四级单词)
• practiced [´præktist]   a.经验丰富的；熟练的   (英语六级单词)
• departed [di´pɑ:tid]   a.已往的；已故的   (英语六级单词)