200座炮城齊發
Welcome to the Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival. Every year on the 14th and 15th days of the Lunar New Year, the Yanshui district of Tainan launches millions of fireworks directly into the eager crowds of people who gather there.
歡迎來到鹽水蜂炮節。每年在農曆新年初十四和十五，台南鹽水區都會對聚集在當地的興奮群眾們釋放數百萬發煙火。
launch(v.)發射
Thousands wear motorcycle helmets, thick gloves and other protective gear, take a swig or two of liquid courage, and then huddle together on the streets waiting to be bombarded by “beehives” of explosives.
數千人戴著安全帽、厚手套和其他防護裝置，喝一兩口酒壯膽，聚集在街上等著被「蜂炮」轟炸。
protective(adj.)保護的gear(n.)(從事某活動的)裝備;用具;衣服take a swig of~大口喝下…酒liquid courage酒後之勇=Dutch couragebombard(v.)連續轟炸explosive(n.)炸藥;爆炸物
The “beehives” are in fact launching platforms packed with miniature rockets. Some contain as many as 600,000 individual fireworks.
「蜂炮」事實上是排滿了沖天炮的炮台，有些最多填入60萬支沖天炮。
launching platforms 發射平台;炮台be packed with~填滿…;裝滿…
They are called beehives because once the platform is lit, the thousands of firecrackers simultaneously shoot out and screamed through the air, much like a swarm of bees bursting from a nest.
被取名為「蜂炮」是因為一旦炮台被點燃，就會有數千支鞭炮同時飛射出來，在空中呼嘯而過，就像是蜜蜂從蜂窩裡面蜂湧而出。
light(v.)點燃simultaneously(adv.)同時=at the same timeburst(v.)迸發;衝出
Instead of running for cover, excited spectators dance and stomp around, letting their backsides take hits from the projectiles.
興奮的觀眾們不會尋求掩護，反而會跳來跳去、四處跺腳，用背部接受鞭炮的襲擊。
instead of~而是…run for cover找掩護projectile(n.)發射物(尤指子彈、炮彈等)
Why would one do this, you ask? Well, because it is considered lucky to be struck by a rocket at the festival.
你問為什麼他們要這麼做？嗯，因為人們認為被鞭炮打到象徵著好運。
strike-struck-struck打;襲擊
According to local legend, the origins of the festival date back to the late 19th century.
根據當地傳說，鹽水蜂炮的起源可追溯自19世紀晚期。
date back to~追溯自…=go back to~=be traced back to~
At that time, Yanshui was one of the most significant maritime towns in Taiwan, and the residents were combating a cholera and plague epidemic.
當時，鹽水是重要的沿海城鎮，村中霍亂和瘟疫肆虐。
maritime(adj.)航海的;沿海的cholera(n.)霍亂plague(n.)瘟疫epidemic(n.)(疾病的)流行、傳染
The locals wanted to invoke the god of war, Guan Gong, to ward off the diseases.
當地人想求助於戰神關公驅趕疾病。
invoke(v.)求助於(神明)ward off 避開;驅趕
Guan Gong told a local shaman that he wanted to be greeted with fireworks, so the locals set off firecrackers along the road to invite him to the town.
關公告訴乩童要有炮竹歡迎他，所以當地人就沿路燃放炮竹迎接關公到鎮上。
shaman(n.)巫師;乩童
Then the epidemic miraculously subsided. It is believed that the sulfur in the fireworks killed the bacteria, and the loud noise scared away the rats that carried the plague.
接著疫情奇蹟似地消退了，當地人相信是鞭炮中的硫黃殺光了病菌，巨大的聲響嚇跑了身帶瘟疫的鼠輩。
miraculously(adv.)奇蹟似地subside(v.)消退;平息下來It is believed that…據信;一般認為…sulfur(n.)硫;硫磺
This year’s Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival will take place on March 1 and 2.
今年的鹽水蜂炮節將於三月1日、2日登場。
There will be more than 200 launching platforms, including special ones that are in the shape of a motorcycle and a children’s favorite — South Korean cartoon character Robocar Poli’s fire truck Roy.
屆時將有超過200座炮台，包括許多特殊造型炮城，像摩托車炮城、羅伊消防車造型炮城等。
Robocar Poli救援小英雄波力