Red carpets were traditionally used for welcoming royalty and heads of state, though these days they are often used for celebrity events. The earliest reference to a 'red carpet' in this sense was is in a play by the Greek dramatist Aeschylus in 458 BC.
红地毯一直是迎接皇室或国家领导时的必备品，现在也广泛用于各种名人聚会的场合。最早提到“红地毯”这个概念的是希腊剧作家埃斯库罗斯在公元前458年写的一个剧本。
A 500-metre-long red carpet in Wellington, New Zealand, for the premiere of the movie The Hobbit. Photo: Reuters
今日小常识
今日短语
To roll out the red carpet 铺上红地毯的意思就是隆重热烈欢迎某人，给予最高待遇。
例句
When my in-laws came to stay we really rolled out the red carpet. We made a full roast dinner and had some fine Colombian wine.
Tom rolled out the red carpet for his girlfriend on her birthday. He bought her a beautiful necklace and made her a Thai curry with fresh spices.
When the new clients come next week let's roll out the red carpet. Why not take them to that amazing five-star burrito restaurant?
请注意
另一个短语 to sweep something under the carpet 把什么东西扫到地毯下面, 意思就是逃避或者想隐瞒什么问题。
If you make a mistake don't just sweep it under the carpet. It's always better to admit it.
