英語聽力小短文走遍全世界63: 感恩節(jié)的由來

英語聽力原文：

Thanksgiving Day is the most truly American of the national holidays in the United States and is most closely connected with the earliest history of the country.

感恩節(jié)是美國國定假日中最地道、最美國式的節(jié)日，而且它和早期美國歷史最為密切相關。

In 1620, the settlers, or Pilgrims, they saild to America on the May flower, seeking a place where they could have freedom of worship. After a two-month voyage they landed at an icy November, what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts.

1620年，一些朝圣者(或稱為清教徒)乘坐“五月花”號船去美國尋求宗教自由。他們在海上航行了兩個月之后，終于在酷寒的十一月里，在現(xiàn)在的馬薩諸塞州的普里茅斯登陸。

During their first winter, over half to the settlers died of starvation or epidemics. Those who survived began sowing in the first spring. All summer long they waited for the harvests with great anxiety, knowing that their lives and the future existence of the colony depended on the coming harvest.

在第一個冬天，半數(shù)以上的移民都死于饑餓和傳染病，活下來的人們在第一個春季開始播種。整個夏天他們都熱切地盼望著豐收的到來，他們深知自己的生存以及殖民地的存在與否都將取決于即將到來的收成。

Finally the fields produced a yield rich beyond expectations. And therefore it was decided that a day of thanksgiving to the Lord be fixed. Years later, President of the United States proclaimed the fourth Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day every year. The celebration of Thanksgiving Day has been observed on that date until today.

后來，莊稼獲得了意外的豐收，所以大家決定要選一個日子來感謝上帝的恩典。多年以后，美國總統(tǒng)宣布每年十一月的第四個星期四為感恩節(jié)。感恩節(jié)慶?；顒颖愣ㄔ谶@一天，直到今天。

The pattern of the Thanksgiving celebration has never changed through the years. The big family dinner is planned months ahead. On the dinner table, people will find apples, oranges, chestnuts, walnuts and grapes. There will be plum pudding, mince pie, other varieties of food and cranberry juice and squash. The best and most attractive among them are roast turkey and pumpkin pie. They have been the most traditional and favorite food on Thanksgiving Day throughout the years.

感恩節(jié)慶祝模式許多年來從未改變。豐盛的家宴早在幾個月之前就開始著手準備。人們在餐桌上可以吃到蘋果、橘子、栗子、胡桃和葡萄，還有葡萄干布丁、碎肉餡餅、各種其他食物以及紅梅苔汁和鮮果汁，其中最妙和最吸引人的大菜是烤火雞和南瓜餡餅，這些菜一直是感恩節(jié)中最富于傳統(tǒng)意義和最受人喜愛的食品。

Thanksgiving today is, in every sense, a national annual holiday on which Americans of all faiths and backgrounds join in to express their thanks for the year's bounty and reverently ask for continued blessings.

今天的感恩節(jié)是一個不折不扣的國定假日。在這一天，具有各種信仰和各種背景的美國人，共同為他們一年來所受到的上蒼的恩典表示感謝，虔誠地祈求上帝繼續(xù)賜福。

英語詞匯整理：

1. worship n. 崇拜，崇敬

eg: He deserves all the praise and worship.

他值得我們一切的贊美和崇拜。

相關短語：

worship as 把……崇拜為……

worship at 拜謁……

worship by hymns 唱贊美歌做禮拜

freedom of worship 信仰自由

2. voyage vi. 航海，航行

eg: They planned to voyage across the Pacific Ocean.

他們計劃做穿越太平洋的旅行。

相關短語：

on the voyage 在航行中

voyage from...to 從……至……的航行

voyage to 到……航行

3. epidemic n. 流行病;傳染病

eg: A flu epidemic is sweeping through Moscow.

一場流感正席卷莫斯科。

相關短語：

control an epidemic 控制流行病

touch off an epidemic 引發(fā)流行病

an epidemic of 盛行……

4. proclaim vt. 宣告，宣布

eg: The government proclaimed a state of emergency.

政府宣布全國進入緊急狀態(tài)。

相關短語：

proclaim to 向某人宣布......

proclaim the birth of sb 宣布某人的誕生

5. celebration n. 慶祝(會);慶典

eg: Preparations for a big celebration were under way.

盛大慶祝的準備工作正在進行中。

相關短語：

in celebration of 為慶祝……

6. chestnut n. 栗子;栗色;栗樹

eg: The chestnut trees were breaking into green.

栗樹一下就綠了。

7. walnut n. 胡桃木;胡桃

eg: Are there walnuts in this sauce?

這種調(diào)味汁里面有胡桃嗎?

相關短語：

over the walnuts and the wine [戲謔語]在吃甜食的時候，在飯后的談話中

walnut kernel 核桃仁

black walnut 黑胡桃;黑胡桃木

walnut oil 核桃油;胡桃油

walnut shell 胡桃殼

8. mince n. 切碎物

eg: Perhaps I'll buy lean meat and mince it myself.

也許我會買點瘦肉自己絞。

相關短語：

mince up 把……切碎

mince words/ mince matters/ mince the matter) [常用于否定句]婉轉地說，說話婉轉，半吞半吐地講

not mince matters 坦率地說，直言不諱地說，直截了當?shù)卣f，老實不客氣地說

9. squash n. 南瓜

eg: I grow corn, tomatoes, potatoes and squash.

我種玉米、西紅市、土豆和南瓜。

相關短語：

go to squash 被壓碎，被壓爛，被毀掉

summer squash 西葫蘆;矮性南瓜

winter squash 冬南瓜;印度南瓜

squash court 壁球場，壁球室

10. reverently adv. 虔誠地;恭敬地;尊敬地

eg: Drop on to their knees reverently.

虔誠地屈膝下跪。

佳句采摘：

Thanksgiving today is, in every sense, a national annual holiday on which Americans of all faiths and backgrounds join in to express their thanks for the year's bounty and reverently ask for continued blessings.

今天的感恩節(jié)是一個不折不扣的國定假日。在這一天，具有各種信仰和各種背景的美國人，共同為他們一年來所受到的上蒼的恩典表示感謝，虔誠地祈求上帝繼續(xù)賜福。