每到一年一度的感恩节，网络上、电视上、朋友圈里都会充满各种谢天谢地谢所有的感谢声。
然而如果追问，恐怕没多少人能准确说出感恩节的起源。
其实感恩节不是西方的节日，而仅仅是美国的节日，是第一批美国人在到达美洲后不久创立的。
后来随着时间的推移，演变成了今天这个样子。
不管这个节日创立的初衷是什么，到现在，它成了冬天里最温暖的节日之一。
它提醒我们，要常怀感恩之心，感恩所遇，感谢爱和温暖。
那么，在这感恩的日子里，你最想对谁说声“谢谢”呢？
现在，让我们一起来了解下感恩节的历史，以及美国人是如何庆祝感恩节的。
Thanksgiving感恩节的来历：
首先，我们一起来了解下感恩节的由来：
What is Thanksgiving all about? Generally, you may know that it is a day for giving thanks and that Thanksgiving dinner consists of turkey, but what else do you know about it?感恩节是关于什么的？你可能大体知道它是用来感恩的节日，也知道节日晚餐里有火鸡，但除此之外你还知道些什么呢？
Thanksgiving (Day) n [C] & [U] 感恩节generally [ˈdʒenrəli] adv 大体上；笼统地；通常consist of 由 …… 组成turkey [ˈtɜːki] n [C] 火鸡；[U] 火鸡肉
Now, I’ll give you some information about thanksgiving.
现在，我来告诉你一些有关感恩节的事情。
Thanksgiving is a popular American holiday, which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November every year. It forms an important part of the country’s culture and marks the beginning of the holiday season, which also includes Christmas and New Year.
感恩节是一个很受欢迎的美国节日，会在每年11月的第四个星期四进行庆祝。它是美国文化的重要组成部分，标志着“节日季”的开始，“节日季”还包括圣诞节和新年。
holiday season 节日季（包括感恩节，圣诞节，新年）
The origin of Thanksgiving refers to a group of Pilgrims. In September 1620, a small ship called the Mayflower left Plymouth, England, carrying 102 passengers — a group of Pilgrims seeking a new home where they could freely practice their faith.
感恩节的起源和一伙儿清教徒有关。1620年9月，一艘名为“五月花”号的小船离开了英国的普利茅斯。船上载有一百零二名乘客，他们是清教徒，正在寻找一个新的家园，希望能在那里无拘无束地信奉自己的信仰。
refer to 与……有关；涉及Pilgrim [ˈpɪlɡrɪm] n [C] 清教徒（是指要求清除英国国教中天主教残余的改革派。源于拉丁文Purus，意为“清洁”。）carry vt 承载；输送practice vt 信奉，奉行（宗教信仰等）faith [feɪθ] n [U] 宗教信仰
After a dangerous and uncomfortable crossingthat lasted 66 days, they dropped anchor near Cape Cod. One month later, the Mayflower crossed Massachusetts Bay, where the Pilgrims began the work of establishing a village at Plymouth.
在历经了六十六天危险而又并不舒服的横渡之后，他们在科德角附近抛锚。一个月后，“五月花”号穿过了马萨诸塞湾，清教徒们开始在那里建立普利茅斯村。
crossing n [C]（海、湖或河上的）横渡anchor [ˈæŋkə(r)] n [C] 锚 drop anchor 抛锚Cape Cod 科德角（又称鳕鱼角，是美国马萨诸塞州南部的钩状半岛）
Arriving at Plymouth Colony too late to grow many crops, and lacking fresh food, the Pilgrims suffered terribly during the winter of 1620-1621. Half the people died from disease.
他们到达普利茅斯殖民地的时候太晚了，很多庄稼都无法种植，又缺少新鲜的食物，所以在1620年至1621年的冬天，他们吃尽了苦头，有一半的人死于疾病。
colony [ˈkɒləni] n [C] 殖民地too … to do sth 太……而不能做某事
The following spring, local Indians taught them how to grow corn and other crops, and helped the newcomers master hunting and fishing.
第二年春天，当地的印第安人教会了他们如何种植玉米和其他农作物，还帮助这些新来的人掌握了狩猎和打鱼的技术。
following adj（时间上）接着的newcomer n [C] 新来者
Because they harvested bountiful crops of corn, beans and pumpkins, the Pilgrims had much to be thankful for in the fall of 1621. They and their Indian benefactors held a harvest feast to express gratitude for God’s blessings.
1621年秋天，清教徒们的玉米、大麦、豆类和南瓜都获得了大丰收。他们认为在这一年，有太多需要感谢的了。于是，他们和那些印第安恩人们一起，举行了丰收的盛宴，以表达对上帝赐福的感激之情。
bountiful [ˈbaʊntɪfl] adj 大量的；巨大的be thankful for 对……表示感谢fall n [C] 秋天 (= autumn)benefactor [ˈbenɪfæktə(r)] n [C] 恩人；施主feast [fiːst] n [C] 大餐；盛宴gratitude [ˈɡrætɪtjuːd] n [U] 感激（之情）blessing [ˈblesɪŋ] n [C] & [U]（上帝的）祝福；赐福；保佑
The tradition of giving thanks has survived the centuries. Several US presidents — starting withGeorge Washington in 1789 — issued Thanksgiving proclamations, but it wasn’t until President Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 proclamationthat Thanksgiving became an annual national holiday.
感恩的传统已流传了几个世纪。从1789年的乔治·华盛顿开始，已经有好几位美国总统都发表过感恩节声明，但直到1863年亚伯拉罕·林肯总统发表的声明，才让感恩节成为一年一度的全国性节日。
survive vi 保存下来；仍然存在start with 从……开始issue [ˈɪʃuː] vt 发表；颁布proclamation [ˌprɒkləˈmeɪʃn] n [C] & [U] 公告；声明
Traditions of Thanksgiving
感恩节的传统
In many American households, the Thanksgiving celebration has lost much of its original religious significance; instead, it now centers on cooking and sharing a bountiful meal with family and friends.
在许多美国家庭中，感恩节的庆祝活动早已失去了最初的宗教意义。相反，现在它的重心转向了食物以及同亲友们享受大餐。
household [ˈhaʊshəʊld] n [C] 一家人religious [rɪˈlɪdʒəs] adj 宗教的significance [sɪɡˈnɪfɪkəns] n [U] 意义center on 把……当作重心
Turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie are staples of the Thanksgiving feast. On Thanksgiving every year, nearly 90 percent of Americans eat the turkey — whether roasted or deep-fried.
装有填料的火鸡，以及土豆泥、红薯、红莓果酱和南瓜派是感恩节大餐的主食。每年的感恩节，有近百分之九十的美国人都会吃火鸡——不管是烤的还是油炸的。
stuffing [ˈstʌfɪŋ] n [U]（烹饪前塞入鸡、甜椒等中的）填料mashed [mæʃt] adj 捣烂的cranberry [ˈkrænbəri] n [C] 小红莓；越橘sauce [sɔːs] n [C] & [U] 酱staple [ˈsteɪpl] n [C] 主食；基本食物deep-fried adj 油炸的
Each year, the president “pardons” a Thanksgiving turkey — actually two turkeys, since one is a backup in case the other decides to misbehave during the ceremony. The two turkeys, spared from the oven, live out the rest of their lives at a children’s petting zoo.
每年，总统都会“赦免”一只感恩节火鸡——实际上是两只，因为有一只是备用的，以防另一只在仪式上不听话。这两只没被放进烤箱的火鸡，会在儿童宠物园度过它们的余生。
pardon [ˈpɑːdn] vt 赦免backup [ˈbækʌp] n [C] 备用品in case 以防万一misbehave [ˌmɪsbɪˈheɪv] vi 行为不当ceremony [ˈserəməni] n [C] 典礼；仪式spare from 幸免于live out one’s life（以某种方式或在某地）终老petting zoo n [C]（允许儿童触碰动物的）爱畜动物园
Parades have also become an integral part of the holiday in cities and towns across the United States. Presented by Macy’s department store since 1924, New York City’s Thanksgiving Day parade is the largest and most famous, drawingan enormous television audience. It typically features marching bands, performers, elaborate floats conveying celebrities and giant balloons shaped like cartoon characters.
在美国各地的城镇，游行也是节日不可或缺的一部分。从1924年开始，纽约市的感恩节游行由梅西百货公司举办，是最大最著名的一个，吸引了大量的电视观众。游行通常由行进乐队、表演者、载着名人的精美花车，以及形似卡通人物的巨型气球组成。
parade [pəˈreɪd] n [C]（庆祝）游行integral [ˈɪntɪɡrəl] adj 不可缺少的present vt 主持；推出department store n [C] 百货公司draw vt 吸引；使感兴趣enormous [ɪˈnɔːməs] adj 大量的feature [ˈfiːtʃə(r)] vi & vt 以……为特色；是……的重要组成marching band n [C] 行进乐队elaborate [ɪˈlæbərət , ɪˈlæbəreɪt] adj 精心制作的float n [C] [熟词生义]（游行时用的）彩车；花车convey vt 运送；载送celebrity [səˈlebrəti] n [C] 名人；名流shaped adj 有……形状的
Volunteering is a common Thanksgiving Day activity, and communities often hold food drivesand host free dinners for the less fortunate, and millions of frozen turkeys are donated to families each year.
志愿服务是感恩节常见的活动。社区常为那些不幸的人举办食物募捐活动，还设免费的大餐招待他们。每年还有数百万只冻火鸡被捐给不同家庭。
drive n [C]（尤指有特定目的的有组织的）活动host vt 主办
Many Americans will take time to prepare and serve meals to the needy at soup kitchens, churches and homeless shelters. Anyone who shows up can enjoy hot Thanksgiving dinners.
许多美国人会花时间在施粥所、教堂和流浪汉之家为贫困的人准备并提供食物，任何到场的人都能享受到热呼呼的感恩节大餐。
needy adj 贫困的soup kitchen n [C]（救济穷人的）施粥所homeless adj 无家可归的show up 出现；露面
Others donate to food drives or participate incharity fundraisers. Hundreds of nonprofitgroups throughout the country hold Thanksgiving Day charity races called “Turkey Trots”.
其他人则会捐赠食物或参加慈善募捐活动。在感恩节那天，全国有数百个非营利性组织举办名为“火鸡跑”的慈善赛跑比赛。
participate in 参加；参与fundraiser ['fʌndˌreɪzə(r)] n [C] 募捐活动nonprofit [ˌnɒnˈprɒfɪt] adj 非营利性的Turkey Trot 火鸡跑
The Turkey Trot is a community race for runners of all ages, and is held in the morning of Thanksgiving. It’s usually about 5 kilometers in distance, and many people wear costumes to make the event more entertaining.
“火鸡跑”是一个社区性质的赛跑，适合所有年龄段的跑步者，在感恩节当天的早上举行，通常是五公里的距离。为了使比赛更有趣，许多人都穿着化妆服参加。
entertaining [ˌentəˈteɪnɪŋ] adj 有趣的
Planning a Turkey Trot is a great way to help the community burn off calories from their Thanksgiving meals. Turkey Trot organizers will donate their proceeds to local community charities after the race.
“火鸡跑”是一个帮助社区居民燃烧卡路里的好方法，这些卡路里都来自感恩节吃的大餐。在赛后，“火鸡跑”的组织者会将他们的收益捐给当地的社区慈善机构。
burn off（通过运动）消耗（体内的能量）proceeds [prəˈsiːdz , ˈprəʊsiːdz] n [复数] 收入；收益
Thanksgiving Day is also a day when people send loving messages and warm wishes to their relatives and friends. Do you have anyone to thank for this Thanksgiving? Please say your thanks and love out loud!
感恩节也是人们向亲朋好友发送爱心短信和暖心祝福的日子。这个感恩节你有要感谢的人吗？请大声说出你的感恩和爱！
检测题
THANKSGIVING DAY
阅读理解01根据短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。1. Why did the Pilgrims sail to America in 1620?A. To establish a new colony.B. To conquer the Indians there.C. To seek a new home for more food.D. To find a land of freedom for their faith.2. When did Thanksgiving become an annual national holiday?A. In 1621. B. In 1789. C. In 1863. D. In 1924.3. What do we know about New York City’s Thanksgiving Day parade?A. It is very attracting.B. It contains food drives.C. It provides free dinners.D. It is organized by volunteers.4. What is the main purpose of holding “Turkey Trots”?A. To pardon turkeys.B. To raise money for the charities.C. To entertain people in the local community.D. To make the holiday of Thanksgiving more interesting.THANKSGIVING DAY
语法填空02阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。Thanksgiving is a popular American holiday, which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November every year. The origin of Thanksgiving refers to a group of Pilgrims, who 1 (leave) England in 1620 to seek a new home where they could 2 (free) practice their faith. After 66 days, they arrived in America. But half of them died during the winter because of lacking food. The 3 (follow) spring, local Indians taught them how to hunt, fish and grow crops. In the fall, they had a harvest and they held a feast with the Indians 4 (express) gratitude for God’s blessings. The tradition of 5 (give) thanks has survived the centuries. In many American households, the Thanksgiving 6 (celebrate) centers on cooking and sharing a big meal 7 family and friends. Volunteering is a common Thanksgiving Day activity. Communities often hold food drives and host free dinners for the less fortunate. Many 8 (American) will take time to prepare and serve meals to 9 needy. Thanksgiving Day is also a day 10 people send loving messages and warm wishes to their relatives and friends.THANKSGIVING DAY
汉译英03根据括号内的提示翻译下列各句。1. 万一你需要帮助，请告诉我。(in case)________________________________________________2. 我们希望您能参加典礼。(participate in)________________________________________________ 3. 我要说的话与你们都有关系。(refer to)________________________________________________4. 我们班由二十位男生和十五位女生组成。(consist of)________________________________________________5. 我很忙，没办法赴会。(too … to)________________________________________________6. 我对他的支持非常感激。(be thankful for)________________________________________________7. 今天我们讨论的重点是环境保护。(center on)________________________________________________8. 有三百多人出席了会议。(show up)________________________________________________9. 你不能责怪别人，除非你从自身做起。(start with)________________________________________________10. 他们是星期一晚上到的，我们次日也到了那里。(following)________________________________________________滑动下方区域查看答案▼一、1. D 2. C 3. A 4. B二、1. left 2. freely 3. following 4. to express 5. giving6. celebration 7. with 8. Americans 9. the 10. when三、1. In case you should need any help, please tell me.2. We expect you to participate in the ceremony.3. What I have to say refers to all of you.4. Our consists of 20 boys and 15 girls.5. I’m too busy to come to the meeting.6. I am so thankful for his support.
