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Part 1 The History of Thanksgiving in the USA 感恩節(jié)的來歷
The Thanksgiving holiday celebrated each November in the United States is known worldwide as an American custom. And Thanksgiving and gratitude have marked important milestones in American life for hundreds of years.
The first Americans observed rituals and ceremonies to express gratitude to a higher power for life itself. A Seneca Indian ritual, for example, states, "Our Creator ... Shall continue to dwell above the sky, and this is where those on the earth will end their thanksgiving." Another quotation attributed to American Indians before Columbus is, "The plant has its nourishment from the earth and its limbs go up this way, in praise of its Maker ... like the limbs of a tree."
The Pilgrims' First Harvest Feast
The Pilgrims who sailed to this country aboard the Mayflower were originally members of the English Separatist Church (a Puritan sect). They had earlier fled their home in England and sailed to Holland (The Netherlands) to escape religious persecution. There, they enjoyed more religious tolerance, but they eventually became disenchanted with the Dutch way of life, thinking it ungodly. Seeking a better life, the Separatists negotiated with a London stock company to finance a pilgrimage to America. Most of those making the trip aboard the Mayflower were non-Separatists, but were hired to protect the company's interests. Only about one-third of the original colonists were Separatists.
The Pilgrims set ground at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620. Their first winter was devastating. At the beginning of the following fall, they had lost 46 of the original 102 who sailed on the Mayflower. But the harvest of 1621 was a bountiful one. And the remaining colonists decided to celebrate with a feast -- including 91 Indians who had helped the Pilgrims survive their first year. The Pilgrims did have a feast in 1621 near Plymouth, Massachusetts, after their first harvest. This is the feast people often refer to as "The First Thanksgiving." This feast was never repeated, so it can't be called the start of a tradition, nor did the colonists or Pilgrims call it a Thanksgiving Feast. In fact, to these devoutly religious people, a day of thanksgiving was a day of prayer and fasting.
Nevertheless, the 1621 feast has become a model for the Thanksgiving celebration in the United States. More than likely, this first harvest feast was eaten outside, based on the fact that the colonists didn't have a building large enough to accommodate all the people who came. Native Americans definitely were among the invited guests, and it's possible, even probable, that turkey, roasted but not stuffed, and pumpkin in some form found their way to the table. The feast went on for three days, included 90 "Indians," as Native Americans were called then, and had plentiful food. In addition to the venison provided by the Native Americans, there was enough wild fowl to supply the village for a week. The fowl included ducks, geese, turkeys and even swans.
New World With Many Cultural Influences
In addition to thanksgiving traditions brought to North America by settlers from many parts of the world, some authorities link the American thanksgiving with the ancient Jewish observance of Sukkot in the fall, which expresses thanks to God for the bounty of the earth.
Indeed, all the major world religions—including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam—have rituals, observances and liturgies that express thanks and gratitude to a higher power for the gift of life and its wonders. Regardless of the origin of the American Thanksgiving holiday, the following brief timeline shows its development.
Timeline of American Thanksgiving Holiday
In 1541, during Coronado's expedition a Eucharistic thanksgiving, with the friendly Teya Indians present, occurred in Palo Duro Canyon in West Texas.
Pilgrims and Native Americans enjoyed a harvest feast in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621. This feast may have become the model for today's American celebration.
Settlers and colonists from many continents brought customs of days of prayer and thanksgiving, especially in New England, where the first Thanksgiving of the Massachusetts Bay Colony was observed on July 8, 1630.
The first Thanksgiving of the new United States of America occurred in 1777 when General George Washington and his army, as instructed by the Continental Congress, stopped in bitter weather in the open fields on their way to Valley Forge to mark the occasion.
Washington's first proclamation after his inauguration as the nation's first president in 1789 declared November 26, 1789, as a national day of "thanksgiving and prayer." And the annual presidential thanksgiving proclamations ceased for 45 years in the early 1800s.
President Abraham Lincoln resumed the tradition in 1863.
On November 26, 1941 President Roosevelt signed the bill establishing the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day. Because two years out of every seven have five Thursdays in November, some states for the next 15 years celebrated on their own on the last Thursday. Since 1956, the fourth Thursday in November has been observed by every state.
In 1976, the 200th birthday year of America, the Chapel of Thanksgiving was consecrated. President Ford referred to it as "a major national shrine," and later President George Bush noted that it is "a symbol and a home for America's most beloved tradition."
The National Thanksgiving Commission was inaugurated at Valley Forge in 1977, where 200 years earlier General George Washington celebrated the first national Thanksgiving with his troops. Former President Ford became the Commission's honorary president, and Lady Bird Johnson, the former First Lady, became honorary vice president. Former Ambassador Armstrong is president of the commission.
Former Ambassador to Britain and Cabinet member Anne Armstrong asked President Ronald Reagan in 1981 to place the National Day of Prayer on its original spring date, which had been neglected for nearly two centuries.
The first Thursday in May has been the official day ever since, reviving the ancient "spring prayer and fall Thanksgiving" cycle of the Continental Congress. Congress unanimously confirmed the historic date in 1988.
Since 1981, a National Day of Prayer breakfast has been held in Dallas each May under the auspices of the National Thanksgiving Commission and Thanks-Giving Square.
The Wall of Presidents at Thanks-Giving Square
The Wall of Presidents at Thanks-Giving Square honors words expressed about Thanksgiving by American presidents over the past two centuries. Set in a grove of sweet gum trees in the Meditation Garden at Thanks-Giving Square, the Wall of Presidents was dedicated in November 1991 by President George Bush. The wall features quotes from Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Bush.
In dedicating the wall President Bush declared, "The Home of American Thanksgiving is dedicated in the name of presidents past, present and future." The dove that serves as the centerpiece of the exhibit was personally designed by George Washington and patterned after Noah's Dove of Thanksgiving. Washington used the dove design in the weathervane placed on the roof of his beloved home, Mount Vernon.
感恩節(jié)的由來要一直追溯到美國歷史的發(fā)端。1620年，著名的“五月花”號船滿載不堪忍受英國國內(nèi)宗教迫害的清教徒102人到達美洲。1620年和1621年之交的冬天，他們遇到了難以想象的困難，處在饑寒交迫之中，冬天過去時，活下來的移民只有50來人。這時，心地善良的印第安人給移民送來了生活必需品，還特地派人教他們怎樣狩獵、捕魚和種植玉米、南瓜。在印第安人的幫助下，移民們終于獲得了豐收，在歡慶豐收的日子，按照宗教傳統(tǒng)習(xí)俗，移民規(guī)定了感謝上帝的日子，并決定為感謝印第安人的真誠幫助，邀請他們一同慶祝節(jié)日。
在第一個感恩節(jié)的這一天，印第安人和移民歡聚一堂，他們在黎明時鳴放禮炮，列隊走進一間用作教堂的屋子，虔誠地向上帝表達謝意，然后點起篝火舉行盛大宴會。第二天和第三天又舉行了摔交、賽跑、唱歌、跳舞等活動。第一個感恩節(jié)非常成功。其中許多慶祝方式流傳了300多年，一直保留到今天。
初時感恩節(jié)沒有固定日期，由各州臨時決定，直到美國獨立后，感恩節(jié)才成為全國性的節(jié)日。 1863年，美國總統(tǒng)林肯正式宣布感恩節(jié)為國定假日。屆時，家家團聚，舉國同慶，其盛大、熱烈的情形，不亞于中國人過春節(jié)。
Part 2 Thanksgiving Celebrations 慶祝感恩節(jié)
In 1621, after a hard and devastating first year in the New World the Pilgrim's fall harvest was very successful and plentiful. There was corn, fruits, vegetables, along with fish which was packed in salt, and meat that was smoke cured over fires. They found they had enough food to put away for the winter. The custom of an annually celebrated thanksgiving, held after the harvest, continued through the years.
Many Americans think of Thanksgiving as a wonderful time to celebrate getting out of school for a long weekend, and eating a great dinner. Or, maybe they think it is the start of the Christmas holiday season.
Harvest festivals and thanksgiving celebrations were also held by the ancient Greeks, the Romans, tthe Chinese, and the Egyptians.
The Greeks
The ancient Greeks worshipped many gods and goddesses. Their goddess of corn (actually all grains) was Demeter who was honored at the festival of Thesmosphoria held each autumn.
On the first day of the festival married women (possibility connecting childbearing and the raising of crops) would build leafy shelters and furnish them with couches made with plants. On the second day they fasted. On the third day a feast was held and offerings to the goddess Demeter were made - gifts of seed corn, cakes, fruit, and pigs. It was hoped that Demeter's gratitude would grant them a good harvest.
The Romans
The Romans also celebrated a harvest festival called Cerelia, which honored Ceres their goddess of corn ,from which the word cereal comes. The festival was held each year on October 4th and offerings of the first fruits of the harvest and pigs were offered to Ceres. Their celebration included music, parades, games and sports and a thanksgiving feast.
The Chinese
The ancient Chinese celebrated their harvest festival, Chung Ch'ui, with the full moon that fell on the 15th day of the 8th month. This day was considered the birthday of the moon and special "moon cakes", round and yellow like the moon, would be baked. Each cake was stamped with the picture of a rabbit - as it was a rabbit, not a man, which the Chinese saw on the face of the moon.
The families ate a thanksgiving meal and feasted on roasted pig, harvested fruits and the "moon cakes". It was believed that during the 3 day festival flowers would fall from the moon and those who saw them would be rewarded with good fortune.
The Egyptians
The ancient Egyptians celebrated their harvest festival in honor of Min, their god of vegetation and fertility. The festival was held in the springtime, the Egyptian's harvest season.
Canada
Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated on the second Monday in October. Observance of the day began in 1879.
每逢感恩節(jié)這一天，美國舉國上下熱鬧非常。城鄉(xiāng)市鎮(zhèn)到處舉行化裝游行、戲劇表演和體育比賽等，學(xué)校和商店也都按規(guī)定放假體息。孩子們還模仿當(dāng)年印第安人的模樣穿上離奇古怪的服裝，畫上臉譜或戴上面具到街上唱歌、吹喇叭。當(dāng)天教堂里的人也格外多，按習(xí)俗人們在這里都要做感恩祈禱。美國人從小就習(xí)慣獨立生活，各奔東西。而在感恩節(jié)。他們總是力爭從天南海北歸來，一家人團團圍坐在一起，大嚼美味火雞，暢談往事，這怎不使人感到分外親切、溫暖。
感恩節(jié)宴會后，人們有時會做些傳統(tǒng)游戲，比如南瓜賽跑是比賽者用一把小勺推著南瓜跑，規(guī)則是不能用手碰南瓜，先到終點者獲勝。比賽用的勺子越小，游戲就越有意思。
多少年來，慶祝感恩節(jié)的習(xí)俗代代相傳，無論在巖石嶙峋的西海岸還是在風(fēng)光旖旎的夏威夷，人們幾乎在以同樣的方式歡度感恩節(jié)，感恩節(jié)是不論何種信仰、何種民族的美國人都慶祝的傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日。
加拿大感恩節(jié)與美國不同日，加拿大感恩節(jié)是在十月八日。我們在這里介紹了古代希臘、羅馬、中國是怎樣慶祝感恩節(jié)的，大家可以參考上面的英文部分。
Part 3 A Thanksgiving Party 感恩節(jié)聚會
Dialogue Script 1 對話原文 1
Sam: Wow, looks like we made it just in time. It's packed in there.
Jenny: Yeah, people always buy out the stores before the big holidays.
Sam: Here're the turkeys. How big of a bird did you want to get?
Jenny: Well, we've got about ten people coming to dinner. So the bigger, the better.
Sam: All right, this one;s the biggest. Are we ready to check out?
Jenny: Not so fast, big guy. We haven't even started! I need everything on the list.
Sam: Uh, can I wait in the car?
(Hours later)
Sam: Jenny, this is the fifth store we've been to!
Jenny: I know, but I have to get just the right ingredients. Otherwise, things will taste wrong.
Sam: Do you always make such a big deal out of Thanksgiving?
Jenny: No, in fact, this will be my first turkey dinner. But the idea behind the holiday is a good one.
Sam: You mean about the Indians and the Pilgrims helping one another?
Jenny: Hah! No, not really. But the whole idea of giving thanks, for the things you have, the people who have helped you...
講解：
1. 對話中，Jenny 和Sam在為感恩節(jié)大餐購物。他們來到了商店之后呢，發(fā)現(xiàn)人非常的多。 Sam說looks like we made it just in time. It's packed in there. 這里，make it，表示“趕上”，那么we made it just in time，就是“我們來得正是時候”。make it，還可以表示“做成某事，成功”，例如：Come on, you can make it! 來吧，你一定能成功。
2. packed，這里表示“擁擠的”。動詞pack是收拾行李的意思，也就是把東西都擠在箱子里，那packed 表示“擁擠的”就很形象。每逢有重大的節(jié)日，人們都會買很多過節(jié)用的東西，包括食品，服裝等等，很多商店都被搶購一空。Jenny說people always buy out the stores before the big holidays. 這里buy out就是把商店的東西買光，搶購一空的意思。big holidays，就是像Thanksgiving， Christmas這樣全國性的重大節(jié)日。
3. Sam和Jenny想買一只火雞，也就是turkey，想要多大的火雞呢？How big of a bird did you want to get? bird，這里指“家禽”，尤指雞或火雞，用作食物，例如：Put the bird in the oven. 把雞放到烤箱里。bird作為俚語還指“人”，尤指奇怪或非凡的人物，比如說，He is a sly old bird. 他是個老滑頭。關(guān)于bird還有一個成語，就是Kill 2 birds with one stone，一舉兩得，一箭雙雕。
4. Jenny說因為差不多有10個人來吃飯，所以火雞越大越好，So the bigger, the better. 兩個形容詞的比較級形式放在一起來用，表示“越…，就越…”，但是不要忘了在比較級形式前加上定冠詞the，例如：The more, the better. 越多越好，多多益善。The more you speak, the more mistakes you'll make. 說的越多，錯的越多。
5. Sam挑了一只最大的火雞，問Jenny現(xiàn)在可不可以去結(jié)賬了。在商店里結(jié)賬，用check out。Jenny說還差得遠呢，東西還沒有買全。big guy，這里是指Sam。Sam耐煩了，說Can I wait in the car?我能在車里等嗎？看來Jenny也是一個購物狂啊。
6. 是呀，轉(zhuǎn)眼幾個小時過去了，他們已經(jīng)來到了第五家商店，this is the fifth store we've been to! 看來Sam已經(jīng)累的不行了。但是Jenny堅持說，I have to get just the right ingredients. Otherwise, things will taste wrong. 我一定要買到正確的材料，要不然，做出來的東西味道就不對了。
7. ingredient，（烹調(diào)的）配料。taste這個詞可以當(dāng)系動詞用，表示“嘗起來…味道….”，例如：It tastes good/ bad. 味道很好/不好。還可以跟like連用，表示“嘗起來有…的味道”，It tastes like soap.吃起來味道跟肥皂一樣。smell這個詞也可以這樣用，例如：It smells good/bad.好聞。/不好聞。
8. Sam問Do you always make such a big deal out of Thanksgiving? 你總是為感恩節(jié)這樣大費周張嗎？make a big deal out of something，小題大作。big deal在口語中表示“重要的事情”。比如說：It's no big deal. 這沒有什么大不了的。
9. Jenny說實際上這是她做的第一頓感恩節(jié)大餐，這里的turkey dinner就是指“感恩節(jié)大餐”，因為turkey是感恩節(jié)菜譜中的主菜。But the idea behind the holiday is a good one. 但是節(jié)日背后的概念不錯。那這個idea是指什么呢？
10. Jenny解釋說the whole idea of giving thanks, for the things you have, the people who have helped you...這個概念就是為你所擁有的東西表示感謝，向那些幫助過你的人表達謝意。
