英语听力小短文走遍全世界63: 感恩节的由来
英语听力原文：
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.
感恩节是美国国定假日中最地道、最美国式的节日，而且它和早期美国历史最为密切相关。
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(或称为清教徒)乘坐“五月花”号船去美国寻求宗教自由。他们在海上航行了两个月之后，终于在酷寒的十一月里，在现在的马萨诸塞州的普里茅斯登陆。
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.
在第一个冬天，半数以上的移民都死于饥饿和传染病，活下来的人们在第一个春季开始播种。整个夏天他们都热切地盼望着丰收的到来，他们深知自己的生存以及殖民地的存在与否都将取决于即将到来的收成。
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.
后来，庄稼获得了意外的丰收，所以大家决定要选一个日子来感谢上帝的恩典。多年以后，美国总统宣布每年十一月的第四个星期四为感恩节。感恩节庆祝活动便定在这一天，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.
感恩节庆祝模式许多年来从未改变。丰盛的家宴早在几个月之前就开始着手准备。人们在餐桌上可以吃到苹果、橘子、栗子、胡桃和葡萄，还有葡萄干布丁、碎肉馅饼、各种其他食物以及红梅苔汁和鲜果汁，其中最妙和最吸引人的大菜是烤火鸡和南瓜馅饼，这些菜一直是感恩节中最富于传统意义和最受人喜爱的食品。
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.
今天的感恩节是一个不折不扣的国定假日。在这一天，具有各种信仰和各种背景的美国人，共同为他们一年来所受到的上苍的恩典表示感谢，虔诚地祈求上帝继续赐福。
英语词汇整理：
1. worship n. 崇拜，崇敬
eg: He deserves all the praise and worship.
他值得我们一切的赞美和崇拜。
相关短语：
worship as 把……崇拜为……
worship at 拜谒……
worship by hymns 唱赞美歌做礼拜
freedom of worship 信仰自由
2. voyage vi. 航海，航行
eg: They planned to voyage across the Pacific Ocean.
他们计划做穿越太平洋的旅行。
相关短语：
on the voyage 在航行中
voyage from...to 从……至……的航行
voyage to 到……航行
3. epidemic n. 流行病;传染病
eg: A flu epidemic is sweeping through Moscow.
一场流感正席卷莫斯科。
相关短语：
control an epidemic 控制流行病
touch off an epidemic 引发流行病
an epidemic of 盛行……
4. proclaim vt. 宣告，宣布
eg: The government proclaimed a state of emergency.
政府宣布全国进入紧急状态。
相关短语：
proclaim to 向某人宣布......
proclaim the birth of sb 宣布某人的诞生
5. celebration n. 庆祝(会);庆典
eg: Preparations for a big celebration were under way.
盛大庆祝的准备工作正在进行中。
相关短语：
in celebration of 为庆祝……
6. chestnut n. 栗子;栗色;栗树
eg: The chestnut trees were breaking into green.
栗树一下就绿了。
7. walnut n. 胡桃木;胡桃
eg: Are there walnuts in this sauce?
这种调味汁里面有胡桃吗?
相关短语：
over the walnuts and the wine [戏谑语]在吃甜食的时候，在饭后的谈话中
walnut kernel 核桃仁
black walnut 黑胡桃;黑胡桃木
walnut oil 核桃油;胡桃油
walnut shell 胡桃壳
8. mince n. 切碎物
eg: Perhaps I'll buy lean meat and mince it myself.
也许我会买点瘦肉自己绞。
相关短语：
mince up 把……切碎
mince words/ mince matters/ mince the matter) [常用于否定句]婉转地说，说话婉转，半吞半吐地讲
not mince matters 坦率地说，直言不讳地说，直截了当地说，老实不客气地说
9. squash n. 南瓜
eg: I grow corn, tomatoes, potatoes and squash.
我种玉米、西红市、土豆和南瓜。
相关短语：
go to squash 被压碎，被压烂，被毁掉
summer squash 西葫芦;矮性南瓜
winter squash 冬南瓜;印度南瓜
squash court 壁球场，壁球室
10. reverently adv. 虔诚地;恭敬地;尊敬地
eg: Drop on to their knees reverently.
虔诚地屈膝下跪。
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.
今天的感恩节是一个不折不扣的国定假日。在这一天，具有各种信仰和各种背景的美国人，共同为他们一年来所受到的上苍的恩典表示感谢，虔诚地祈求上帝继续赐福。
