VOA双语新闻 Annual Thanksgiving Celebration

People across the United States are celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday, a time for family and friends to gather for traditional turkey dinners, give thanks for their blessings¹ and remember those less fortunate.

全美举国上下星期四庆祝了感恩节。感恩节期间，家庭团聚，朋友聚会，品尝传统的火鸡大餐，感谢他们得到的祝福，铭记那些不幸的人们。

On the fourth Thursday in November, Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, a feast that started in 1621, when European settlers ate with native American Indians, who had helped them survive a harsh winter. Thanksgiving is now celebrated² with parades, family gatherings³ and charity dinners for the homeless and the needy⁴.

每年11月的第四个星期四，美国人都庆祝感恩节。品尝感恩节大餐最早起源于1621年，当时定居美国的欧洲移民跟帮助他们度过寒冷冬天的土著印第安人一起共享晚餐。如今，在感恩节这一天，美国各地举行各种形式的游行活动、家庭聚会、以及为那些无家可归和需要帮助的人们提供免费晚餐。

In New York City, Macy's Department Store held its annual holiday parade, featuring musicians, including a jazz band from New Orleans, the Louisiana city flooded by Hurricane Katrina.

在纽约市，梅西百货公司举办了每年一度的节日游行。活动包括音乐家演唱，其中还有一个来自遭受卡特里娜飓风重创的路易斯安那州新奥尔良市的爵士乐团。

Seven-year-old Adriana Brown of [the northeastern state of] Massachusetts, was touring the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington with her family. When asked what Thanksgiving means to her, she said, when she thinks about how New Orleans residents are still rebuilding, she is very thankful.

7岁的阿德里安娜.布朗来自东北部的麻萨诸塞州，她正在跟家人一起游览坐落在首都华盛顿的全美印第安人博物馆。在被问到感恩节对她意味着什么的时候，她说，每当想到新奥尔良的市民还在重建家园的时候，她就对自己现在的生活心存感激。

"I think we're lucky, because most people that got flooded in New Orleans didn't get to have as much fun and care, as we do here," she said. "We're lucky that we get to make our own food, but they have to be sent food, and they don't get to choose what they get, they just get what they get."

她说：“我觉得我们很幸运，因为在新奥尔良市被洪水淹没的大部份人没法像我们在这这么开心和无忧无虑。我们很幸运能自己做我们想吃的饭，但他们吃的饭都是别人送的，他们没法选择他们想吃的东西，只能是有什么吃什么。”

President Bush, who was celebrating Thanksgiving at his Texas ranch⁵, said he is thinking of American military personnel serving abroad, as well as their families. He said Americans are thankful for their sacrifices.

布什总统在得克萨斯州的牧场欢度了感恩节。布什说，此时此刻他想起在海外执行任务的男女官兵以及他们的家人。他说，美国人民感谢他们作出的牺牲。

Tom Bowers⁶ of Alabama agrees.

对此，来自阿拉巴马州的汤姆.鲍尔斯表示认同。

"I've got a friend over there, Ryan Jones, who's near Tikrit, Iraq," he said. "If he hears this, that would be great. He's from Guntersville, Alabama. I thank you Ryan for being over there for me. Get home safe, I know you only have a couple months to be over there, and it'll be a big Thanksgiving when you get home."

他说： “我有个朋友在伊拉克的提克里特附近，名叫瑞安.琼斯，如果他能听到布什总统所讲的话那该多好。我的朋友来自阿拉巴马州的甘特斯维尔。瑞安，你在那里是为了我们，我由衷地感谢你。希望你能平安回家。我知道你在那里的时间只剩下几个月了，你回家的时候，我们将设感恩大餐欢迎你。”

U.S. soldiers in Iraq were served traditional Thanksgiving dinners, but for many of them there was no relief from violence on this, America's most cherished holiday.

在伊拉克的美军官兵也享受了传统的感恩节大餐，但是，他们当中很多人在美国人最珍爱的节日--感恩节这一天并没有摆脱暴力的困扰。

1 blessings   

n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福

参考例句：

• Afflictions are sometimes blessings in disguise. 塞翁失马，焉知非福。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We don't rely on blessings from Heaven. 我们不靠老天保佑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

3 gatherings   

聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集

参考例句：

• His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
• During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次，其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。

4 needy   

adj.贫穷的，贫困的，生活艰苦的

参考例句：

• Although he was poor,he was quite generous to his needy friends.他虽穷，但对贫苦的朋友很慷慨。
• They awarded scholarships to needy students.他们给贫苦学生颁发奖学金。

5 ranch   

n.大牧场，大农场

参考例句：

• He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。
• The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。

6 bowers   

n.（女子的）卧室( bower的名词复数 )；船首锚；阴凉处；鞠躬的人

参考例句：

• If Mr Bowers is right, low government-bond yields could lose their appeal and equities could rebound. 如果鲍尔斯先生的预计是对的，那么低收益的国债将会失去吸引力同时股价将会反弹。 来自互联网