【走遍美国精讲笔记】第6课：感恩节 ACT 3 - 1

ACT 3-1 “感恩祷告”

【故事梗概】

Stewart一家以及Harry和Michelle在吃感恩节晚餐前，在进行感恩祈祷。大家在轮流说出自己最深切的感受和美好的愿望。

Philip: OK, everybody. I want to welcome Harry and his daughter Michelle to Thanksgiving with us.
Harry: Thank you, Dr. Stewart.
Philip: Call me Philip.
Harry: OK.
Philip: But first, I think we should take a moment and remember the meaning of Thanksgiving.
Harry: Philip, I took Michelle to a school play about the first Thanksgiving.
Philip: Well, why don't you tell us about that, Michelle?
Michelle: Thanksgiving was about the Pilgrims, the first settlers in America. They shared the first harvest with the Indians and gave thanks.
Philip: All right. Then in that spirit let's each of us give thanks. Each in his own way. Who wants to begin?
Grandpa: I will. I give thanks for being here with my family and for being well, so I can enjoy you all.
Robbie: All right! We love you, Grandpa.
Susan: I'd like to give thanks for a healthy year, a good job, and for meeting Harry and Michelle.
Harry: We'd like to give thanks for meeting Susan and the Stewart family.
Michelle: I love you, Daddy.
Susan: Thanks, Harry. That was very kind of you.
Robbie: I'd like to give thanks for Grandpa coming to live with us. And I'd also like to thank my math teacher for giving me a passing grade. And call me, Alexandra.
Ellen: Oh, Robbie!
Grandpa: She'll call.

【语言点精讲】

1. Well, why don't you tell us about that, Michelle?
"Why don't you do...?"（为什么不做...呢？）是一种比较委婉的请某人做某事的说法。

2. Thanksgiving was about the Pilgrims, the first settlers in America. They shared the first harvest with the Indians and gave thanks.
感恩节是打清教徒前辈移民时候开始的，他们是北美大陆的第一批移民。他们同印第安人分享了第一次收获，以表示感谢之情。
这里Michelle讲述了感恩节的由来。
pilgrim: 最初的移民。P大写时，指1620年移居美国的英国清教徒。
settler: 移居者。

3. Then in that spirit let's each of us give thanks. Each in his own way.
那么让我们每一个人都以同样的心情表示感谢，每一个人都说自己心里的话。
晚餐开始之前，Philip在主持家中的感恩祷告（Say Grace）。感恩宴前，一般都要进行感恩祷告。祷告一般由家长执行，有时请客人来做。内容大致为: 主啊，感谢您赐予我们这顿晚餐，您使我们有幸享用它，阿门（Dear Lord，we thank Thee for this food．Please bless it for our use，Amen.）这是非常传统、正式的仪式。美国不拘礼仪、风趣幽默的民族性格决定了他们不会那么“守旧”。比如Stewart一家人的“祷告词”就是非常生活化的，这使人们可以在更加轻松、欢快的气氛中享用“主”赐予他们的这顿盛宴。
in that spirit: 基于同样的心意，怀着同样的心情。
in one's own way: 以某人自己的方式。

4. I give thanks for being here with my family and for being well, so I can enjoy you all.
我为了能在这里和家人在一起，还为了我身体还健康，能够享受天伦之乐，表示感谢之情。
give thanks: 意思是"to say thank you"，感谢，致谢，感恩。
"give (sb.) thanks for..." 以及后面出现的" thank sb. for..."都是用来表示感激之情，感谢之意的短语。两者所感谢的都是人，而引起感谢的事或物要放在for后面。

5. That was very kind of you.
你真周到。表示感谢、感激的用语，其后可以跟一不定式加以说明感激的原因。例如:
It's very kind of you to help me.
It's very kind of you to take care of my daughter.