VOA常速英语2007年-Thanksgiving Means Traditional Feast, Festiviti
时间：2019-01-07 作者：英语课 分类：VOA常速英语2007年（十一月）
Washington, D.C.
21 November 2007
The traditional American holiday, Thanksgiving, originated as a day to celebrate and give thanks for the season's bountiful harvest. And for many Americans, Thanksgiving means eating roasted turkey and mashed 1 potatoes, spending time with family and prepping for the holiday shopping season. VOA's Ruth Reader has more.
President Bush this week kicked off the holiday by pardoning two turkeys from becoming someone's Thanksgiving dinner. President Harry 2 Truman started the tradition in 1947.
"So now I have a task and that is to grant a full presidential pardon to May and Flower that will shortly be flown off to Disney World, where they will serve as honorary grand marshals for the Thanksgiving Day parade,” said the president to a gathering 3 at the White House. “I hope that honor doesn't go to their heads."
The turkeys' names, May and Flower, are a reference to the ship [Mayflower] that sailed nearly 400 years ago from Plymouth, England to America. And in the fall of 1621, these Plymouth pilgrims celebrated 4 a bountiful harvest with local American Indians. This is considered one of the earliest Thanksgivings.
Since the 1600s, Thanksgiving has morphed into a holiday in the United States marked by extravagant 5 parades, feasts and the opening of the Christmas shopping season. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City is one of the major festivities to mark Thanksgiving each year. Approximately 2.5 million people are expected to attend the parade this year, while 44 million will watch it on television at home.
The parade serves as a reminder 6 that the holiday season is in full swing. This Friday, many Americans will rise early the day after Thanksgiving to take advantage of discounts at retail 7 shops around the country. Last year roughly 140 million Americans hit stores and spent an average of $360.
- two scoops of mashed potato 两勺土豆泥
- Just one scoop of mashed potato for me, please. 请给我盛一勺土豆泥。
- Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
- Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。
- He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
- He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。
- 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。
- They tried to please him with fulsome compliments and extravagant gifts.他们想用溢美之词和奢华的礼品来取悦他。
- He is extravagant in behaviour.他行为放肆。
- I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
- It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。