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A World of Thanks 感恩世界

課文朗讀

課文中英文講解

繁體中文譯本

Mention “thanksgiving” to English-speakers and most will think of the American pilgrims. After a hard first year in their new country, the pilgrims gave thanks for a good harvest that would ensure they could survive the long winter to come. American President Abraham Lincoln commemorated this event in 1836 by declaring a national day of November has been an American holiday ever since.

跟英语系国家的人提到「感恩」，大多数人会想到移居美国的英国清教徒。在新国度经历艰苦的第一年后，这些清教徒对丰收表示感谢，因为这确保他们能度过即将来临的长冬。美国总统亚伯拉罕林肯为了纪念这个事件，于1863年将它订为全国性节日，称为感恩节。自此，十一月第四个星期四就成为美国的一个节日。

But the American Thanksgiving is just one of many festivals around the world that express gratitude for an abundant harvest. And it certainly wasn’t the first. Then ancient Egyptians, Syrians, and Mesopotamians all gave thanks for their bounty by offering the first or last sheaf of wheat to a goddess of the harvest. The Aztecs of Mexico beheaded a young girl each year as a sacrifice to Xilonen, goddess of food, in thanks for another year of plenty. The English also had a tradition of selecting a young woman to help them celebrate their harvest, but she was treated far better than the Aztec maiden. Instead of being murdered, she was decorated with grain and fruit and driven through town in a carriage drawn by white horses.

然而美国的感恩节只是世界各地感谢丰收的许多节日之一，它也绝对不是第一个。古埃及、叙利亚及美索不达米亚人皆会向丰收女神献出第一束或最后一束麦穗，以表达他们对丰收的谢忱。墨西哥的阿兹提克人每年则斩首一位少女，作为献给食物女神Xilonen的祭品，感谢它又赐予一年的丰饶。英国人也有此传统，他们选出一位年轻女子帮助他们庆丰收，但是她得到的待遇比阿兹提克的少女好太多了。她并非被斩首，而是身上被装饰着谷物与水果，然后乘坐着白马马车游街。

In today’s modern world, few people are directly involved in agriculture and so many traditional harvest festivals have gone by the wayside. Nevertheless, many countries around the world still celebrate some form of thanksgiving for the food they have to eat, even if this is just a family get-together with plenty of food and drink for all.

在现今社会，只有极少数人直接从事农业活动，许多传统庆祝丰收的节庆也不复见。然而，世界上仍有许多国家仍然举行某种形式的活动来感谢上天所赐予所需的食物，即使这仅只是一场备有许多食物与饮料的家庭聚会。

Vocabulary

declare [dɪˋklɛr] v. 宣布

gratitude [ˋgrætə͵tjud] n. 感激之情，感恩，感谢

sacrifice [ˋsækrə͵faɪs] n. 牲礼，祭品

More Information

pilgrim [ˋpɪlgrɪm] n. 清教徒; 朝圣者

commemorate [kəˋmɛmə͵ret] n. 庆祝；纪念

ever since 从此以后

Mesopotamian [͵mɛsəpəˋtemɪən] n. 美索不达米亚人

bounty [ˋbaʊntɪ] n. 收成；物产

sheaf [ʃif] n.（禾）捆，（禾）束

behead [bɪˋhɛd] v. 把……斩首

in thanks for 感谢

maiden [ˋmedn] n. 少女，处女

carriage [ˋkærɪdʒ] n. 四轮马车

be involved in  和....有关

go by the wayside  出于其它考虑而被搁在一边或被抛弃

課文中英文講解

When we are growing up, we are usually taught to be grateful for the things we have: our food, house, toys, friends, and so on. Some of this gratitude is shown toward God (or gods, or nature) and some toward the individuals who have been kind or generous to us. Different cultures, of course, have different ways to show gratitude toward their gods, but they also have different ways to express thanks between regular people. If you think “thanks” is “thanks,” and it’s always given and received in the same way, then read on.

在我们成长过程中，我们常被教导要对所拥有事物心怀感激:食物、住屋、玩具、朋友等等。这份感恩有一部份是向上帝(或众神，或大自然)表达，而有一部份则是向那些对我们友善或慷慨的人表达。当然，不同的文化有不同的谢神方式，而表达人与人之间的感谢方式，也同样有所不同。假如你认为感谢就是感谢，而且总是以同样的方式施舍与受与，就请继续读下去。

In Russia, the common way to thank a host after a dinner party is to send a gift. In America, on the other hand, guests normally bring a small gift with them and then call or send a card to thank their hosts afterwards. In Japan, people say itadakimasu (“I gratefully receive”) before starting to eat, and the gochisosama deshita (“thank you for the meal”) after finishing the meal. But in India, “thank you” is only used when you have purchased something. To say “thank you” to your host after a meal is considered a great insult!

在俄罗斯，晚宴后感谢主人的方式通常是送一份礼物；另一方面，在美国，客人通常带一份礼物赴宴，并在事后打通电话或寄张卡片来谢谢主人；而在日本，用餐开动前人们会说itadakimasu(我感心地接受)，用完餐后则说gochisosama deshita(感谢您招待这一餐)。但是在印度，「谢谢你」仅用于购物后，在餐后对主人说「谢谢你」会被视为极大的污辱!

In our modern world, it is becoming increasingly common for people from different cultural backgrounds to spend time with each other. Misunderstandings and crossed signals are inevitable. However, as long as we remember the importance of gratitude, somehow we will find a way to express it.

在我们现今的世界，与来自世界不同文化背景人们相处机会愈来愈多，误会及会错意在所难免。然而，只要我们记住感激的重要性，总是找得到适当的表达方式。

－By Michael Costello

Vocabulary

grateful [ˋgretfəl] adj. 感激的

purchase [ˋpɝtʃəs] v. 买，购买

insult [ɪnˋsʌlt] n. 侮辱，羞辱

increasingly [ɪnˋkrisɪŋlɪ] adv. 渐增地

inevitable [ɪnˋɛvətəb!] adj. 不可避免的

More Information

crossed signals: 会错意  there was a mistake, or a mix-up in communications

Reading Questions 

1. If November 1 falls on Tuesday this year, then what date is the American Thanksgiving?

A. November 17

B. November 24

C. November 22

D. November 29

2. Which of the following statements about the pilgrims is CORRECT?

A. They went through much hardship when they began their new life in America.

B. They declared Thanksgiving Day a national day.

C. They had celebrated Thanksgiving Day for thousands of years.

D. They chose a spring day to thank God for seeing them through the winter.

3. According to the articles, which of the following is TRUE?

A. American Thanksgiving is the first festival in the world in which people express gratitude.

B. The Aztec maiden was decorated with grain and fruit to celebrate the harvest.

C. “Thanks” is “thanks,” and it’s always given and received in the same way.

D. In Russia guests usually send a gift after a dinner party to thank their hosts.

4. What is the conclusion of the Day 2 article?

A. It is worth nothing when and where to express our gratitude to foreigners.

B. It is not so hard to express thanks even though misunderstandings are inevitable.

C. The more time we spend getting along with others, the more signals we have to use.

D. Different cultures sometimes show gratitude toward their gods in the same way.

Answer