美国文化口语秀(文本+MP3) 第270期:感恩节:美国的中秋节

感恩节要到啦！它可是美国人最看重的节日。今天我们就聊聊它的起源、美国人怎么庆祝，当然还要说说感恩节大餐都吃什么。

感恩节的来历
Thanksgiving: 感恩节
The fourth Thursday of every November: 每年11月的第四个星期四
The origin/backstory of Thanksgiving: 感恩节的起源、背后的故事
Native Indians: 印第安人
The early settlers to the North American continent: 早期来到北美大陆的移民
They were called pilgrims (from England): 他们叫'pilgrims'，1620年移居美洲的英国清教徒
They were starving to death because they couldn't grow the food they were used to: 由于种不出他们习惯种的粮食，这些人陷入饥荒
The Native Indians taught them how to grow corn and hunt:印第安人教这些北美新移民如何种玉米、打猎
That helped the pilgrims survive the first winter: 帮助他们度过来到美洲后的第一个严冬
So the pilgrims started Thanksgiving the following year to celebrate 'we've made it' with the help of the Indians: 所以清教徒在下一年开始了感恩节，感谢印第安人的帮助
It's not clear whether the meal ever happened: 虽然没有确切的历史记载到底有没有这顿感恩节大餐
Thanksgiving became an American symbol: 但感恩节成为了美国文化象征

为什么感恩节在美国那么重要
Many see Thanksgiving as the biggest American holiday because it's secular. You don't need to be religious to celebrate it: 很多人认为感恩节是美国最重要的节日，因为它没有宗教含义，不只有教徒才能庆祝
The Jewish population:犹太裔
Thanksgiving is a big family holiday:感恩节是一个关于家庭的节日
Thanksgiving is the most-travelled time of the year, even more than Christmas:感恩节是美国国内旅行最繁忙的节日，超出圣诞节

感恩节大餐
Food brings people together: 美食能把人聚在一起
Thanksgiving Dinner: 感恩节大餐
Turkey: 火鸡
KFC doesn't do. It has to be a proper turkey: 吃KFC可不行，一定要吃真正的火鸡
Nickname: 小名、别名
The Big Bird/The Tom/Tom Bird/Tom Turkey:这些都是火鸡的别名
Frozen turkey:冷冻火鸡
Carrying strings: 网袋
20-pounder: 20磅重的火鸡
Family recipe:家传秘方、食谱
Passed down:祖传的
Who does the cooking? 谁负责做菜？
Everyone chips in: 大家都出力、帮忙
Rotate: 轮流
It's a lot of preparation/work: 准备工作很多
烤火鸡、配菜
All the trimmings: 所有的配菜 （美国人常说turkey and all the trimmings)
Side dishes/sides: 配菜
Thanksgiving dinners are almost always at home: 感恩节大餐基本都在家里吃
Some people may order a cooked turkey: 有些人可能会买一只做好的火鸡外带回家
Take-out turkey: 外卖火鸡
But it's tradition to make it yourself: 但是最传统的还是自己烤火鸡
Roast: 烤
Oven: 烤箱
Defrost:解冻
Marinate: 腌制
Stuffing: 火鸡肚子里填的馅料，像我们的八宝鸭
Cous-cous:中东小米
Many people think the stuffing is as important as the turkey: 很多人觉得馅料跟火鸡一样重要，不能缺少
I've never been a huge fan of stuffing: 我从来没特别喜欢stuffing
Bread:面包
Raisins:葡萄干
Dried nuts:坚果
Cranberry sauce: 蔓越莓酱
Gravy:肉汁酱
Mashed potato: 土豆泥
Bread roll: 小面包
Leftovers: 剩菜
The leftovers are almost even better than the Thanksgiving meal itself:剩下的火鸡做的菜比感恩节大餐更好吃
You can make turkey sandwiches: 你可以做火鸡三明治
Chicken soup: 鸡汤

感恩节到圣诞节
Are you going home for Thanksgiving: 你感恩节回家吗？
Have time-off: 休假
Make the most out of it: 尽情享受
The holiday season begins with Thanksgiving: 节日季从感恩节开始
The holiday spirit carries on until Christmas: 节日的气氛一直延续到圣诞节
Warm, cuddly feeling: 温暖、温馨的感觉
Being thankful for something or someone: 对某事物、某人感恩