来自世界不同地方的六位学生在美国相遇。他们都是交换学生,到美国大学就读一个学期,学习英语,了解美国文化,同时修专业课程。英语“日常会话” (Everyday Conversations)系列围绕这六位学生在美国的经历展开。这套材料适于中级或中级以上英语水平的学生使用。
今天六个学生在谈他们第一次在美国过感恩节。
Jana: It was so nice of Professor Palmer to invite us all over for Thanksgiving.
Lee: And it’s the first Thanksgiving in the U.S. for all of us.
Peter: I’m really happy that part of Dr. Palmer’s Thanksgiving tradition is to volunteer with his family at a local community center.
Lucía: I’m glad he invited us to that too, and not just to his family’s Thanksgiving feast.
Ajay: It’ll be good to get off campus regardless. I’m thankful for many things, including that!
Akinyi: I’m thankful to share this day with all of you. I couldn’t ask for better people to meet and become friends with this year.
Lee: Agreed! Hey, what do you think the food will be at the Palmers’?
Lucía: Dr. Palmer told me he was planning to have a turkey with all the trimmings and three kinds of pie.
Jana: Well, we’d better get a move on if we’re going to get there on time.
让我们来学习一些词语(也可阅读英文解释):
在美国,Thanksgiving Day——感恩节——是在每年11月的第四个星期四。这是美国的一个主要节日,根据传统,全家人相聚在一起庆祝,并吃火鸡。
A tradition:传统
To volunteer :在这里是动词,意思是义务或志愿做某事。
A community center:社区中心,即供同一居民区的人使用的活动或服务场所,有些也举办讲课。
A feast,餐宴,往往是为庆贺,菜肴丰富。
Off campus :校园外
习惯表达语 couldn’t ask for (something) 的意思是,无法要求更好的了,即已经再好不过了。I couldn’t ask for a better friend的意思是,你是我再好不过的朋友了;我无法想象能有更好的朋友。
Turkey with all the trimmings:火鸡和(传统感恩节大餐上的)所有配菜
Get a move on:快点走,快点行动起来
有兴趣听更多英语对话吗?请浏览“英语学习”专题网页。
American English 网站提供可供英语学生和教师免费使用的多种英语资源。American English Facebook网页提供每天更新的英语学习资料。
“日常会话”由美国国务院教育与文化事务局英语语言项目处(Office of English Language Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs)资深项目官员海蒂·豪兰(Heidi Howland)编写。