[lwcool]thanksgiving day in america is a time to offer thanks, of family gatherings and holiday meals. a time of turkeys, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. a time for indian corn, holiday parades and giant balloons.
在美国，感恩节是一个感谢恩赐，家庭团聚，合家欢宴的日子；是一个家家餐桌上都有火鸡、填料、南瓜馅饼的日子；是一个充满了印第安玉米、假日游行和巨型气球的日子。 thanksgiving is celebrated on the 4th thursday of november, which this year (2005) is november 24th. 每年十一月的最后一个星期四是感恩节，在今年（2005）则是11月24日。下面让我们来看看感恩节的由来吧： the pilgrims who sailed to this country aboard the mayflower were originally members of the english separatist church (a puritan sect). they had earlier fled their home in england and sailed to holland (the netherlands) to escape religious persecution. there, they enjoyed more religious tolerance, but they eventually became disenchanted with the dutch way of life, thinking it ungodly. seeking a better life, the separatists negotiated with a london stock company to finance a pilgrimage to america. most of those making the trip aboard the mayflower were non-separatists, but were hired to protect the company's interests. only about one-third of the original colonists were separatists. 乘"五月花"来到这个国度的旅行者（朝圣者）原本是英国分离者地下教会清教徒，他们的家在英国，因不堪忍受国内的宗教迫害，他们逃亡到荷兰。在荷兰，他们享受了更多的宗教信仰自由，但最终却意识到在荷兰的这种生活方式是对他们的主的亵渎。为了寻求更好的生活，他们与伦敦贸易公司协商，由该公司资助他们到美国。在这趟旅途中，船上只有大约1/3的乘客是清教徒，其他大多数人并非分离派清教徒，而是公司雇佣来保护其利益的人员（契约奴）。 the pilgrims set ground at plymouth rock on december 11, 1620. their first winter was devastating. at the beginning of the following fall, they had lost 46 of the original 102 who sailed on the mayflower. but the harvest of 1621 was a bountiful one. and the remaining colonists decided to celebrate with a feast -- including 91 indians who had helped the pilgrims survive their first year. it is believed that the pilgrims would not have made it through the year without the help of the natives. the feast was more of a traditional english harvest festival than a true "thanksgiving" observance. it lasted three days. 1620年12月11日，旅行者们在"普利茅斯石"登陆。他们的第一个冬季是灾难性的，第二年秋天来临时，原来的102名乘客只剩下56人。但1621年他们获得了大丰收，这些幸存的殖民者们决定和帮助他们度过困难的91名印第安人一起飨宴庆祝。他们相信，若没有当地居民的帮助，他们是不可能度过这一年的。这次节日的盛宴不仅仅是一个"感恩"仪式，它更像英国传统的丰收庆典。庆典持续了三天。 governor william bradford sent "four men fowling" after wild ducks and geese. it is not certain that wild turkey was part of their feast. however, it is certain that they had venison. the term "turkey" was used by the pilgrims to mean any sort of wild fowl. 总督布雷德福派了“四人捕鸟队”去捕捉野鸭和野鹅。我们现在并不能确定是否有野生火鸡在当时的筵席上，但筵席上肯定有鹿肉。当时，朝圣者用 "火鸡"一词来代表各种野禽。another modern staple at almost every thanksgiving table is pumpkin pie. but it is unlikely that the first feast included that treat. the supply of flour had been long diminished, so there was no bread or pastries of any kind. however, they did eat boiled pumpkin, and they produced a type of fried bread from their corn crop. there was also no milk, cider, potatoes, or butter. there was no domestic cattle for dairy products, and the newly-discovered potato was still considered by many europeans to be poisonous. but the feast did include fish, berries, watercress, lobster, dried fruit, clams, venison, and plums.
现在，几乎每家感恩节餐桌上都有南瓜馅饼――感恩节的另一种主食。但在当年的第一次庆典上却不可能有这种食品。因为面粉奇缺，所以面包、馅饼、糕点等食物都没有。但他们却吃了煮南瓜，并用收获的玉米制成了一种油炸面包。也没有牛奶、苹果酒、土豆和黄油。没有驯养的奶牛，自然没有牛奶；而新发现的土豆被很多欧洲人认为是有毒的。第一次庆典上有鱼、草莓、豆瓣菜、龙虾、干果、蛤、鹿肉、李子等。 this "thanksgiving" feast was not repeated the following year. but in 1623, during a severe drought, the pilgrims gathered in a prayer service, praying for rain. when a long, steady rain followed the very next day, governor bradford proclaimed another day of thanksgiving, again inviting their indian friends. it wasn't until june of 1676 that another day of thanksgiving was proclaimed. 紧接着的第二年(1622)却没有举行"感恩"庆典。到了1623年，发生了一场严重的旱灾，朝圣者们聚集到一起，举行了虔诚的祁雨仪式，刚好在第二天，一场充沛的大雨从天而降。威廉布雷德福总督宣布再次庆祝感恩节，并再次邀请了他们的印第安朋友。之后数年无感恩节，直到1676年6月，感恩节才再次被提出。 [lwcool]on june 20, 1676, the governing council of charlestown, massachusetts, held a meeting to determine how best to express thanks for the good fortune that had seen their community securely established. by unanimous vote they instructed edward rawson, the clerk, to proclaim june 29 as a day of thanksgiving. it is notable that this thanksgiving celebration probably did not include the indians, as the celebration was meant partly to be in recognition of the colonists' recent victory over the "heathen natives," 1676年6月20日，马萨诸塞州的查尔斯顿政府委员会召开了一次会议，讨论如何才能最好表达对主的谢意：主赐予他们好运，庇佑他们安全地建立了他们的邦联。经过意见不统一的投票，由书记爱德华.劳森宣布6月29日为当年的感恩节。值得注意的是，因此次庆典在一定程度上是殖民者对战胜"野蛮的土著人"的庆祝，故印第安人极有可能未参加此次庆典。 october of 1777 marked the first time that all 13 colonies joined in a thanksgiving celebration. it also commemorated the patriotic victory over the british at saratoga. but it was a one-time affair. 1777年10月，13个殖民地第一次联合举办了感恩节庆典，这也是对萨拉托加一役中战胜英国人所取得的爱国主义的胜利的纪念。但只举行了这一年。 george washington proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving in 1789, although some were opposed to it. there was discord among the colonies, many feeling the hardships of a few pilgrims did not warrant a national holiday. and later, president thomas jefferson scoffed at the idea of having a day of thanksgiving.
学春蚕吐丝丝丝不断，做蜡烛照路路路通明。千百年来，多少人把教师比作春蚕，蜡烛，在她的呕心沥血、无私奉献中，又有多少祖国的花朵成为九州华夏的栋梁之材！谁又能知道，这其中包含着多少的汗水与泪水，也许老师那丝丝白发，斑斑皱纹是最好的见证。
不知是哪个花开的时刻，悄悄地，悄悄地，我们－－二十一世纪的接班人就来到了世上，慢慢地，慢慢地到了上学的年龄，便缠着爸爸要去上学。我们永远忘不了那人生的第一次，是多么地高兴、快乐。原来是老师和蔼的微笑，温和的话语就像快活的音符一样奏出美妙的乐章，让我们如痴如醉。
就这样，老师在我们心里播下了快乐的火种，校园里时时响着我们清脆、明亮的声音。那是怎样的一种幸福啊！于是，我们感受到的一切欢乐因老师的爱而起。老师把所有的希冀寄托在我们身上。正是这样，苦心培育我们的老师在这爱的路上艰难跋涉，教我们如何做人，怎样处事。当我们感受到知识的魅力时，他们在叮咛：同学们，别忘了奋进呀；当我们在学习上失败时，他们在鼓励：成功是从这里起步的；当我们悲伤时，他们在安慰：同学们振作起来呀！多少个难忘的日子呀！是您－－光荣的人民教师，让我们学会如何面对困难，如何感受生活，如何珍惜幸福，如何自我发展。您不仅带着我们在知识的海洋里遨游，更重要的是教会了我们要学着去感恩别人。这其中的点点滴滴，一个个动人的情景把我们的生活点缀得精彩美丽，也把我们的记忆巩固得刻骨铭心。
虽然我们只是一轮初升的太阳，我们也要学着释放温暖，更要怀着对老师感恩的心去思考、行动，毕竟老师为我们付出的太多太多。在这样的时刻，我代表全体同学，向我们尊敬的老师说一声：老师，您辛苦了。
亲爱的老师，因为有了您，我们的世界才会变得如此美丽，混沌之中，才有了指路的明灯，迷茫的夜空，才有了永恒的北斗。您肩负着神圣的使命，您肩负着祖国的未来，您肩负着民族的昌盛，您肩负着历史的重任，就这样，一代又一代的少年在您的抚爱下健康成长，在您的关注下奔赴远大的前程。
因为有了您，就有了一个特别的节日－－教师节。从此，全社会就多了一份对您深深的敬意与关注，我们看到和感受到了您的伟大和平凡。您的伟大在于创造世界，播种未来，您是点燃我们理想之火的人，是保证民族未来优良素质的人；您的平凡在于除了奉献别无所求，无怨无悔，心无旁鹜。您从不在乎所失所得，因为您深深懂得自己在付出什么，在收获什么，这是任何数字都无法计算的生命价值和幸福成果。捧着一颗心来，不带半根草去这正是我们的老师心境的真实写照。 敬爱的老师，我把您比作绿叶，我把您比作红烛，也颂不尽您的奉献和成果啊！您不是绿叶却在滋养绿叶，您不是红烛却能照彻心灵，因为在我们眼睛里映射出的永远是您的身影。您把我们生命的每一个音符，都镀成世界最美的颜色。从此，我们的心像大海一样磅礴。我真想取出串串爆竹，放出串串祝福，用绚丽的火焰为我们的老师唱支心歌。真诚地祝愿老师幸福快乐，快乐幸福。
这时，我真想大声对同学们说：当我们拥抱成功，享受喜悦时，别忘了我们老师都付出了自己的青春和汗水，我们没有理由不去感恩老师。最后，让我们真诚地说声：谢谢！
