《英语周报》有声读物：感恩节大餐

　　Thanksgiving Dinner

　　2007-2008 学年 第14期

　　By Hee Sung Shin

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　　Tom: Hey Cassie, do you have any plans for Thanksgiving break?

　　Cassie: Well, not really. San Diego is a little too far from Boston for me to go just for the weekend. I might end up sticking around on campus.

　　Tom: Really? Well hey, my family lives here in the city. Would you like to join us for Thanksgiving dinner?

　　Cassie: Oh man, I really appreciate the offer, but I wouldn’t want to be a fifth wheel or anything…

　　Tom: C’mon now, nonsense! Really, we’d love to have you. And besides, what’s Thanksgiving without a big huge turkey dinner?

　　Cassie: Yea no doubt. So I guess you have a pretty traditional Thanksgiving dinner?

　　Tom: Yea pretty much. We do the turkey and some other typical dishes, but we’re gonna mix it up a bit this year.

　　Cassie: No kidding! What do you have up your sleeve?

　　Tom: The big change is that instead of cooking the turkey in the oven, we’re gonna try deep-frying it! My friends tried it last year and they told me it was incredible! The turkey cooks very evenly and the skin is extra golden brown and crispy!

　　Cassie: Oh man, I’m starting to get hungry already.

　　Tom: And of course, we’ll have some mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing, cranberry sauce, candied yams, and the works.

　　Cassie: Aw candied yams! Those are my favorite! I could go for some right now.

　　Tom: They’re my favorite, too. And oh, we do something else that’s rather special.

　　Cassie: Hmm, what’s that?

　　Tom: After we finish the meal, we usually take a trip out to Plymouth Rock.

　　Cassie: Oh! That’s the place where the pilgrims landed, isn’t it?

　　Tom: Yup, that’s right. Our family has been keeping this tradition since my grandfather was my age.

　　Cassie: Wow, I’ve never been to Plymouth Rock.

　　Tom: I think you’ll like it. You can learn a lot about the history of the Pilgrims, and their first thanksgiving harvest that we now celebrate as “Thanksgiving Day”.

　　Cassie: So, remind me. What exactly happened on that first Thanksgiving Day?

　　Tom: So you know, the pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620. And I guess their first year living in the new land wasn’t exactly a walk in the park.

　　Cassie: Oh I can imagine. It must’ve been very tough.

　　Tom: Yea, but as it turns out, they were able to establish a good relationship with the Native American tribes that lived in the area. So, the Native Americans taught the pilgrims how to plant crops in the soil and basically live off the land. With the successful harvest the following fall, the pilgrims and members of the local tribe celebrated the first thanksgiving harvest.

　　Cassie: Ah, I see. The thing that really impresses me most about the thanksgiving story is how people from two very different cultures were able to sit at the table and enjoy a meal together. Nowadays, it’s hard for family to find time for a family dinner.

　　Tom: I know what you mean. That’s exactly the reason why our family takes this trip to Plymouth Rock. It helps our family to remember what it means to be a family.

　　Cassie: Aw, now I’m getting even more excited about spending Thanksgiving Day with your family, Tom! This is really awesome!

　　Tom: Hey don’t mention it. This is exactly the type of camaraderie that the pilgrims laid the foundation for when they celebrated their first thanksgiving harvest.