ACT 3-1  “感恩祷告”

【故事梗概】

Stewart一家以及Harry和Michelle在吃感恩节晚餐前，在进行感恩祈祷。大家在轮流说出自己最深切的感受和美好的愿望。

Philip: OK, everybody. I want to welcome Harry and his daughter Michelle to Thanksgiving with us.
Harry: Thank you, Dr. Stewart.
Philip: Call me Philip.
Harry: OK.
Philip: But first, I think we should take a moment and remember the meaning of Thanksgiving.
Harry: Philip, I took Michelle to a school play about the first Thanksgiving.
Philip: Well, why don't you tell us about that, Michelle?
Michelle: Thanksgiving was about the Pilgrims, the first settlers in America. They shared the first harvest with the Indians and gave thanks.
Philip: All right. Then in that spirit let's each of us give thanks. Each in his own way. Who wants to begin?
Grandpa: I will. I give thanks for being here with my family and for being well, so I can enjoy you all.
Robbie: All right! We love you, Grandpa.
Susan: I'd like to give thanks for a healthy year, a good job, and for meeting Harry and Michelle.
Harry: We'd like to give thanks for meeting Susan and the Stewart family.
Michelle: I love you, Daddy.
Susan: Thanks, Harry. That was very kind of you.
Robbie: I'd like to give thanks for Grandpa coming to live with us. And I'd also like to thank my math teacher for giving me a passing grade. And call me, Alexandra.
Ellen: Oh, Robbie!
Grandpa: She'll call.

【语言点精讲】

1. Well, why don't you tell us about that, Michelle?
"Why don't you do...?"（为什么不做...呢？）是一种比较委婉的请某人做某事的说法。

2. Thanksgiving was about the Pilgrims, the first settlers in America. They shared the first harvest with the Indians and gave thanks.
感恩节是打清教徒前辈移民时候开始的，他们是北美大陆的第一批移民。他们同印第安人分享了第一次收获，以表示感谢之情。
这里Michelle讲述了感恩节的由来。
pilgrim: 最初的移民。P大写时，指1620年移居美国的英国清教徒。
settler: 移居者。

3. Then in that spirit let's each of us give thanks. Each in his own way.
那么让我们每一个人都以同样的心情表示感谢，每一个人都说自己心里的话。
晚餐开始之前，Philip在主持家中的感恩祷告（Say Grace）。感恩宴前，一般都要进行感恩祷告。祷告一般由家长执行，有时请客人来做。内容大致为: 主啊，感谢您赐予我们这顿晚餐，您使我们有幸享用它，阿门（Dear Lord，we thank Thee for this food．Please bless it for our use，Amen.）这是非常传统、正式的仪式。美国不拘礼仪、风趣幽默的民族性格决定了他们不会那么“守旧”。比如Stewart一家人的“祷告词”就是非常生活化的，这使人们可以在更加轻松、欢快的气氛中享用“主”赐予他们的这顿盛宴。
in that spirit: 基于同样的心意，怀着同样的心情。
in one's own way: 以某人自己的方式。

4. I give thanks for being here with my family and for being well, so I can enjoy you all.
我为了能在这里和家人在一起，还为了我身体还健康，能够享受天伦之乐，表示感谢之情。
give thanks: 意思是"to say thank you"，感谢，致谢，感恩。
"give (sb.) thanks for..." 以及后面出现的" thank sb. for..."都是用来表示感激之情，感谢之意的短语。两者所感谢的都是人，而引起感谢的事或物要放在for后面。

5. That was very kind of you.
你真周到。表示感谢、感激的用语，其后可以跟一不定式加以说明感激的原因。例如:
It's very kind of you to help me.
It's very kind of you to take care of my daughter

ACT 3-2  “我应当谢谢你”

【故事梗概】

在感恩祈祷进行完之后，大家开始吃感恩节大餐。晚餐后，有人敲门。Ellen告诉Robbie，因为她邀请Alexandra来吃甜点了，所以来的人很可能是Alexandra。这让Robbie很是高兴。

Richard: You go first, Marilyn.
Marilyn: I'm thinking. You go first.
Richard: Well, you all know I'm working on my photo album. It's not finished yet. And I'd like to thank Marilyn for being so patient.
Marilyn: Thanks, Richard. I should thank you for encouraging me to keep working on my fashion designs. I'm lucky to have a husband with an artistic eye.
Ellen: Oh, we have a lot to be thankful for. For the food on this table. Just like the Pilgrims.
Philip: I'll go along with that, Ellen.
Ellen: Well, help me serve, Robbie.
[Later, after dinner.]
Harry: It was a wonderful meal, Mrs. Stewart. Thank you.
Richard: And now to see the end of the football game.
Philip: Exactly.
Ellen: Where are you going, Philip?
Philip: Remember, the Michigan football game? And Michigan needs a touchdown.
Ellen: Did you forget something?
Robbie: Dad, your famous apple pie.
Philip: Just let me see the score, Ellen.
Marilyn: Go ahead, Philip. We should all take a little break before dessert.

Ellen: Oh, who could that be? Oh, it must be Alexandra. I invited her to come by for dessert.
Robbie: You did?
Grandpa: I like Ellen.

【语言点精讲】

1. And I'd like to thank Marilyn for being so patient. ... I should thank you for encouraging me to keep working on my fashion designs. I'm lucky to have a husband with an artistic eye.
我想感谢Marilyn对我的极大耐心。... 我应当谢谢你，因为你鼓励我继续从事时装设计。我有个具有艺术眼光的丈夫，真是幸运。
这里Richard和Marilyn夫妇二人都用了"thank someone for (doing) something"来表达对自己的伴侣的感谢。这个短语所感谢的是人，而引起感谢的事或物要放在for后面。
to keep working on: 继续从事，继续努力。
with an artistic eye: 具有艺术眼光。

2. I'll go along with that, Ellen.
Ellen，我同意你的说法。
go alone with: 在这里表示“赞同，同意”的意思。

3. And Michigan needs a touchdown.
而且密歇根大学队需要一次越底线得分。
touchdown: 攻到底线得分。在（美式）橄榄球比赛中，持球越过对方底线，得六分。

4. We should all take a little break before dessert.
我们都应该稍微休息一下再吃甜食。
take a little break: 稍微休息一下。 

ACT 3-3  “你怎么猜出来的？”

【故事梗概】

Alexandra的意外来到使全家都很高兴，而她带来的南瓜派又补救了Philip的巨大过失。这时电视上传来密歇根大学橄榄球队赢球的消息，使晚宴达到了高潮。Grandpa给这个节日作了幽默而恰当的总结。

Robbie: You know everyone, Alexandra.
Ellen: No, she doesn't know Harry Bennett and his daughter Michelle.
Alexandra: Nice to meet you.
Harry & Michelle: Hi.
Marilyn & Susan: Hello, Alexandra.
Alexandra: Hi, Marilyn. Hi, Susan. Happy Thanksgiving.
Ellen: And Alexandra brought us a pumpkin pie.
Robbie: Please sit down, Alexandra. Dad, Richard - Alexandra's here.
Richard: Michigan needs a touchdown. Three minutes to play. Hi, Alexandra. Welcome.
Philip: Hello, Alexandra. Yes, Michigan needs a touchdown. One tiny little touchdown, with just three minutes to play.
Alexandra: You want Michigan to win.
Philip: How'd you guess?
Ellen: And Alexandra brought us a pumpkin pie.

Ellen: What happened?
Philip: We forgot to turn the oven on.
Ellen: We did? Philip, why don't you go watch the last three minutes of the game? I will serve coffee and pumpkin pie.
Philip: OK. I'll be back in a few minutes.
Ellen: Robbie , would you bring the dessert plates? And, Marilyn, would you pour coffee, please?
Marilyn: Sure, Ellen.
Grandpa: How was your Thanksgiving dinner, Alexandra?
Alexandra: Just wonderful, Mr. Stewart. The Molinas are a large family. I love being with them.
Robbie: I'm glad you came by, Alexandra.
Alexandra: I am, too.
Philip: Touchdown!Touchdown! Touchdown!
Grandpa: Great Thanksgiving. Lots to be thankful for. Michigan scored a touchdown. Alexandra came by. And nobody misses Philip's famous apple pie.
Ellen: Oh, Grandpa!

【语言点精讲】

1. And Alexandra brought us a pumpkin pie.
Alexandra还给我们带来了一个南瓜派。
pumpkin pie: 南瓜派。南瓜派是传统的感恩节食品。

2. How'd you guess?
你怎么猜出来的？
How'd在这里是How did的缩写。

3. We forgot to turn the oven on.
咱们忘了给烤箱点火了。
这里，Philip说"We" 显然是想少负点儿责任，而Ellen一句"We did?"就把他揭穿了。
turn on: 打开（灯、水龙头、煤气等）。
oven: 烘箱，烤箱。

4. Why don't you go watch the last three minutes of the game?
你干脆去看最后三分钟球赛吧。
在本句中，go后面省略了to，这是美国口语中常见的。