The American holiday of Thanksgiving is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday in November .
美國的感恩節在每年11月的第四個星期四慶祝。
The holiday is during autumn -- the main season for harvesting crops .
這個節日在秋天，也就是收穫莊稼的主要季節。
Thanksgiving is an autumn harvest festival like those found in many cultures around the world .
感恩節是一個秋季豐收節，與世界許多文化中的節日類似。
On this day , most Americans gather with friends and family .
這一天，大多數美國人會與親友團聚。
Many take time to think about what they are thankful for , cook up a storm , and eat .
許多人會花時間想想自己要感謝什麼，大展廚藝，然後享用美食。
The star of most Thanksgiving dinners is a roasted turkey .
大多數感恩節晚餐的主角是烤火雞。
Turkeys are large birds native to North America .
火雞是原產於北美的大型鳥類。
The turkey is cooked in an oven for many hours , often with a mix of celery , bread , onions and spices inside the bird .
火雞要在烤箱裡烤好幾個小時，肚子裡常常塞著芹菜、麵包、洋蔥和香料的混合物。
This mix becomes stuffing -- another star of the Thanksgiving dinner table .
這種混合物就成了餡料，是感恩節餐桌上的另一位主角。
Anna Matteo here at Learning English says the smell of turkey and stuffing roasting together is the quintessential smell of Thanksgiving .
我們Learning English的安娜·馬泰奧說，火雞和餡料一起烘烤的香味是最典型的感恩節氣味。
“Quintessential ” means the perfect example of something .
「quintessential」的意思是某事物的完美典範。
After the bird is cooked , the stuffing is taken out and served as a side dish .
火雞烤好後，把餡料取出來作為配菜。
One of many side dishes .
這只是眾多配菜之一。
Families often make other foods like mashed potatoes , sweet potatoes , cranberry sauce and vegetable casseroles .
家人們常常還會做馬鈴薯泥、地瓜、蔓越莓醬和蔬菜焗烤等其他菜餚。
A casserole is a dish that cooks slowly in an oven .
焗烤菜是一種在烤箱裡慢慢烹製的菜餚。
And do not forget about the gravy .
還有，別忘了肉汁醬。
This rich sauce is made from the fatty liquid that comes off the turkey as it cooks .
這種濃郁的醬汁是用火雞烤製時流出的油脂汁液做成的。
People cover their turkey meat , stuffing and mashed potatoes with gravy .
人們把肉汁醬淋在火雞肉、餡料和馬鈴薯泥上。
The meal does not end with the turkey , stuffing , and side dishes , though .
不過，這頓飯並不是吃完火雞、餡料和配菜就結束了。
For some people , the best part of the meal is dessert .
對一些人來說，這頓飯最棒的部分是甜點。
The quintessential Thanksgiving dessert is pie .
最典型的感恩節甜點是派。
Some Americans must travel long distances to be with their families .
一些美國人必須長途跋涉才能與家人團聚。
In fact , the Sunday after Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the entire year .
事實上，感恩節後的星期日是全年出行最繁忙的一天。
This is usually when people return home from family gatherings .
這通常是人們參加完家庭聚會返家的時候。
Not everyone can make the return home each Thanksgiving .
並不是每個人每年感恩節都能回家。
So , young people living in cities away from their hometowns sometimes celebrate “Friendsgiving ” -- a Thanksgiving meal with their friends instead of their family .
因此，住在遠離家鄉城市的年輕人有時會過「朋友感恩節」，也就是和朋友而不是家人一起吃感恩節大餐。
They gather at someone's apartment or house and have a “potluck .”
他們聚在某人的公寓或家裡，辦一場「百家餐」。
This is a meal where everyone who is invited brings food to share with others .
這是一種每位受邀者都帶食物來與大家分享的聚餐。
Thanksgiving is a big day for television , games and other entertainment .
感恩節也是電視、比賽和其他娛樂活動的重要日子。
One tradition is the television broadcast of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade .
其中一個傳統是電視轉播梅西百貨感恩節大遊行。
It takes place each year in New York City .
遊行每年在紐約市舉行。
Workers of the Macy's store on Herald Square organized the first parade in 1924 .
位於先驅廣場的梅西百貨員工在1924年舉辦了第一次遊行。
Many of the workers were immigrants and wanted to hold a big parade like the ones in Europe .
許多員工是移民，他們想舉辦一場像歐洲那樣的大型遊行。
So , they dressed in costumes and borrowed some animals from the zoo .
於是，他們穿上戲服，還從動物園借來了一些動物。
They also carried small balloons that floated just overhead .
他們還拿著剛好飄在頭頂上方的小氣球。
Many professional American football games are also played on Thanksgiving .
許多職業美式足球比賽也在感恩節舉行。
Fans of the sport enjoy relaxing and watching a game or two after eating a big Thanksgiving meal .
這項運動的球迷們喜歡在吃完豐盛的感恩節大餐後放鬆一下，看一兩場比賽。
Some start Thanksgiving Day early - and in a healthy way .
有些人很早就以健康的方式開始感恩節這一天。
So-called “Turkey Trot ” races take place in many towns and cities .
許多城鎮都會舉辦所謂的「火雞路跑」比賽。
These events involve runners dressing up in a Thanksgiving-related costume and running a short distance -- usually five kilometers .
在這些活動中，跑者們穿上與感恩節相關的服裝，跑一小段距離，通常是五公里。
Certainly , not everyone in America has an easy Thanksgiving .
當然，並非每個美國人都能輕鬆度過感恩節。
The United States is home to many poor and homeless people .
美國有許多貧困者和無家可歸者。
Some cannot afford a Thanksgiving dinner .
有些人負擔不起感恩節晚餐。
Others are without friends or families .
還有些人沒有朋友或家人。
Many religious and service organizations around the country try to fill these needs .
全國許多宗教和服務組織都在努力滿足這些需求。
Some provide community dinners at churches and other centers .
一些組織在教堂和其他中心提供社區晚餐。
Some groups also deliver Thanksgiving meals to people too sick or old to leave their homes .
一些團體還會把感恩節餐食送給病重或年邁、無法出門的人。
The writer O .
作家歐·
Henry called Thanksgiving the one holiday that is purely American .
亨利稱感恩節是唯一純粹屬於美國的節日。
It is not linked to a religion or a certain group .
它與任何宗教或特定群體都沒有關聯。
Anyone in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November is welcome to celebrate Thanksgiving .
11月第四個星期四在美國的任何人，都歡迎一起慶祝感恩節。
And I'm Ashley Thompson .
我是艾希莉·湯普森。