The History of Thanksgiving Day.docx

1、The History of Thanksgiving Day36. The History of Thanksgiving DayIn the United States,the fourth Thursday in November is called Thanksgiving Day.On this day, Americans give thanks for the blessingsthey have enjoyed during the year.Thanksgiving is usually a family day,celebrated with big dinners and

2、 happy reunions.The first American Thanksgiving was held in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621.In 17th century, a group of Pilgrims left England to explore the New World.It was in September of 1620 when their ship called the “Mayflower”left port with 102 men, women, and children on board.They landed in

3、 Province town harbor after 65 days at sea.The Pilgrims were poorly trainedand poorly equipped to cope with life in the wilderness.During their first winter in the new land,they suffered tremendously.Poor food, hard work, infectious diseases,and bitterly cold weather killed about half of them.By the

4、 end of this terrible first winter,only about 50 remained alive.One spring morning in 1621,an Indian walked into the little village of Plymouthand introduced himself in a friendly way.Later, he brought the Indian chief, Massasoit,who gave gifts to the people and offered assistance.The Indians of Mas

5、sasoits tribe taught the Pilgrims how to hunt,fish, and grow food.They taught the Pilgrims to use fish for fertilizer in planting corn,pumpkins, and beans.Because of this help from the Indians,the Pilgrims had a good harvest.Governor William Bradford was following an ancient tradition when,in the fa

6、ll of 1621,he issued a proclamation establishing a day of thanksgiving to God.The governor also decided to use this religious occasionto strengthen the bond of friendshipbetween the Pilgrims and their Indian neighbors.So he invited Chief Massasoit and his braves to share the Thanksgiving feast.The I

7、ndians gladly accepted and sent five deer ahead.The Pilgrim men went hunting and returned with turkey and other wild game.The women of Plymouth prepared delicious dishes from corn,cranberries, squash and pumpkins. 37. Christmas CarolsUsually at this time of the year,Christmas carols can be heard all

8、 over New York.They will waft from any street and lane,even from the dirtiest station of the dirtiest route, Route 7.Many people have to change trains there.When dusk falls, the commuters have to line up to move upstairs.The train is to clime up and onto the overpassand drive its way through this di

9、rty and messy block.Peering downwards and into the windows of some extremely dilapidated building,passengers may sometimes see some mysterious-looking orientalsdressed in Japanese-style dark suits practicing karate.Looking further downwards,they may see an elderly black woman wearing a dirty flowery

10、 skirt,and holding a big plastic bag.Breathing with much difficulty, she is tottering along.If one happens to be in a dreamy and imaginative mood,he might think he has blundered into Hollywoodand happens to be watching the making of a crime film.This is America too!At the sight, some “rags to riches

11、” dreamers might burst into tears.The other day, Christmas fast approaching,I was changing trains here.It was cold and wet. People inched forward,intending to change to Route 7.Then I heard the voice of a child,who was singing “Silent Night” to the accompaniment of a small accordion.They were standi

12、ng at the foot of the stairs, an elderly man and a little boy.Holding a little red tin can in one hand,the boy was ringing an iron bell with the other.His little face that appeared above his black overcoat was flushed in the cold air.Some passengers produced coins and dropped them with a tinkle into

13、 the can.In the bone-chilling dusk,the bell kept ringing,and the child singing, loud and clear. 38. Taking Children to CollegeIts September again.Again, I see the different facial expressions of the parentstaking their children to college.Its mostly the male parents who perform this duty.Sometimes b

14、oth parents come.The highly personalized faces which usually differ from each other in a thousandand one ways fade at this moment into each other,and display the same look: fatigue, exhaustion,the timidness and cautiousness of a new comer,and the concernedness and fear that their offspring might be

15、treated unfairly.Such long and exhausting journeys over here!So many complicated and time-consuming procedures!They corrode peoples lan.The gleefulness and dizziness usually found in “eighteen-year-old youngsters whove made it”disappear altogether.Close on the heels of their parents,they shuffle fro

16、m place to place in the campus.To go through one formality,they have to walk long distances and ask many questions of many people,and their parents have to smile politely all the time.Everywhere they have to line up and to pay.The sun being blazing, they find themselves perspiring all over.They have

17、 to sit by the roadside for a restand satisfy their thirst by drinking bottled waterwhose prices soar because of scarcity.No matter how dignified and classy one may look on other days,one has to, for the sake of ones children,humble oneself, put up with inconveniences,and show ones best smiles to fi

18、nd out what to do.I saw a father carrying a huge bed-roll.Bent with the heavy burden on his shoulder,he had to strain for a look ahead in order to see the way forward.His son, head hanging low, followed behind with only a small bag.It wont be long before his boy will help the girls with their bags.I

19、 also saw a father and son coming near hand in hand from the fork of a road.A mere glance told me that they are from one of the poor rural areas.Both wore cheap T-shirts and had crew-cuts.Even smaller in build, the old man has graying hair and a tan.An arrogant taxi sped towards them and was on the

20、point of knocking down the oldster.The poor man quickly jumped aside.It was a near escape.Then, only then, was he separated from his son.When the car shot past, they joined hands again,continued on their way, each being the others support.The sight nearly brought tears to my eyes. 39. The WindWe not

21、ice the wind when it seems cruel,when the trees turn away from it,and it cuts into our hearts. “Certain winds will make mens temper bad,” said George Eliot.In Israel, there is one kind of wind that brings irritability,headaches, sickness and respiratory difficulties.In Germany, a warm, dry wind is s

22、aid to blow heartaches down from the Alps.In Southern California,the Santa Ana is associated with an increase in depression and domestic violence.Scientists have tried without successto identify physiological reasons for these reactions.Everyone agrees, however, that dry winds like the Santa Ana,the

23、 cold northerly wind in France and the wind in Germany and Switzerlandseem to have negative effects on our mental and physical well-being.On windy days, playground fights,suicides and heart failures are more frequent.In Geneva, traffic accidents increase when a wind called the bise blows.At the requ

24、est of patients,some Swiss and German hospitals postpone surgerywhen the wind blows off the northern slopes of the Alps.It is human to ask what is behind the wind.It is easy to personify the wind as the breath of God.The act of taking wind into our lungs is what gives us life.The Jews, Arabs, Romans

25、 and Greeksall took their word for spirit from the word for wind.Eskimo women once chased the wind from their house with clubs,while the men shot it with rifles to kill the evil spiritthey believed rode its gusts.But our day-to-day lives are no longer blown on the winds.We do not identify wind with

26、spirit any more.That is good for commerce,but it exacts a cost to the human eye and heart.The wind blows us simple pleasures.There are winds lapping at shores,bathing us in scents of coconut and spice,beckoning us further. 40. Feather in the WindA certain good womanone day said something that hurt h

27、er best friend of many years.She regretted immediatelyand would have done anything to have taken the words back.What she said hurt the friend so muchthat this good woman was herself hurt for the pain she caused.In an effort to undo what she had done,she went to an older, wiser woman in the village,e

28、xplained her situation, and asked for advice.Listening to her,the older woman sensed the younger womans distress and knew she must help her.She also knew she could never alleviate her pain,but she could teach.She knew the outcome would depend solely on the character of the younger woman.She said, “T

29、onight, take your best feather pillowsand put a single feather on the doorstep of each house in town before the sun rises.”The young woman hurried home to prepare for her chore,even though the feather pillows were very dear to her.All night long, she labored alone in the cold.Finally the sky was get

30、ting light,she placed the last feather on the steps of the last house.Just as the sun rose, she returned to the older woman. “Now,” said the wise woman, “Go back and refill your pillows with the feather you have put on the steps.Then everything will be as it was before.” “You know thats impossible!T

31、he wind blew away each feather as fast as I placed them on the doorsteps!”The young woman was surprised. “Thats true,” said the older woman. “Never forget. Each of your words is like a feather in the wind.Once spoken, no amount of effort,regardless how heartfelt or sincere, can never return them to your mouth.Choose your words well and guard them most of all in the presence of those you love.” 41. Problems and OpportunitiesWe live in an unusual time with corporate downsizing, restructuring,and the increase in global competition.Some view these times as problematic;others see the