关于感恩英语的美文(感恩节感恩父母英语美文朗诵)
今天是感恩节（Thanksgiving Day），我们为大家准备了适合与孩子共读的经典美文——林肯1863年感恩节公告，让孩子通过听读美文，了解这个由美国人民独创的节日。
每一种语言都是在特定的社会历史环境中产生和发展起来的，所以如果我们想要孩子学好一门语言，就必须让他对使用这种语言国家的文化有一定程度的了解。
同中国春节一样，感恩节这一天，美国人不管多忙，都要与自己的家人团聚、共度佳节。不过最初，感恩节并没有固定日期，由各州临时决定，直到美国独立后，感恩节才成为全国性的节日。1863年，美国总统林肯宣布每年十一月的第四个星期四为感恩节，感恩节庆祝活动便定在这一天。
Abraham Lincoln
美国政治家、思想家
美国第16任美国总统
1863年美国仍处于南北内战，经历重大的伤亡，在当年7月初在葛底斯堡(Gettysburg)发生了浴血战。1863年11月19日亚伯拉罕林肯总统发表了美国历史上最著名的葛底斯堡演说，广为流传。但较少人知道的是，同年的10月3日他还发表了一篇非常重要的感恩节宣言。在当时国务卿苏瓦德协助动笔的10月3日咨文中，林肯总统宣布了美国人从此以11月第四个星期四为感恩节假日，使林肯也成为感恩节之父。
在这感恩的日子里，小V君特别准备了由VIPKID教研主管蒋老师的女儿杜鹃童声朗读的“林肯1863年感恩节公告”，背景音乐来自Ken Burns史诗纪录片《南北战争》主题音乐。
蒋老师与女儿在阿拉斯加的耶鲁冰川前合影
下面是公告全文的中英文版本，大家不妨陪孩子，随着优美的童声和音乐，了解文字背后的节日历史和文化。
《Abraham Lincoln Proclamation 1863》
The year that is drawing towards its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.
正接近尾声的今年，我们享有丰收的土地与美好气候。对这些我们每日享受的慷慨赐予，我们很容易忘记它们源自何处，这是全能上帝的供应。上帝的巨大力量，即使是刚硬的心都会被穿透软化。
In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity,which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere,except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.
虽然非常严重与艰苦的内战已引起了其它一些国家的挑衅。但在这期间，国家间的和平得到了维护，秩序得到了维持，法律得到重视并遵守。除了这些军事冲突的地区外，其他地区都能和睦。因着陆军与海军的努力使战区正在大大地缩小。
Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense, have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore.Population has steadily increased,notwith standing the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
虽然许多财物与力量从和平的地区提供给战争的需要，但这并没有抑制农业发展和我们地域的开拓。铁和煤矿与贵重金属的产量比以往更多。尽管在战场有人员损失，国家人口仍稳定增长，人民为国家的实力与活力的提高而欣喜，期待未来将有更大的自由。
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
人类的忠告或凡人之手无法产生这些伟大的成就。它们是至高造物主恩慈的礼物，主即使为我们的犯罪而发怒时仍显出怜悯。
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States , and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.
对我而言，这些应该被全体美国人民一 心一意、庄严地、恭敬地、感激地献上感恩。我因此邀请全美各地、海上以及居留外国的同胞们，将下个月11 月最后一个星期四作为感恩的一天，向我们在天上的天父祈祷和感恩。
And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.
我也建议美国人民，在对上帝这样非凡奇妙的赐福而向天父献上感谢祭时，也谦卑地为我们国家的堕落与悖逆悔改。对所有在这场无法避免的悲惨内战中成为寡妇、孤儿、送葬者或受难者的，祈求天父温柔的看顾。强烈地恳求全能的上帝尽快伸出恩手医治和修复这个国家，使国家符合神的旨意，以致享有完全的和平、融洽、宁静与团结。
词汇解读：
Harmony：n.和谐; 协调; 融洽，一致;
Mercy：n. 怜悯; 宽容; 幸运; 侥幸;
Blessing：n.（上帝的） 祝福; 好事; 福分; 因祸得福;
Humble：adj.谦逊的; vt.使谦恭;
Tranquility：n.安宁; 平静;
感恩，赋予过去以意义，赋予当下以平静，赋予未来以憧憬。告诉孩子，即使在兵荒马乱、物质匮乏的时代，若我们能常怀一颗感恩之心去生活，也可以触得到天堂。
希望我们今天的分享能让您与孩子获得心灵上的丰足，Happy Thanksgiving Day！
