Give Thanks (1)

The fourth Thursday in November welcomes the holiday season

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. This holiday not only involves football and turkey but also helps us remember to be thankful. Traditionally Americans go home for Thanksgiving. So people start preparing weeks before the holiday. Excited moms are eager to have their children come home. Thanksgiving is also a season for giving. Irene's school has a "Turkey Trot" race every year around Thanksgiving.You can give small amounts of money for charity to run in the race.

In our neighborhood, the Boy Scouts go door to door asking for canned food for the needy. Churches and charities sponsor coat drives for families who need winter coats. Some teen groups volunteer at homeless shelters on weekends. They either prepare food or help serve it. What does our family do? We usually go to our church potluck. The dishes are mostly Chinese, but the church prepares turkeys and pumpkin and apple pies. Afterward, we sing and share what we are thankful for in the past year.


Grammar Gym
weeks before = several weeks before to switch weeks before to days before, hours before, minutes before....
- So people start preparing weeks before the holiday.
- Zack finished his report weeks before the due date.
- Sharon's suitcase was already packed days before her Christmas break.
- Janice's friends came to see her hours before her surgery.
- Minutes before her train arrived, Martha realized she had lost her ticket.

Info Cloud
neighborhood n.
1.街坊、住家鄰近地區 a friendly neighborhood友善的區
a rough neighborhood治安不好的區 a leafy neighborhood有很多樹的區，指中產階級住的區
2.接近(通常連接數字) in the neighborhood of $800指八百美金左右
district行政區、 township小鎮，都是政府規劃的行政區

Language Lab
around the corner (idiom)就在轉角處；即將來臨、迫在眉睫
coming or happening very soon
- Bryan's graduation ceremony is just around the corner.
Bryan的畢業典禮就要到了
- The grocery store is around the corner.
雜貨店的位置在轉角處

eager adj.熱切的、急切的 eagerness n.
very excited and interested
- Charles is eager to play on the football team.
Charles很希望能加入足球隊
- Kate is eager to please her parents.
Kate迫切的想要取悅她的父母
- His eagerness to win made him really nervous during the game.
他的求勝心，造成他在比賽中非常緊張

shelter n. v.遮蔽之處、庇護所、避難所
a structure that covers or protects people or things
- We took shelter under a tree during the rain.
下雨時，我們躲在樹下
- The church provides shelter for abused women.
 教堂提供受虐婦女庇護所
v.
- The village was sheltered by mountains.
這個村莊被群山保護著

potluck n.百樂餐(參加聚餐者，每人各帶菜餚，共享的餐會)；家常便飯
a meal to which everyone who is invited brings food to share
- Mandy took her famous beef stew to the potluck.
Mandy帶了她最拿手的燉牛肉，來百樂餐
- You're welcome to stay for dinner if you don't mind potluck.
如果你不介意家常便飯，歡迎留下來晚餐

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