Unit 1
Festivals
and
Celebrations
Reading Tips
在阅读每个段落时，要注意
综合运用略读(skimming)
与扫读(scanning)这两种方法。
略读(skimming)只看文章标题、下标题以及每个部分或者段落第一行, 关注文章中反复出现的关键词。
略读时, 要用充足的时间读懂段落的第一句和第二句, 因为第一句往往是该段的主题句(topic sentence), 而第二句往往是对前句的延伸(extension)或进一步的解释(explanation)。
通过略读把握文章大意
运用扫读(scanning)迅速浏览从第三句开始的后面部分, 搜寻作者对开头两句的支持句(supporting sentences), 并同时注意文章中间是否有转折(transition), 因为这些词常常会把文章的思路逆转或加入其它重要的信息。
通过扫读寻找特定信息或特定词组
当读到段落的最后一句时,我们又要使用略读, 这时必须再次放慢速度(slow down your pace)直到完全消化作者对段落的小结(conclusion), 因为该小结有可能与主题句截然相反或引导读者进入下一个段落。
Skimming
Reading Comprehension I
How many types of festivals are mentioned in the passage?
A. Three. B. Four.
C. Five. D. Six.
2. The beginning of festivals of the dead
is related to _______.
A. religion B. seasons
C. special people D. hunting
Don’t forget “Ancient festival”
3. At festivals people can do all the following except _______.
A. forget their work for a little while
B. enjoy life
C. travel around the world
D. be proud of their customs
4. Which of the following is not mentioned in the passage?
A. Carnival and Columbus Day.
B. Halloween and Spring Festivals.
C. Thanksgiving Festivals and Obon.
D. Valentine’s Day and Fool’s Day.
A. The ancient people always worry about their food.
B. Halloween is a festival intended to honour the hero.
C. To honor the great poet Qu Yuan, people celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival.
D. Easter celebrates the birth of Jesus.
5. Which of the following is right?
Fill in the following chart.
scanning
Reading Comprehension II
Detailed Reading
Ancient Festivals
Most ancient festivals would celebrate the end of the ____ _______, planting in ______ and harvest in _______. Today’s festivals have many ______, some ________, some seasonal and some
for special ______ or ______.
events
cold weather
spring
autumn
origins
religious
people
How do Japanese honour their ancestors?
They have a festival called Obon, when people should go to clean the graves and light incense to honour their ancestors. They light lamps and play
music.
Festivals of the Dead
Obon in Japan
What do people in Mexico do in memory of the dead?
They offer food, flowers and gifts to the dead on the Day of the Dead. People eat certain food on that day.
The Day of the Dead in Mexico
What do people in Western countries do in memory of the dead?
They used to believe in the return of the spirits of dead people. It is now a children’s festival, when they dress as witches and ghosts and go to their neighbour’s homes to ask for sweets.
pumpkin head
Halloween in Western countries
mask
Compare the festivals of the dead in
Mexico, Japan and China. What things
are similar and what things are different?
The Chinese, Japanese and Mexican festivals of the dead all have customs to honour the dead. The Chinese and Japanese go to clean their ancestors’ graves, and the Mexicans offer food, flowers and gifts to the dead. However, there are some differences. The Mexicans eat special food that looks like bones, something the Chinese and Japanese do not do.
Festivals to Honour People
Match the festivals with the proper people.
Columbus
Day
National Festival on October 2
The Dragon Boat
Festival
China
India
USA
Harvest Festivals
People will ________ on Thanksgiving
festivals.
1.
2.
3.
decorate churches and town halls
get together to have meals
win awards for their farm produce
Compared with Thanksgiving festivals in
Western countries, what different activities
do China and Japan have in mid-autumn
festivals?
People admire the moon and in China, enjoy mooncakes.
Spring Festivals
At spring festivals, people usually have dances, carnivals and other activities to celebrate
the end of winter and the
coming of spring.
How did you spend your Spring Festival this year?
What does Easter celebrate?
Do you know the symbols of Easter?
It celebrates the return of Jesus from the dead and the coming of spring and new life.
Easter eggs and Easter Bunnies.
Do you know the date of Japan’s Cherry Blossom Festival?
March 15- April 15
Based on the reading passage, what do most festivals seem to have in common? Talk with your partner and fill in the
chart below.
Three common things might be
from the following: food, music,
entertainment, being with family
and friends, dance, lights or fires,
remembering events or people.
Discussion
Discuss in pairs which festivals you think are the most important and which are the
most fun. Then fill in the chart below with your ideas.
Group Work
Work in groups and create your own festival and then report it to the class.
Name of the festivals:
Date:
Meaning:
Why it is celebrated:
How it is celebrated:
Quiz
There are all kinds of festivals and ___________ around the world, which are held for different reasons. The _______ ________ were mainly held at three times a year. Some festivals are held to ______ the dead or satisfy the _________ in case they might return either to help or to ___ _____,
while other festivals are held to honor famous people or the gods, such as
celebrations
harm
do
ancestors
honor
festivals
ancient
Answer:
_______ _____ ______ and Columbus Day.
Harvest and Thanksgiving festivals are happy events because the food is _________ for the winter and the ___________work is over. And the most _________ and important festivals are the ones that look forward to the end of winter and to the ______ of spring, such as the ______ New Year, at which people have a very good time.
Some Western countries have very exciting ________. Festivals let us enjoy ____.
agricultural
gathered
Lunar
coming
Dragon Boat Festival
energetic
carnivals
life
Translation
Quiz II
At that time _________________ (人们就
会挨饿) if food was difficult to find,
especially during the cold winter months.
2. For the Japanese festival Obon, ______
______________________(人们要扫墓)
and light incense ____________ (纪念)
their ancestors.
3. At the Spring Festival in China, people eat
dumplings, fish and meat and may ____
___________________ (给孩子们压岁钱).
people would starve
should go to clean graves
people
give
children lucky money
in memory of
Homework
Read the text again and
underline some important
phrases and difficult sentences.
2. Write an invitation using the
information about the festival
you have created.
Thank you.