UNIT 31 HOLIDAYS ANDFESTIVALS( Ⅰ ) Lesson 61 PartⅠ

UNIT 31 HOLIDAYS AND FESTIVALS(Ⅰ)

Lesson  61

PartⅠWarming-up Exercises

Dates: Traditional Holidays

Training Focus:

Identifying dates

Directions: The word “holiday” comes from the words “holy”and“day.”Originally holidays were holy or religious days. Nowadays holidays include national, seasonal, and historical days of celebration. Here are some traditional holidays in some countries. Listen carefully. Write the date. Do NOT abbreviate. Be sure to write the complete phrase.

Key:

1. February 14th is Valentine's Day. It is observed in some European and North American countries. People send cards or gifts expressing love and affection sometimes anonymously to their sweethearts or friends. 2. Feast of Dolls in Japan falls on March 2nd. It is observed there in honour of girls. 3. Feast of Banners in Japan is on May 5th. It is observed in honour of boys. 4. May 5th is Dragon Boat Festival in China and is held according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar. People eat rice cakes and hold dragon boat races to commemorate the ancient scholar-statesman Qu Yuan. 5. August 15th is Mid-Autumn Festival in China and is held according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar. People eat moon cakes while looking at the bright full moon. 6. April Fools' Day is on April 1st. In some European countries and in North America, people play practical jokes or tricks on each other and those unsuspecting victims are called April fools. 7. July 14th is Bastille Day. It is an annual holiday in France to commemorate the fall of the Bastille. 8. Halloween is the eve of All Saints' Day celebrated on October 31st by children who go in costume from door to door begging treats or playing pranks. 9. All Souls' Day is a Roman Catholic Church holiday. It falls on November 2nd, a day of praying for the dead. 10. December 26th is Boxing Day in Britain, Canada, and the U.S. It is observed as a holiday from the custom of giving Christmas boxes to the tradesmen and staff on this day.

Lesson 61 PartⅡ

Lesson  61

Ex.

Directions: Choose the appropriate words and phrases from the given list to complete the paragraph. Your answers must be based on the information you hear on the tape.

Key: 1, 5, 6, 8, 4, 9, 10, 2, 3, 7,

Tapescript:

Dragon Boat Festival (Ⅰ)  (49″)

Ruth: We have our big Dragon Boat Festival on the 5th of May according to the Lunar Calendar. That is when the summer season officially begins. The big event is the dragon boat race.

John: All your festivals seem to be connected with history. Is there something special about that one?

Ruth: Yes, it concerns a famous scholar-statesman named Qu Yuan. He incurred the displeasure of the Emperor and was banished from the kingdom.

John: What did he do that was so bad?

Ruth: Nothing, he was framed! Other jealous government officials plotting against him convinced the Emperor that he was disloyal and so he was exiled.

John: So what became of him?

Ruth: He lived the life of a hermit and became an excel lent poet. But he became so discouraged that he committed suicide by throwing himself into the river.

Lesson 61 Part Ⅲ

Lesson  61

Ex.Ⅰ

Directions: Fill in the blanks according to the information you hear on the tape.

Key: (see tapescript)

Ex.Ⅱ

Directions: Use your own words to answer the questions you hear on the tape.

1. Why do people hold dragon boat races?

2. Why do people give offerings of Zongzi instead of rice?

3. Why do people eat duck rather than turkey?

Key: (see tapescript)

Tapescript:

Dragon Boat Festival (Ⅱ)  (1′4″)

John: What has that to do with boat races?

Ruth: Well, the people knew he was an upright man, so they rushed out in their boats to try to save him. The boat races commemorate this attempt. Also, the people were so sad that they threw rice in the water to feed his ghost, so now on this holiday we give offerings of Zongzi and present them to friends, especially children.

John: Why not just rice?

Ruth: Because the spirit of Qu Yuan appeared to the people and said the rice had been eaten by the turtles and fish so would they please wrap it up in bamboo leaves and tie them with thread. So they have done this ever since.

John: Is there a special time for the festival?

Ruth: It's held at twelve noon. And like your Thanksgiving, we have a big dinner, but instead of turkey we have a big duck on the table because everything should be connected with the water.

John: And the boat races are in the afternoon?

Ruth: Yes, the teams race against one another in long narrow boats resembling dragons. They keep pace by the drums in the boats.