1、Unit 1 FESTIVALS AND CELEBRATIONS Reading & Thinking Spring Festival gala 春晚 Red Envelope 红包 pay a New Year call 拜年 Spring Festival couplets 春联 1.What festivals do you celebrate with your family each year? 2.Why do you think people celebrate different festivals? Chrismas carol 圣诞颂歌 Sending gift fami
2、ly reunion 家庭聚会 Chrismas wreath 圣诞花圈 The Birth of Jesus 耶稣耶稣诞生诞生 Easter Day 复活节复活节 Thanksgiving Day 感恩节感恩节 Dragon Boat Festival 端午节端午节 National Day 国庆节国庆节 Mid-Autumn Day 中秋节中秋节 Tomb Sweeping Day 清明节清明节 celebrate the harvest and admire the moon in memory of our ancersters / honor the dead Prediction
3、Why do we celebrate festivals? reason peopleactivities This passage is mainly about some festivals in China, even around the world exploring why the people all over the world celebrate different festivals.So we can know that the article is a(n) _ exposition. Read the text again and underline the top
4、ic sentence of each paragraph that gives the main idea. Tip: Identify the main idea of a paragraph Most paragraphs will have a topic sentence. It is often the first sentence. Sometimes it is found elsewhere in the paragraph. Para 1 _ _ Para 2 _ _ Para 3 _ _ Para 4 _ Para 5 _ Festivals are celebrated
5、 all around the world for the different reasons and the same spirit. Of all the traditional festivals, the harvest festival can be found in almost every culture. Customs play a significant role in festivals, but sometimes they can change over time. Festivals are becoming more and more commercial. Fe
6、stivals are an important part of society. Why do we celebrate festivals Festivals are celebrated all around the world. They have a wide range of origins, such as the seasons of the year, religions, famous figures, and important events. Every festival has its different customs and unique charms. Howe
7、ver, no matter how different they may seem, all over the world, the spirit of sharing joy, gratitude, love, or peace is common in all festivals. The spirit of sharing joy, gratitude, love, or peace.Festivals are rarely celebrated alone. And even when someone is alone during a festival, the festival
8、reminds them of people who used to be in their lives, but who are no longer present. This is important because people are at heart social creatures who desire to have relationships with others and to be a part of the group. Read and complete the blanks. A wide_ of _ for festivals _ of festivals Seas
9、ons of the year Religions Famous _ Important events range origins sharing joy, gratitude,love or peace spirit figures different _customs unique charms Of all the traditional festivals, the harvest festival can be found in almost every culture. This important agricultural festival takes place after a
10、ll the crops have been gathered in. People celebrate to show that they are grateful for the years supply of food. In ancient Egypt, the harvest festival was celebrated during the springtimethe Egyptian harvest season. It featured a parade and a great feast with music, dancing, and sports.Today, in s
11、ome European countries, people decorate churches and town halls with flowers and fruit, and get together to celebrate over a meal. During the Mid-Autumn Festival in China, families gather to admire the shining moon and enjoy delicious mooncakes. After all the crops have been gathered in. To show tha
12、t they are grateful for the years supply of food. In ancient Egypt, it featured a parade and a great feast with music, dancing and sports. In some European countries, people decorate churches and town halls with flowers and fruit and get together to celebrate over a meal. During the Mid-Autumn Festi
13、val in China, families gather to admire the shining moon and enjoy delicious moon cakes. para2 Describe the harvest festival. 1.When and why do we celebrate harvest festivals? 2.How does the author support his topic sentence? Customs play a significant role in festivals, but sometimes they can chang
14、e over time.With the development of modern society and the spread of new ideas, some traditions may fade away and others may be established. One example is the typical Chinese Spring Festival custom of lighting firecrackers to drive away the evil spirits and celebrate the new year. Nowadays, many bi
15、g cities have given up this custom in order to avoid air pollution. Another example is Halloween, which slowly became an exciting festival for children, in spite of its religious origins. 1.How do you feel about festival customs that have already faded away? 2. How does the author support his topic
16、sentence? By givng examples. I feel sad, because these customs are part of our culture and history, they make our lives more interesting, and they remind us who we are. Examples The Chinese Spring Festival Lighting crackers to avoid air pollution Holloween religious origionhave fun Festivals are bec
17、oming more and more commercial, with business taking advantage of the celebrations. Online shopping websites and social media apps have made it much easier for the public to spend more on gifts for their loved ones. Although some believe festivals should not be commercialised, others believe the inc
18、rease in spending is good for the economy and public happiness. 1)Why are festivals becoming more and more commercial? Because businesses take advantage of them 2).What can we infer from the fourth paragraph? A. Business shouldnt take advantage of celebrations of festivals. B. People have different
19、opinions on making festivals commercialized. C. Online shopping websites and social media apps make festivals more complicated. D. People should spend more money buying gifts for their loved ones. para4 How do people think of the commercialisation of festivals? much easier for the public to spend mo
20、re on gifts for their loved ones Good for the economy and public happiness Festivals should not be commercialised. Festivals are an important part of society. They reflect peoples wishes, beliefs, faiths, and attitudes towards life. They are occasions that allow us to relax and enjoy life, and forge
21、t about our work for a little while. They help us understand where we came from, who we are, and what to appreciate. And if you study festivals carefully, you may be surprised to find that different cultures actually have a lot in common after all. para5 Why are festivals an important part of societ
22、y? Reflect peoples wishes, beliefs, faiths and attitudes towards life Relax and enjoy life, and forget about work for a while Understand where we came from, who we are, and what to appreciate Why are festivals an important part of society? They reflect They are occasions They help us para5 to share
23、_ to express _ to express _ to hope for_ the harvest festival In ancient Egypt In China In some European countries the spirits they have in common Festivals commercialisation How:_ Why:_ Peoples opinions:_ _ _ a wide range of origins the _ of the year religions famous _ important_ _ changes seasons
24、figures events joy gratitudelove peace How:_ _ Why:_ _ _ Examples: _ _ _ customs some may fade away and others may be established the development of modern society and the spread of new ideas Many big cities give up lighting firecrackers to celebrate the new year. Businesses take advantage of festiv
25、als Online shopping and social media app make it easier to spend more on gifts Its good for economy and public happiness. Festivals should not be commercialised. para1. common spirit of festivals para2.harvest Egypt European China para3.Customs Lighting firecrackers Halloween para4. Commercialisatio
26、n Different attitudes para5.importance WHY DO WE CELEBRATE FESTIVALS? Summary-The structure The harvest festivalThe time ， the feature and some ways Introduction of festivals around the world The differences and common The change of customs Some fade away and some appear Commercial festivals Busines
27、s take advantage of the celebrations The importance Helpful in many ways mind map Sharing joy gratitude Love or peace * Of all the traditional festivals, the harvest festival can be found in almost every culture. * Customs play a significant role in festivals, but sometimes they can change over time
28、. * Festivals are becoming more and more commercial. Festivals are an important part of society. Imagine that your class are going to set and celebrate a new festival together. Discuss with your classmates: what should the new festival include? a new festival Why When How What Step 9 Create your own
29、 festivals Try to make a plan: When does the festival take place? What is the festival for? What do people do at the festival? What is the name of your festival? Peace Day: no fighting or conflicts are allowed. Happiness Day: only things that will make others happy are allowed. Friendship Day: no ar
30、guments or fights are allowed. Nature Day: no pollution or destruction of nature is allowed Sample: Mens Day We consider it better to take place/be held on the 2nd week of April, which follows the April Fools Day. As you know, March 8th is the Womens Day. But we are thinking of creating a day on which men celebrate their own holiday. I think that the new festival should be _. On this day, _ are (not) allowed. People will _. The festival will be celebrated on _ and people will celebrate it by _. I think this is the best idea because _.
