1、Unit 1 Festivals and celebrationsReading and ThinkingPhrases: play a role in, in spite of，take advantage of，have sth. in common1Discover the reasons for festivals and celebrationsWords: range, origin, figure, joy, harvest, agriculture, crop, gather, grateful, feature, decorate, church, significant,
2、typical, commercial, medium, media, reflect, belief, faith, occasion23GoalsLead inDiscover the reasons for festivals and celebrationsBefore you read, discuss these questions in groups.1 .What festivals do you celebrate with your family each year?2 .Why do you think people celebrate different festiva
3、ls?Lead inWhy do you think people celebrate these festivals?LearnFestivals 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 . Howeve
4、r , 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 .Of all the traditional festivals, the harvest festival can be found in almost every culture. This important agricultural festival takes place after all
5、 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 springtime-the Egyptian harvest season .It featured a parade and a great feast with music ,dancing , and sports . Today, in
6、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 Festival in China, families gather to admire the shining moon and enjoy delicious mooncakes.LearnCustoms play a significant role in festivals, but
7、 sometimes they can change 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 n
8、ew year. Nowadays, many big 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.LearnFestivals are becoming more and more commercial, with businesses takingadvantage o
9、f the celebrations. Online shopping websites and social mediaapps have made it much easier for the public to spend more on gifts for theirloved ones, Although some believe festivals should not be commercialised. others believe the increase in spending is good for the economy and public happiness.Fes
10、tivals 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 forget about our work for a little while. They help us understand where we came from.who we are, and what to appreciate. And
11、 if you study festivals carefully, you may be surprised to find that different cultures actually have a lot in common after all.LearnWHY DO WE CELEBRATE FESTIVALS?1. harvest2.Traditions /customs3.Important figures(people)4.Important events5.Have fun 6.Online shopping7. Sharing joy, gratitude, loveTo
12、 identify the “topic sentence” of each paragraphHowever, , the spirit of sharing joy, gratitude, love or peace is common in all festivals.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 c
13、hange over time.Festivals are becoming more and more commercial, with businesses taking advantage of the celebrations.Festivals are an important part of society.A topic sentencegeneral Details specificPara 1 Para 2 Para 3 Para4Para5It is a good habit to place topic sentences at the beginning of para
14、graphs.Para1 common spirit of festivalsWhy do the most festivals seem different?Because they have a wide range of origins, like the seasons of the year, religions, famous figures and important eventsWhat do the most festivals seem to have in common?The spirit of sharing joy, gratitude, love, or peac
15、eCareful readingPara2 harvest festivalsWhen and why do we celebrate harvest festivals?after all the crops have been gathered inTo show that they are grateful for the years supply of food.How does the author support his topic sentence?By giving examplesEgypt：a parade, a great feast with music, dancin
16、g and sports.European countries: decorate churches, and town halls get together to celebrate over a mealChina: Mid-Autumn FestivalPara3 customs changeWhat changes can take place over time? And why?How does the author support his topic sentence?Para4 more commercial festivalsWhy are festivals becomin
17、g commercial?Because businesses take advantage of themIs there any different attitudes to the change? If any, what are they?Some believe festivals should not be commercialized but others believe the increase in spending is good for the economy and public happiness.What is your attitude?Para5 importa
18、nce of festivalsWhy do people find festivals important?Reflect peoples wishes, beliefs, faiths and attitudes towards lifeRelax and enjoy life, and forget about work for a whileUnderstand where we came from, who we are, and what to appreciate Which festival do you think is the most important and what
19、 do you think is the most important reasons for you to celebrate it? ThinkingPost reading5 Complete the following passage using suitable words from the text. Be sureto use the correct forms.Todays festivals have a wide_ of origins, including the seasons of the year, famous_, important events, and re
20、ligions. The _ festival is one of the most popular festivals and is celebrated in many cultures . Customs play a _ role in festivals , but they can change over time. For example, some Chinese cities no longer allow firecrackers during the Spring Festival, as they can increase air pollution. These da
21、ys, festivals are becoming more_, with people spending more money on gifts . Festivals _ peoples wishes, beliefs, faiths, and attitudes towards life, They are _to spend time with family,and to relax and enjoy liferangefiguresharvestsignificantcommercialreflectoccasionsSummarypara1. common spirit of
22、festivals para2.harvest Egypt EuropeanChina para3.CustomsLighting firecrackersHalloween para4.CommercialDifferent attitudes para5.importanceWHY DO WE CELEBRATE FESTIVALS?预习 Unit 1-Discovering Useful Structures.31Recite new words and phrases.2Develop a paragraph of the most important festival you celebrate and explain your reasons.THANKS
