Unit 9 Holidays Chinese Holidays The Dragon Boat Festival The Lantern Festival Pure Bright Festival The Double Ninth Festival Western Holidays Halloween.

Unit 9Holidays

Chinese Holidays

The Dragon Boat Festival

The Lantern Festival

Pure Bright Festival

The Double Ninth Festival

Western Holidays

Halloween

Valentine’s Day

Easter

April Fools’ Day

Chinese Holidays

Spring Festival

It is celebrated by Chinese at the time of the lunar New Year. People have family reunions and a rich feast. Children set off fireworks and always get red envelopes with money inside from elders.

Western Holidays

Christmas

At Christmas, wrapped gifts prepared by friends and families are put under a decorated Christmas tree. People have dinner at home with family. Christmas carols are sung at Christian churches.

Chinese Holidays

Mid-autumn Festival

It is on August 15th of Chinese lunar calendar, the day when the moon is the brightest. Chinese people regard the day as an important occasion for family reunion. Moon cake is a symbolic food in the festival.

Western Holidays

Thanksgiving Day

It is celebrated in the USA and Canada in the last Thursday in November. It is a day of eating and giving thanks to God for blessings of the past year and a bountiful harvest. People have turkey dinner at home with friends and family members, watching football games and Thanksgiving parade.

• Holidays are often times for

Celebration

revelry( 狂欢 )

eating, drinking

travel

family gatherings

rest

reflection( 反思 )

Do you know it’s ChristmasA Little after ThanksgivingAnd a shade before New YearA Day of triumphant light and loveLove ~ the feeling you and I share and Light ~ it has brought to our livesThis Christmas is very special !I have been granted my secret wishI have your lovely company.

Holidays and Special Days

Words Used on Special DaysWords Used on Special Days

May warmest wishes, happy thoughts and friendly greetings come at Christmas and stay with you the whole year through.

Congratulations on this very special day with wishes that good luck and life’s very best always come your way!

To the one I love —

The things you do, the joy you bring, the thoughtfulness you show just make you special as can be and such a joy to know!

The text consists of two short passages, one of which is entitled and the other

The two passages give us quite different opinions about Christmas

More Stuffing?

Not only for Children

More Stuffing?

is spent on many luxury items. (Para. 2) We forget to think of and the homeless. (Para. 3) Christmas is a holiday that has . So I am Christmas. (Para. 4)

Merry has two meanings: You will be sipping away on a drink at Christmas. (Para. 1)

merry and drunk

An incredible amount of money

the sick

Lost its meaningagainst

Not Only for Children

They think it’s just a time

1. Many people today have a very different to Christmas. (Para. 6)

2. I have different ideas. (Para. 5, 7-9)

Opening Christmas gifts is Christmas takes people Everyone seems at Christmas time.

It is still a “holy day”, and it gives people time to pause and

attitude

when shopkeepers make a lot of money and everyone rushes round buying presents they don’t want to give and food they don’t want to eat.

an exciting experience.

out of the ordinary routine of life.

much friendlier to each other than usual

concentrate for a moment on non-commercial values.

If you are like a large number of British people, …You are seated in the peaceful comfort of someone’s home.

You will be sipping away on a drink.

to perform acts of kindness

如果你像很多英国人······ 你坐在某人宁静舒适的家里。

你会一直喝个不停。

做善事

圣诞节能使你从平日的常规生活中摆脱出来。

Christmas takes you out of the ordinary routine of life.

1. stretch (Line 4, Para. 1)vt. & vi. 1) continue over a long period 延续

Taiwanese veteran singer Emil Chou’s

mainland tour concert will __________

___________________________________.

台湾资深歌手周华健的大陆巡回演唱会将会从 7 月初延续到 8 月中旬。

stretch from

early July to the middle ten days of August

2) make wider, longer, or tighter, by pulling; be or become wider, etc., when pulled 伸展；张开；拉长；拉紧；扩大

Frodo tried his best to _______________ to take the ring. (from “The Lord of the Rings”)

佛罗多竭尽全力伸直手臂去够魔戒。 （选自《指环王》）

stretch out his arm

The rope must be stretched tight.

必须把绳子拉紧。

2. incredible (Line 9, Para. 2) adj. impossible or very difficult to believe 难以置信的

It is totally incredible that American cyclist Lance Armstrong, once a cancer sufferer, won the title of the Tour de France six times in a row.

曾经是癌症患者的美国自行车运动员阿姆斯特朗连续六次赢得了环法自行车赛的冠军，这太让人难以置信了。

It is an unfair phenomenon that some people_____________,

while others have nothing at all.

一些人过着奢侈的生活 , 而其他人却是一无所有。这是一种不公平的现象。

3. luxury (Line 11, Para. 2)

n. something pleasant but not really needed for one’s pleasure or comfort 奢侈

live in luxury

luxurious adj. supplied with luxuries; very comfortable

供有奢侈享受的；豪华的；非常舒服的

It is quite common that such celebrities as Mike Tyson possess more than one luxurious car.

像泰森这样的名人都拥有不止一辆的豪华轿车，这是很正常的事。

Quite a few children in China have already been accustomed to living in luxurious surroundings.

在中国，相当多的孩子已经习惯于生活在奢侈的环境中。

4. item (Line 11, Para. 2) n. 1) single article or unit in a list, etc. （目录等的）条款；项目

Please check the items in this bill.

请核对一下这张账单上的条目。

She takes charge of ________________ related to the purchase of the copyright of overseas movies.

她负责一项有关于购买海外电影版权的业务。

an item of business

2) a detail or paragraph (of news) （新闻的）一条；一则

Are there any interesting items of

news in the newspaper this morning?

今早的报纸有没有几条有意思的新闻？

5. consumption (Line 14, Para. 2)n. using up (of food, energy, materials, etc.); the quantity consumed 消耗（指食物，精力，物资等） ; 消费量

___________________ of such luxurious cars as Mercedes-Benz is comparatively high.

像奔驰这样的豪华轿车的耗油量相对较大。

The petrol consumption

The consumption of beer went down when the tax on it was raised.

当啤酒税增高时，啤酒的消耗量就降低了。

In order to help that remote village to get rid of poverty,

_______________________.

为了帮助那个偏远的村庄摆脱贫困，他耗尽自己所有的精力。

动词形式： consume

vt. & vi. use up; get to the end of 用尽；耗尽

he consumed all his energies

_________________________ is mainly responsible for

protecting the legal rights of Chinese consumers.

中国消费者协会主要负责维护中国消费者的合法权利。

名词派生形式： consumern. (opp. to producer) person who uses goods

（与“生产者”相对的）消费者；用户

China Consumers’ Association

We will naturally _____________________________ Mr. Pierre de Coubertin.

我们会很自然地把现代奥林匹克运动与顾拜旦先生联系起来。（我们想起现代奥林匹克运动就会想起顾拜旦先生。）

6. associate (Line 21, Para. 3) vt. & vi. join or connect 联合；结伙；结交

Ericsson, the former third largest cell phone producer of the world, has already associated itself with Sony of Japan in the field of mobile production.

前世界第三大手机生产商爱立信已经在手机生产领域与日本的索尼公司联手。

associate the modern Olympics with

名词形式： associationn. associating; being associated; companionship 联合；结合；结交

Many young scientists benefited much from their association with Mr. Qian Xuesen.

许多年轻的科学家都从与钱学森先生的结交中获益良多。

Her playing skills benefited a lot through her long association with that former world champion.

由于她长期与那位前世界冠军接触，她的技术有了长足的进步。

My parents were distressed about my having to leave home to go to a medical school.

父母为我因上医学院不得不离开家而很难过。

7. distressed (Line 24, Para. 3)

adj. painful 痛苦的

He was distressed about how to leave his future boss a good impression.

他正为怎样给自己未来的老板留下一个好印象而苦恼。

She is suffering excessive distress due to the death of her mother.

因为母亲去世，她正承受着巨大的悲痛。

名词形式： distressn. great suffering of the mind or body; pain or great discomfort （精神上）痛苦，悲痛，苦恼，忧伤

10. ceremony (line 38, Para. 7)adj. having or showing much worldly experience and knowledge of fashionable life 世故的，老练的

Although he has a baby face, he is actually a sophisticated man.

尽管有着一张娃娃脸，但事实上他却是一个老于世故的人。

Mr. Ruan Cishan of Phoenix TV is a sophisticated political commentator.

凤凰卫视的阮次山先生是一位有经验的政治评论员。

8. sophisticated (Line 31, Para. 5)

10. ceremony (line 38, Para. 7)n. a fixed and regular way of doing something 例行公事；例行手续；常规

He was quite familiar with the business routine of import and export trade.

他对进出口贸易的例行业务手续非常熟悉。

follow the (old) routine 墨守陈规

9. routine (Line 40, Para. 7)

break the routine 打破常规

adj. regular; according to what is always habitually done; not special 日常的；例行的；常规的

Even the ___________ was quite dangerous for these soldiers.

即使是例行巡逻对于这些士兵来说也是危险的。

The establishment of the ____________ about various infectious diseases is necessary.

建立针对各种传染病的例行报告是非常有必要的。

routine patrol

routine report

10. derive (Line 51, Para. 9) vt. & vi. 1) have as a starting-point, source, or origin 源出；起源

Thousands of English words are derived from (derive from) Latin.

英语中有成千上万的单词来源于拉丁语。

In fact, the so-called Arabic numerals are derived from (derive from) ancient India.

事实上，所谓的阿拉伯数字起源于古印度。

2) get 取得；得到

The old policeman derived pleasure from helping others all the time.

那位老警察始终助人为乐。

Those college students derived great satisfaction from the street dance in their spare time.

在业余时间里，那些大学生从街舞（运动）中得到了极大的满足。

11. commercial (Line 52, Para. 9)adj. of commerce; from the point of view of profit 商业的，商务的，商品化的；以赢利为目的的

We should take into consideration the commercial future of the commercial television.

我们应该考虑到（依靠广告收入的）商业性电视（节目）的商品化前景。

The appearance of more and more online _______________ means that netizens could not enjoy the free musical products on the Internet in the future.

越来越多商业音乐的出现意味着在将来网民们将无法继续在网上享受到免费的音乐作品。

commercial music

名词形式： commerce n. trade (esp. between countries); the exchange and distribution of goods 贸易；（尤指） 国际贸易；商业；商务

Our country has gone rich because of its commerce with other nations.

我们的国家因与其他国家通商而变得富裕起来。

Fill in the blanks with the missing words. Change the form when it is necessary.1. My wool coat ______ when I washed it.2. Quite a few children in China have already been

accustomed to living in _____ surroundings.3. In order to help that remote village to get rid of

poverty, he ____ all his savings.4. Her playing skills benefited a lot through her long

_____ with that former world champion.5. She is suffering excessive _____ due to the death of

her mother.6. Although he has a baby face, he is actually a ____

man.7. He is quite familiar with the business ____ of import

and export trade.8. Our country has gone rich because of its _____ with

other nations.9. I had the house ___ quickly so that I could move in.

1. My wool coat stretched when I washed it.2. Quite a few children in China have already been

accustomed to living in luxurious surroundings.3. In order to help that remote village to get rid of

poverty, he consumed all his savings.4. Her playing skills benefited a lot through her long

association with that former world champion.5. She is suffering excessive distress due to the death of

her mother.6. Although he has a baby face, he is actually a

sophisticated man.7. He is quite familiar with the business routine of import

and export trade.8. Our country has gone rich because of its commerce

with other nations.9. I had the house decorated quickly so that I could

move in.

Role-play

Work with your partners to make a conversation in the following situations:

1. You ring your friend Lisa on Christmas Eve.2. You and your girlfriend/boyfriend celebrate Valentine’s Day.3. You are discussing with your friend about the New Year’s resolution.

Sample for situation 1 Sample for situation 1

Tom: Hi! Lisa. Is that you? It’s Tom.

Lisa: Merry Christmas! Tom.

Tom: You too. What are you going to do during the holidays?

Lisa: I’m going to visit my parents and my brothers back home.

Tom: Have a safe trip then ! You know what? I’m going to China for my holidays. I hope that will be exciting.

Lisa: I’m sure it will.

Sample for situation 2Sample for situation 2

Jack: Happy Valentine’s Day, dear!

May: Oh! I can’t believe you remembered!

Jack: How can I forget? There are reminders all over town. Everywhere I go I see signs that tell me to buy flowers and chocolates for the woman I love. So, here, please accept these flowers and chocolates.

May: Thank you so much. I cooked a special dinner for you tonight. Happy Valentine’s Day to you!

Sample for situation 3Sample for situation 3

Lucy: Have you made a New Year’s resolution yet, Mark?

Mark: No, I never make New Year’s resolutions. I did for a few years, but I never kept them. Now I don’t even bother to make them. What about you?

Lucy: I’ve made a resolution to lose weight.

Mark: I don’t think you need to lose weight. You look just fine.

Lucy: Thank you! I appreciate that comment.

Unit 9

After-class Reading

Skimming and Scanning

1. What does Thanksgiving mean to the writer?

2. How did the writer celebrate Thanksgiving in his childhood?

3. Thanksgiving is the most ____ American holiday.

4. For most Americans, Thanksgiving is the _____ and ______ interrupted weekend.

5. One of the ____ ____ I have found in all Americans is the way they _____ holidays.

6. Thanksgiving celebrates the _____ of the country by the _____ over 350 years.

7. The spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday promotes ______, ______, _____ and _______.

1. What does Thanksgiving mean to the writer?For the writer, Thanksgiving recalls all the things in lifethat he responds to most strongly and for which he is trulythankful. 2. How did the writer celebrate Thanksgiving in his

childhood?He spent Thanksgiving at the farm and his family gatheredin the parlor and sang their favorite.3. Thanksgiving is the most purely American holiday.4. For most Americans, Thanksgiving is the longest and

least interrupted weekend.5. One of the strongest similarities I have found in all

Americans is the way they treat holidays.6. Thanksgiving celebrates the settlers of the country by

the pilgrims over 350 years.7. The spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday promotes life,

friendship, closeness and family unity.

Listen to the passage and finish the following

exercises.I: Answer the following questions

1. Why did the Pilgrims come to the US?

2. What happened to the Pilgrims when they first came to the US?

3. Why did the Pilgrims celebrate the first Thanksgiving?

4. How was Sarah Hale related to Thanksgiving?

For religious reasons

They suffered from hardships.

To give thanks to God and the Indians

She made continuous efforts in making Thanksgiving a national holiday.

Fill in the blanks with the missing words

Thanksgiving falls on _____ Thursday in _____. It

is a holiday for family ____ in the US. People eat

turkey, cranberry sauce and _________ pie on

Thanksgiving.

The first Thanksgiving was observed in _____ by

a group of Pilgrims from _____ who survived the

first harsh _____ after their arrival in the New

World. But it was not until ______ that

Thanksgiving was made a national holiday by

President ______.

Thanksgiving falls on the 4th Thursday in

November. It is a holiday for family reunion in the

US. People eat turkey, cranberry sauce and

pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving.

The first Thanksgiving was observed in 1621 by

a group of Pilgrims from England who survived the

first harsh winter after their arrival in the New

World. But it was not until 1863 that Thanksgiving

was made a national holiday by President Lincoln.

Unit 9

Listening Exercises

Why Do We Celebrate the New Year?

One of the oldest ________ of mankind is the celebration

of the new year. Some people say the Chinese were the

first to start it, others believe it was the ________

Germans, and still others ______ it was the Romans. The

Chinese new year’s _______ lasts several days. The

ancient Germans ______ a new year festival because of

the _________ _________. The German winter began

about the _____ __ ______. This was the time when they

gathered the ________, because everybody came

together at this time for the happy ________,

and because it meant they would have a period of _____

from work afterwards. They would make ______ and have

a great holiday. Even though it was _________, they

considered it the beginning of the new year! When the

Romans __________ Europe, they changed this time of

___________ to the first of January. From then the coming

of the new year was a _______ of a new life with new

_____ for the future. This custom and this ________ has

lasted to this day. We celebrate the new year hoping it will

______ ___ __ _____ _____!

One of the oldest customs of mankind is the celebration of the new year. S

ome people say the Chinese were the first to start it, others believe it was

the ancient Germans, and still others claim it was the Romans. The Chine

se new year’s festival lasts several days. The ancient Germans establish

ed a new year festival because of the changing seasons. The German wi

nter began about the middle of November. This was the time when they g

athered the harvest, because everybody came together at this time for th

e happy occasion and because it meant they would have a period of rest

from work afterwards. They would make merry and have a great holiday.

Even though it was November, they considered it the beginning of the ne

w year! When the Romans conquered Europe, they changed this time of

celebration to the first of January. From then the coming of the new year

was a symbol of a new life with new hope for the future. This custom and

this meaning has lasted to this day. We celebrate the new year hoping it

will bring us a good life!

1.The custom of giving presents during Christmas

goes back to 2. In ________, the wise men brought gifts toJesus on ___________ after his birth.3. In some countries of Europe, the gifts aresupposed to be brought in by Saint Nicholas, abishop who was regarded as ________________.4. When the Dutch came to New York, theybrought________________________________.5. In America the date of _________________Was moved to Christmas eve.

Listen to a passage and complete the following clues.Listen to a passage and complete the following clues. The Origin of Santa Claus

the ancient Romansthe Bible

the 12th day

a special friend of the children

the traditions of Saint Nicholas with them Santa Claus’s arrival

Long before Christ was born, people used to celebrate

the winter solstice as the birthday of the sun. This

time of the year was a holiday in many parts of the

world before it became the Christmas celebration. The

custom of giving presents during Christmas goes back to

the ancient Romans. In the Bible, the wise men brought

gifts to Jesus on the 12th day after his birth. And so

in some countries, the children receive their presents

not on Christmas, but 12 days later. In some of the

northern countries of Europe, the gifts are exchanged

almost three weeks before Christmas.

The reason for this is that the gifts are supposed to be brought in by Saint Nicholas on the eve of his feast day, December the 6th. Saint Nicholas was a bishop of the 4th century who came to be regarded as a special friend of the children. So in various countries around the world Saint Nicholas returns every year with gifts for good children. When the Dutch came to New York, they brought the traditions of Saint Nicholas with them. They called him “San Nicholas.” And this soon was changed to “Sankt Klaus”, and then Santa Claus. But in America the date of Santa Claus’s arrival was moved to Christmas eve. And gradually his red costume, the reindeer, and his home at the North Pole became part of the tradition.

Jingle Bell

______ through the snow, in a one-horse open sleighOver the ______we go, laughing all the way Bells on bob-tails ring, making _____ brightWhat fun it is to ride and sing, a ______ song tonightJingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way_____________________________________Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way_____________________________________A day or two ago, I thought I’d take a rideAnd soon Miss Fanny Bright was _______ by my sideThe horse was lean and lank, __________ seemed his lotHe got into a drifted bank, and we got up sot.

Jingle Bell

Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleighOver the fields we go, laughing all the way Bells on bob-tails ring, making spirits brightWhat fun it is to ride and sing, a sleighing song tonightJingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the wayOh what fun it is to ride, in a one-horse open sleighJingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the wayOh, what fun it is to ride, in a one-horse open sleighA day or two ago, I thought I’d take a rideAnd soon Miss Fanny Bright was seated by my sideThe horse was lean and lank, misfortune seemed his

lotHe got into a drifted bank, and we got up sot.

Listen to an extract from VOA special English

Broadcasting and interpret it into Chinese.

New Words:

nut 坚果

oak 橡树

January 1st, the beginning of a new year. As far back in history as we can tell, people have celebrated the start of a new year. The people of ancient Egypt began their new year in summer. And some native American Indians began their new year when the nuts of the oak tree became ripe. That was usually in late summer. Now almost everyone celebrates new year’s day on January 1st.

1 月 1 日，新年伊始。有史以来，人们一直都会庆贺新的一年的开始。远古时候的埃及人是在夏天开始新的一年。而美洲的印地安人通常在夏天橡树的果实成熟的时候开始新年。而今，几乎所有人都是在 1 月 1日这天庆贺新年。

Background Information

Thanksgiving

The First Thanksgiving

What year did the Pilgrims have their first Thanksgiving Feast?

• 1619

• 1620

• 1621

• 1935

What food was probably NOT on the Pilgrim’s Thanksgiving menu?

• Potatoes

• Corn

• Fish

• Dried Fruit

Which president first established Thanksgiving as a national

celebration?

• Jefferson

• Adams

• Lincoln

• Wilson

Which of these countries does not celebrate Thanksgiving?

• United States

• England (UK)

• The Philippines

• Canada

Canada celebrates Thanksgiving on…

• 2nd Monday in October

• 2nd Thursday in November

• 3rd Thursday in November

• May 1

Thanksgiving is Originated!

Thanksgiving became a holiday almost 400 years ago, in 1621. The holiday originated in Massachusetts when the pilgrims arrived and settled in 1620. They were greeted by the Iroquois Indians and one year later they had a Thanksgiving Feast.

Thanksgiving Celebration

On Thanksgiving families get together and have a big harvest feast! They eat turkey, corn, stuffing, potatoes, cornucopias, pumpkin pie, and crops. Everyone gets a BIG stomach ache!

Thanksgiving Customs

The customs of Thanksgiving are, eating, seeing your family, singing, thanking people for coming over and coming to their celebration! It is a thankful holiday!

More Thanksgiving Customs

One of the customs on Thanksgiving is being thankful for people coming to your house. We are thankful for this because some people don’t see their family too much.

Thanksgiving Symbols