新视界大学英语综合教程3 unit 4

Warming up Skimming Digging Interpreting

Critical thinking Unfamiliar wordsLanguage in use Talking point

新视界大学英语综合教程3 unit 4

Warming up Listen and underline any words or expressions which

are different from what you hear.A: So, looking back over the year, which are the festivals you’ve enjoyed most in the UK? B: Well, I suppose you expect me to say Christmas, but actually I didn’t enjoy Christmas much. It seemed to go on so long, and I just found it too boring. And then New Year came too quickly afterwards. I didn’t have any money left to enjoy it – even if I like joining hands and shouting Auld Lang Syne at midnight with total strangers. No, what I liked most were the English festivals, like May Day morning in Oxford – that wasMore

新视界大学英语综合教程3 unit 4

Warming up

rather funny – and Bonfire Night, with fireworks on a cold December evening. That was atmospheric. The English remember the night a man called Guy Fawkes tried to enter the Houses of Parliament back in the 1600s. The only thing is I don’t understand whether they are celebrating the fact that he was caught, or that he tried to do it.

新视界大学英语综合教程3 unit 4

Warming up

Now listen again and correct the information. Answer: boring commercial ; money energy ; shouting singing ; funny strange ; December November ; enter blow up

新视界大学英语综合教程3 unit 4

Warming up Work in pairs and discuss the questions.

1 Which is your favourite festival, and why? 2 Which festivals don’t you like, and why?

新视界大学英语综合教程3 unit 4

Warming up

1 Which is your favourite festival, and why? The Spring Festival is my favourite by far. It is so nice the way it brings the family together and, of course, I love the new clothes and the red envelopes! The food is another point in favour of the festival.

新视界大学英语综合教程3 unit 4

Warming up

2 Which festivals don’t you like, and why? I don’t like Christmas. We have enough of our own festivals. Christmas is just an excuse for more shopping. I don’t much like the Qingming Festival. I am not saying they aren’t a good idea – we should remember the dead, but it isn’t very pleasant going to crowded cemeteries with smoke everywhere.

新视界大学英语综合教程3 unit 4

Warming up Look at the title of the passage and check ( ) the

things you expect to read about. 1 going shopping with the family 2 buying presents 3 parking the car 4 sending Christmas cards 5 singing Christmas songs 6 feeling under stress

新视界大学英语综合教程3 unit 4

Skimming Task

◇Browse the passage within 8 minutes to get a rough idea about it. ◇Answer the questions of Activity 2 and 3 on page 171.

新视界大学英语综合教程3 unit 4

Skimming Check ( ) the traditions which the writer describes

in the passage. 1 making the Christmas pudding 2 discussing the Christmas dinner 3 buying presents for relatives 4 sending presents from the Post Office 5 dressing up as Father Christmas 6 looking for a parking place for the car 7 singing well-known Christmas songs 8 (not) giving money to charity 9 having fun at the office Christmas party Answer: the traditions the writer describes are 1,

2, 3, 6 and 8.

新视界大学英语综合教程3 unit 4

Skimming Answer the questions.

1 What used to happen on Stir-up Sunday? Everyone helped make the Christmas pudding, stirring it and making wishes. 2 What can’t the family decide before going to the market, and why? They can’t decide what to eat for the Christmas lunch because they have different opinions.

3 How is number one Daughter different from the rest of the family? She is a vegetarian.

新视界大学英语综合教程3 unit 4

Skimming

4 How does the Father choose presents for overseas relatives? In a rush at the last moment and in a panic. 5 How long does it take to park the car when Christmas shopping, and why? A very long time. here are far more shoppers than usual and the car parks are full. 6 Why does the Christmas tree cost more than it should? It’s Christmas so demand is high, and as it is the last one there can be no bargaining.

新视界大学英语综合教程3 unit 4

Skimming

7 What do people do with the presents they buy? They wrap them and put them under the Christmas tree or post them. 8 What is the last thing to be done before Christmas Day? Collecting the turkey.

新视界大学英语综合教程3 unit 4

Skimming

9 Do you think the family in the passage is a typical family? Why / Why not? Yes, the story sounds realistic. Disorganization and doing things at the last minute is common as one can see at any big festival with people rushing round to get things they could have bought a few days before. And families do often repeat arguments and behaviour. People are rather predictable. However, the situation has been exaggerated. he entire routine would not be repeated every year!

新视界大学英语综合教程3 unit 4

Digging Background informationMP3译文

Traditional Christmas shopping customs1 Once again, it’s that time of year, when all good

men and women settle their differences, get back in touch with old friends and loved ones, and do their utmost to enjoy some centuries-old traditions of Christmas shopping.

新视界大学英语综合教程3 unit 4

DiggingMP3译文

2 At the start of the Christmas shopping season is

Stir-up Sunday. This used to be a display of family unity when everyone went to the grocer’s shop to buy the flour, eggs and jars of dried fruit, and then stand around the kitchen table helping Mother or Grandmother make the Christmas pudding. Each member of the family would take it in turns to stir up, or mix, the ingredients and make a secret wish.