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Unit6CulturesandFestivals6-1WhatspecialfestivalsarethereinChina?Whichdoyouliketocelebrate?Festival,asaculturalphenomenon,comesintobeingduringthecourseofhumandevelopmentandhistoricalevolution.Thisuniqueculturalphenomenonembodieshumancognitionandattentiontothenaturalenvironmentsandsurroundings.Asweknow,adiversemultitudeoffestivalsareenjoyedworldwide.Downthroughthe5,000yearsofitscivilization,theChinesenationhascreatedanimmensewealthoftraditionalfestivals,suchasLanternFestival,NewYear'sDay,Teacher'sDay,SpringFestival,andsoon.HereIwouldliketointroduceXXXforyou.Althoughthedifferentregions,nations,beliefsandculturesbringaboutvariousfestivals,andthemeansofcelebrationvaryfromoneplacetoanother,mostofpeoplebearcommonfeelingsforthefestivals,whichareprayingforhappinessandhealth,fulfillingthegoodwill,andshowingtheloveoflife.Everyfestivalhasitsownspecialmeaning.Withthegrowthofournation,Chinesefestivalbecomesmoreandmorefashionableandinternational.ColorfulactivitiesareorganizedinareasinhabitedbyChinesepeopleandevenbypeopleabroad.SpringFestival:FarandawaythemostimportantholidayinChinaisSpringFestival,alsoknownastheChineseNewYear.Firstly,toalltheChinese,SpringFestivalisanewbeginningmorethananendoftheyear.Peoplesendthebestwishestoeachotherwithhopingforabetterlifeinthenew-comingyear.Theyholdthebestperformancetocongratulateforthegreatcontributionthey'vegotandprayforamorepromisinglife.Secondly,SpringFestivalmeansafamilyunionfortheChinese.Nomatterwheretheyareandnomatterwhattheyaredoing,peoplewillstopeveryactivitytoreturnhomeforafamilyunion.Atthatmomenttheemotionconquerseverything.Itisthesamewithpeoplewhohavechangedtheirnationality.TheyalsocelebratetheSpringFestivalinothercountries.TheGhostFestival:JustastheWesthasHalloweenforghostsandghouls,soalsodoesChinesehaveaholidaytofetethedepartedspiritsoftheunderworld,itistheGhostFestival.Itissaid,Ghostsroamtheworldeveryyearforalunarmonth.InsomeareasofChina,visitorscanseesmallroadsidefires,wherebelieversburnpapermoneyandotherofferingstoappeasetherestlessspirits,whohavetemporarilybeenreleasedfromHades.6-2WhatdoyouthinkarepopularwesternfestivalsthatChineseliketocelebrate?Why?ChristmasdayinchinaWiththeglobalization,moreandmoreforeigncultureispouredintoChina,includingthecelebrationofXXXfestivals.ThoughitisnotapublicholidayinChina,wecanactuallyfeelthesweetnessofagrandfestival(盛大的节日).WhytheChristmasissowidelywelcomedbyChinesepeople,especiallyyoungpeople?Inmypointofview,therearetworeasons.First,suchadayevennotaChinesetraditionalpublicholidayprovidespeopleanopportunitytorelaxthemselves.AsonChristmas,plentyofcommoditiesinsupermarketswouldbeondiscount.Anddifferentkindsofactivitieswouldbecarriedout(圣诞节活动).Second,thediversityofChristmasbringsnewbloodintoChineseculture.Itmakesourlifemorebrilliantandinteresting.ValentinedayInmanycountriesaroundtheworld,peopleinlovearegearingupforValentine’sDay,afestivaltocelebrateromanticlove.ItisusuallycelebratedbysendingorgivingCards.Andsometimesgifts.Thedayiscelebratedbypeoplealreadyinacommittedrelationship,butalsobypeoplewhowanttotellsomeonetheyhavefeelingsforthem.Traditionally,peoplemaysendananonymouscardorgiftiftheyareholdingatorchforsomeonewhodoesn’tknowit,tomakeadeclarationoflove.Aswellascards,manyothertokensofloveareexchangedonValentine’sDay.Flowersareoneofthemostcommongiftstogive,withredrosesbeingseenasthemosttraditionallyromanticflowers.Othergiftswhicharecommonincludejewelryandchocolates.6-1Haveyoueverfeltconfusedbytheactionsofsomeonefromanotherculture?Ifso,describeit.Cultureshockissimplyacommonwaytodescribetheconfusingandnervousfeelingsapersonmayhaveafterleavingafamiliarculturetoliveinanewanddifferentculture.It’snaturaltohavedifficultyadjustingtoanewculture.Peoplefromotherculturesmayhavegrownupwithvaluesandbeliefsthatdifferfromyours.Whatyoumightknowisthatyourenvironment-yoursurroundings-havingabigeffectonyourappearanceandbehavioraswell.Whentheymeetfriends,theyhugandkissonthechecks.Butinchina,onlycouplescandothis.WhenIfirstsawit,Iwasshocked.(+Imayfeelconfusingandnervous……..)6-2Inyourcultureisitpolitetobestraightforwardanddirectwhenyoutalktosomeone?TowhomisitOKandtowhomisitnotOK?Interviewfiveofyourclassmatesandthenreportyourfindingstothewholeclass.(文化禁忌，私生活)Westernpeopleattachimportancetoprivacy,sotheydon’twantotherpeopletoaskpersonalthings.ManyChineseareveryunfamiliartowesternersunderstandingalltheconceptsofprivacy.ThereasonmightbeChinesefamiliesliveveryclosely.Theyoftentalkwithotherssothattheirpersonallifeisnothardtobeknown.Itisnotthesamewithwestern.Inwesterncountries,thetypicalfamilyissingledetachedhouseswhichsurroundedbyabigyardorgarden.FormostEnglishandAmerican,it’snotpropertoaskaboutthestrangerornotfamiliarpersonabouttheirage.Inaddition,it’simpolitetoenquireothers’income,marriage,politicalaffiliationandreligiousbelief.6-3Doyouthink“wheninRome,doastheRomansdo”isalwaysagoodadvice?Defendyourviewpointwithjustifiableevidence.WheninRoma,doasRomansdo.Itmeanstoadapttoothers’customs.Thatmeanswhenyouareinvolvedinaforeignculture,justdothingsoractinaccordancewiththec