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1普通高中课程标准实验教科书《英语》电子课本Book3Unit1FestivalsaroundtheworldB3U1P1-3FESTIVALSANDCELEBRATIONSAncientFestivalsFestivalsandcelebrationsofallkindsareheldeverywhere.Themostancientfestivalswouldcelebratetheendofthecoldweather,plantinginspringandharvestinautumn.Othercelebrationswereheldwhenhunterscouldcatchanimals.Theywouldstarveiffoodwasdifficulttofind,sotheycelebratedwhentheyhadfood.Theylitfiresandmademusicbecausetheythoughtthesefestivalswouldbringayearofplenty.FestivalsoftheDeadSomefestivalsareheldtohonourthedead,orsatisfyandpleasetheancestors,whocouldreturneithertohelportodoharm.InJapanthefestivaliscalledObon,whenpeopleshouldgotocleanthegravesandlightincenseinmemoryoftheirancestors.Theylightlampsandplaymusicbecausetheythinkthatthiswillleadtheancestorsbacktoearth.InMexicotheyhavetheDayoftheDeadinearlyNovember.Onthisimportantfeastday,peoplemighteatfoodinshapeofskulls,andcakeswith“bones”onthem.Theyofferfood,flowersandgiftstothedead.ThefestivalofHalloweenhaditsoriginasaneventinmemoryofthedead.Itisnowachildren’sfestival,whentheycangototheirneighbours’homesandaskforsweets.Theydressupandtrytofrightenpeople.Iftheyarenotgivenanything,thechildrenmightplayatrick.FestivalstoHonourPeopleFestivalscanbeheldasanhonourtofamouspeopleortothegods.OneoftheseistheDragonBoatFestivalinChina,whichhonoursthefamousancientpoet,QuYuan.AnotherisColumbusDayintheUSA,inmemoryofthearrivalofChristopherColumbusinAmerica.InIndiathereisanationalfestivalonOctober2tohonourMahatmaGandhi,theleaderwhohelpedgainIndia’sindependencefromBritain.HarvestFestivalsHarvestandThanksgivingfestivalscanbeveryhappyevents.Peoplearegratefulbecausetheirfoodisgatheredforthewinter,andbecauseaseasonofagriculturalworkisover.InEuropeancountriesitisthecustomtodecoratechurchesandtownhallswithflowersandfruit,andpeoplegettogethertohavemeals.Somepeoplemightwinawardsfortheiranimals,flowers,fruitsandvegetables,likethebiggestwatermelonorthemosthandsomerooster.InChinaandJapantherearemid-autumnfestivals,whenpeopleadmirethemoonandgivegiftofmooncakes.SpringFestivalsThemostenergeticandimportantfestivalsaretheonesthatlookforwardtotheendofwinterandtothecomingofspring.AttheSpringFestivalinChina,peopleeatdumplings,fishandmeat,andmaygivechildrenluckymoneyintheredpaper.Therearedragondancesandcarnivals,and2familiescelebratethelunarNewYeartogether.InsomeWesterncountriesthereareveryexcitingcarnivals,whichtakeplacefortydaysbeforeEaster,usuallyinFebruary.Theymightincludeparades,dancinginthestreetsdayandnight,loudmusicandcolourfulclothingofallkinds.EasterisanimportantreligiousandsocialfestivalinChristiancountries.ItcelebratesthereturnofJesusforChristiansanditalsocelebratesthecomingofspring.InJapan,theCherryBlossomFestivalhappensalittlelater.Thecountryiscoveredwithcherrytreeflowerssothatitlooksasthoughitmightbecoveredwithpinksnow.Peoplelovetogettogethertoeat,drinkandhavefunwitheachothers.Festivalsletusenjoylife,beproudofourcustomsandforgetourdailylifeforalittlewhile.B3U1P4Wethinkithasalwaysbeenthecustomforpeopletohavefestivals.Theyareatimetoenjoyeachother’scompanyandhavefunwithourfriends.Wethinkthatlongagopeoplelookedforwardtothecelebrations.Ourancestorswouldsitroundafireandcookplentyofmeattoeat.Thentheywouldbesatisfiedwiththeirfestival.B3U1P7ASADLOVESTORYLiFangwasheart-broken.ItwasValentine’sDayandHuJinhadsaidshewouldmeethimatthecoffeeshopafterwork.Butshedidn’tturnup.Shecouldbewithherfriendsrightnowlaughingathim.Shesaidshewouldbethereatseveno’clock,andhethoughtshewouldkeepherword.Hehadlookedforwardtomeetingherallday,andnowhewasalonewithhisrosesandchocolates,likeafool.Well,hewasnotgoingtoholdhisbreathforherapologise.Hewoulddrownhissadnessincoffee.ItwasobviousthatthemanagerofthecoffeeshopwaswaitingforLiFangtoleave－hewipedthetables,thensatdownandturnedontheTV－justwhatLiFangneeded!AsadChinesestoryaboutlostlove.TheseventhdaughteroftheGoddessofHeavenvisitedtheearth.HernamewasZhinu,theweavinggirl,andshewasthemostlovelyofthedaughters.WhileshewasonearthshemettheherdboyNiulangandtheyfellinlove.(“JustlikemeandHuJin,”thoughtLiFang.)Theygotmarriedsecretly,andtheywereveryhappy.(“Wecouldbelikethat,”thoughtLiFang.)WhentheGoddessofHeavenknewthatherdaughterwasmarriedtoahuman,shebecameveryangryandmadetheweavinggirlreturntoHeaven.Niulangtriedtofollowher,buttheriverofstars,theMilkyWay,stoppedhim.FindingthatZhinuwasheart-broken,hermotherfinallydecidedtoletthecouplecrosstheMilkyWaytomeetonceayear.ThishappenswhenthestarsVegaandAltairmeetintheHeaven.Magpiesmakeabridgeoftheirwingssothecouplecancrosstherivertomeetontheseventhlunarmonth.peopleinChinahopethattheweatherwillbefineonthatday,becauseifitisraining,itmeansthatZhinuisweepingandthecouplewon’tbeabletomeet.Theannouncersaid,“thisisthestoryofQiqiaojie.Whenforeignershearaboutthestory,theycallitaChineseValentine’sstory.It’safinedaytoday,soIhopeyoucanallmeettheoneyoulove.’’AsLiFangsetoffforhome,hethought,“IguessHuJindoesn’tloveme.I’lljustthrowtheseflowersandchocolatesaway.Idon’twantthemtoremindmeofher.’’Sohedid.3Ashesadlypassedtheteashoponthecorneronhiswayhome,heheardavoicecalling