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Unit2SectionA2dA:Guesswhat?I'mgoingtoChiangMaiintwoweeks.B:Wow,soundslikefun!ButIbelievethatAprilisthehottestmonthoftheyearthere.A:Yes,that'strue.Butthere'sawaterfestivaltherefromApril13thto15th.B:IwonderifitissimilartothewaterfestivalofthedaipeopleinYunnanprovince.A:Yes,Ithinkso.ThisisthetimeoftheThaiNewYear.Peoplegoonthestreetstothrowwaterateachother.B:Cool!Butwhydotheydothat?A:Becausethenewyearisatimeforcleaningandwashingawaybadthings.Thenyouwillhavegoodluckinthenewyear.3aFullMoon,FullFeelings.ChinesepeoplehavebeencelebratingtheMid-AutumnFestivalandenjoyingmooncakesforcenturies.MooncakesareintheshapeofafullmoonontheMid-Autumnnight.Theycarrypeople'swishestothefamiliestheyloveandmiss.Therearemanytraditionalfolkstoriesaboutthisfestival.However,mostpeoplethinkthatthestoryofchang'eisthemosttouching.Chang'ewasHouYi'sbeautifulwife.AfterHouYishotdowntheninesuns,agoddessgavehimmagicmedicinetothankhim.Whoeverdrankthiscouldliveforever,andHouYiplannedtodrinkitwithchang'e.However,abadman,PangMeng,triedtostealthemedicinewhenHouYiwasnothome.Chang'erefusedtogiveittohimanddrankitall.Shebecameverylightandflewuptothemoon.HouYiwassosadthathecalledouthernametothemooneverynight.Onenight,hefoundthatthemoonwassobrightandroundthathecouldseehiswifethere.Hequicklylaidoutherfavoritefruitsanddesertsinthegarden.Howhewishedthatchang'ecouldcomeback!Afterthis,peoplestartedthetraditionalofadmiringthemoonandsharingmooncakeswiththeirfamilies.SectionB2bThespiritofChristmas.ManywouldagreethatwhenwethinkofChristmasweprobablythinkofgifts,ChristmastreesandStantaClaus.ButbehindallthesethingsliesthetruemeaningofChristmas:theimportanceofsharingandgivingloveandjoytopeoplearoundus.ThestoryinAChristmasCarolisperhapsthebestexampleofthis.AChristmasCarolisafamousshortnovelwrittenbyCharlesDickens.Itisaboutanoldmannamedscroogewhoneverlaughsorsmiles.Heismeanandonlythinksabouthimself.Hedoesn'ttreatothersnicely.HejustcaresaboutwhetherhecanmakemoremoneyandhehatesChristmas.OneChristmasEve,ScroogeseestheghostofJacobMarleyhisdeadbusinesspartner.MarleyusedtobejustlikeScrooge,sohewaspunishedafterhedied.HewarnsaScroogetochangehiswaysifhedoesn'twanttoenduplikehim.HealsotellsScroogetoexpectthreespiritstovisithim.Thatnight,threegoatsvisitScrooge.FirsttheGhostofChristmaspasttakeshimbacktohischildhoodandremindsScroogeofhishappierdaysasachild.Thenthesecondspirit,theGhostofChristmasPresent,takeshimtoseehowothersarespendingChristmasthisyear.Everyoneishappy,evenpoorpeople.Thelastone,theGhostofChristmasYettoCome,takeshimtothefuture.Scroogeseesthatheisdead,butnobodycares.Heissoscaredthathewakesupinhisbedandfindsoutitisonlythenextmorning-ChristmasDay!Hedecidestochangehislifeandpromisestobeabetterperson.HehappilycelebratesChristmaswithhisrelatives.Healsogivesgiftstopeopleinneed.Henowtreatseveryonewithkindnessandwarmth,spreadingloveandjoyeverywherehegoes.AndthatistruespiritofChristmas!