1. Festivals Are Important

2. Helpful words and expressions The Spring Festival 春节 the Dragon-Boat Festival 端午节 Army Day 建军节 the Lantern Festival 元宵节 the Mid Autumn Festival （ the Moon Festival ） 中秋节 Teachers' Day 教师节 the Qing Ming Festival/Tomb-sweeping Day 清明节 the Double Ninth Festival 重阳节 National Day 国庆节

3. Saint Valentine's Day 情人节 [Feb.14] Memorial Day [ 美 ] 阵亡将士纪念日 [last Monday in May] Thanksgiving Day 感恩节 [US]last(Fourth) Thursday in Nov. Easter 复活节 [late March or early April] Father's Day 父亲节 [3rd Sunday in June] Halloween 万圣节前夕 [Oct. 31] Mother's Day 母亲节 [2nd Sunday in May] Labor Day 劳工节 [first Monday in Sept] Christmas [Dec.25] 圣诞节

4. Which traditional Chinese Festival do you like most? Discussion Questions

5. Which western festival do you like most?

6. Words for the listening in much the same way 以差不多的方式 from place to place 各地 set off firecrackers 放炮竹，放烟火 rural a. 乡村的，乡下的 economy n. 经济 follow the customs 遵循习俗 foreign-owned companies 外企，外资公司

7. Questions asked Is the spring festival celebrated in much the same way throughout the country? How has the way people celebrate the spring festival changed? Are festivals important for the country? What do you think of Chinese people celebrating western holidays?

8. More expression 1. set off firecrackers It is illegal to set off firecrackers in big cities. 2. bannedAlthough it is banned, many people still have it. 3. customIt is our custom to visit relatives during Chinese New Year. 4. biggest changeThe biggest change to Spring Festival is the firecrackers. 5. cultureIt is important to keep our culture. 6. show our loveNational Day is a time to show our love for our country. 7. visitI always visit relatives, then friends. 8. reuniteTo be able to reunite with family is the happiest thing.

9. How has the way people celebrate the Spring Festival changed during these years? Where people celebrate the Spring Festival The way people eat People don ’ t feel as excited as they did in the past when spring festival comes

10. Why have western festivals become so popular in China? Celebrating Western festivals is a good opportunity for the Chinese to know more about other cultures. Celebrating some western festivals is good for us to express our feelings. Business people also try to promote these festivals to increase sales.

11. Assignment With a partner see if you agree or disagree with the statements. Festivals make our culture stronger. Festivals and holidays are too long. They should be shorter. Firecrackers should he allowed in the cities. Western holidays are for westerners. Chinese shouldn't celebrate them. Spring Festival is getting more boring. Festival are too much work.