5 . 【课文原文】

WHY DO WE CELEBRATE FESTIVALS?

Festivals are celebrated all around the world. They have a wide range of origins, such as the seasons of the year, religions, famous figures, and important events. Every festival has its different customs and unique charms. However, no matter how different they may seem, all over the world, the spirit of sharing joy, gratitude, love, or peace is common in all festivals.

Of all the traditional festivals, the harvest festival can be found in almost every culture. This important agricultural festival takes place after all the crops have been gathered in. People celebrate to show that they are grateful for the year’s supply of food. In ancient Egypt, the harvest festival was celebrated during the springtime—the Egyptian harvest season. It featured a parade and a great feast with music, dancing, and sports. Today, in some European countries, people decorate churches and town halls with flowers and fruit,and get together to celebrate over a meal. During the Mid­-Autumn Festival in China, families gather to admire the shiningmoon and enjoy delicious mooncakes.

Customs play a significant role in festivals,but sometimes they can change over time. With the development of modern society and the spread of new ideas,some traditions may fade away and others may be established. One example is the typical Chinese Spring Festival custom of lighting firecrackers to drive away the evil spirits and celebrate the new year. Nowadays, many big cities have given up this custom in order to avoid air pollution. Another example is Halloween, which slowly became an exciting festival for children, in spite of its religious origins.

Festivals are becoming more and more commercial, with businesses taking advantage of the celebrations. Online shopping websites and social media apps have made it much easier for the public to spend more on gifts for their loved ones. Although some believe festivals should not be commercialised, others believe the increase in spending is good for the economy and public happiness.

Festivals are an important part of society. They reflect people’s wishes, beliefs, faiths, and attitudes towards life. They are occasions that allow us to relax and enjoy life, and forget about our work for a little while. They help us understand where we came from, who we are, and what to appreciate. And if you study festivals carefully, you may be surprised to find that different cultures actually have a lot in common after all.

1. Look at the following pictures and answer the questions.
(1). What festivals do you celebrate with your family every year?

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(2). Why do you think people celebrate different festivals?

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2. Look at the picture and the title on Page 4 and predict what the text is probably about?
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3. Match the main idea of each paragraph.

A．Festivals are becoming more and more commercial. B．Festivals are an important part of society. C．Festivals have different origins but the spirit of sharing is common. D．Customs that play an important role in festivals are changing. E．Harvest festival can be found in almost every culture.

Para.1 ________ Para.2 ________ Para.3 ________ Para.4 ________ Para.5 ________
4. According to the text, festivals around the world share the spirit of         .

A．joy, gratitude and religions

B．love, peace and figures

C．gratitude, peace and joy

D．gratitude, seasons and love

5. Which statement is true about the harvest festival in the world?

A．Every culture in the world has the harvest festival.

B．It falls after all the crops have been gathered in.

C．It is celebrated in all countries during the springtime.

D．People admire the shining moon on the festival.

6. Festivals are becoming more and more commercial because         .

A．the increase in spending is good for the economy and public happiness

B．more and more people spend more money on gifts for their loved ones

C．online shopping websites and social media apps have been used

D．businesses have taken advantage of the celebrations and festivals

7. What is listed in the last Paragraph mainly tells us that         .

A．different cultures actually have a lot in common

B．festivals play an important role in society

C．festivals allow us to relax and enjoy life

D．festivals reflect people’s wishes, beliefs, faiths

8. Analyse the sentences
(1)．Online shopping websites and social media apps have made it much easier for the public to spend more on gifts for their loved ones.
[分析] Online shopping websites and social media apps是本句的 ________; it是 ________，代替的是to spend more on gifts for their loved ones。
[翻译]
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(2)．And if you study festivals carefully, you may be surprised to find that different cultures actually have a lot in common after all.
[分析] if you study festivals carefully是 ________从句; that different cultures actually have a lot in common after all是find的 ________从句。
[翻译]
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9. 教材对接高考：续写微技能——节日气氛描写
A. 写出句中含有节日气氛描写的词汇。
(1)However, no matter how different they may seem, all over the world, the spirit of sharing joy, gratitude, love, or peace is common in all festivals. ________
(2)People celebrate to show that they are grateful for the year’s supply of food. ________
(3)They reflect people’s wishes, beliefs, faiths, and attitudes towards life. ________
B. 在课文中找出表示情绪变化的句子。
(1) ___________________________________________________________________________
(2) _____________________________________________________________________________

8 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

It was December. The cold snow was falling as Kelly struggled home from school. How she hated the snow and everything else about Pinetree, Wyoming, America! How she missed Thailand! “I hate it here! I want to go home!” Kelly thought.

She reached for a small white envelope in her pocket. In it was an invitation to Jennifer’s party. Kelly didn’t want to go. She felt embarrassed at the thought of being at a party with a bunch of kids she barely knew. She closed her eyes and remembered at this time of year people would hold a festival to thank the Mother of Water in Thailand. They used banana leaves to make a little boat with a candle lit in it, made a wish for the coming year and set the boat floating on the river.

Kelly sighed and pushed open the door to her parents’ restaurant. They were busy working. “Maybe I should go just this once for Mum and Dad. They are so worried that I'm not making any friends.” Kelly went over and tied an apron (围裙) around her waist. As she was washing dishes, she told her mother that she had been invited to a party on Friday night. Mum smiled saying Kelly might be happy in their new home. Kelly nodded thinking Pinetree could never be her home.

On Friday evening, Dad drove Kelly to the party. Jennifer met her at the door and led her into the dining room. Six kids from her classes were seated around the table, on which small brown cookie houses were sitting. They were selecting colorful candies and gluing them to their own houses. Wow, she loved making things. For this part of the party, she could be herself. She decided to decorate her house like one of the golden temples of Thailand. As she was making it, Jennifer wondered how she did it. The others joined staring at Kelly with admiration. Kelly felt a sense of joy welling up inside her. Maybe I could fit in here — a little, she thought.

注意：
1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

As the party went on, the talk turned to the coming festivals.

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Suddenly, Kelly got an idea. She ran to the garden, returning with several leaves.

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