Practice One Holidays in USA
Words You Need to Know
unique originate colonist survive perish
turkey feast barbecue ethnic festivity
Exercise 1:Directions:Listen to the passage and put a tick ( )against the names of the holidays if they are mentioned in the tape and a cross ( )if they are not.
Several holidays are unique to America. Columbus Day, which is celebrated on the second Monday in October to honor the discovery of North Americ
Fourth of July, which is Independence Day; Washington's Birthday, which is celebrated on the third Monday in February to honor the first president of the Republi
and Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving originates from the days of the early New England colonists who were having difficulty surviving in the New Lan
Without the help of the native American Indians, the settlers would have perishe
The Indians showed the colonists how to hunt wild turkeys and grow corn
In the fall, the Indians and colonists gathered for a feast to honor their friendshi
Today, Americans follow the tradition by inviting friends and relatives for a turkey dinner on the fourth Thursday of November.
Don't be surprised if you are invited to a Thanksgiving dinner or perhaps a Fourth of July barbecue held in the back yar
You may be asked to a Chinese New Year celebration, or St Patrick's Day party. The different ethnic and religious groups in the USA celebrate their own special festivities. (185 words)
Exercise 2:Directions:Listen to the passage again and fill in the diagram according to the information you hear on the tape.Please read the tape and listen again.
Practice Two Plans for Thanksgiving Day
Exercise 1:Directions:Listen to the conversation and answer the following questions, using no more than ten words.
Jane:Today's November fifteenth. It's almost time for Thanksgiving.
Richard:What are your plans for Thanksgiving Day?
Jane:The same as usual. My aunts and uncles and cousins come to our house for dinner.
Richard:Do you cook the turkey?
Jane:My mother cooks it. But I prepare the vegetables. My aunts usually bring the pies.
Richard:My father and I go to my married sister's every year. When my mother was alive, the whole family came to our hous
The women cooked the meal, and the men washed the dishes.
Jane:In our family the kids wash the dishes. The whole thing is a lot of work.
Richard:Yes, but I like Thanksgiving. I was out of the country last year, and I really missed i
That's one time in the year when families get together. (129 words)
1)How does Richard usually spend Thanksgiving?
2)Why does Richard like Thanksgiving?
3)What are Jane's plans for Thanksgiving Day?
Exercise 2:Directions:Listen to the conversation again and match the following two categories.Please read one the tape and listen again.
Exercise 3:Directions:Listen to the conversation for the third time and decide whether the following statements are ture (T)or false (F).
1)Jane's aunts and uncles come to her house for Thanksgiving every year.
2)Richard's mother is dead now.
3)Richard visited his uncle on Thanksgiving Day last year.
4)Jane likes Thanksgiving more than Richard does.
Practice Three Christmas in Great Britain
Words You Need to Know
connected chimney nut
disappointed pudding deliver
mince carol hymn holly
Exercise 1:Directions:Some Christmas customs are listed below. Try to decide whether each one is mentioned in the passage you hear on the tape
Put a tick ( )before the statements that are mentioned.
If you try to catch a train on 24th December you may have difficulty in finding a sea
This is the day when many people are travelling home to be with their families on Christmas Day, 25th Decembe
There are a lot of traditions connected with Christmas but perhaps the most important one is the giving of present
Family members wrap up their gifts and leave them at the bottom of the Christmas tree to be found on Christmas mornin
Children leave a long sock or stocking at the end of their bed on Christmas Eve, 24th December, hoping that Father Christmas will come down the chimney during the night and bring them small presents, fruit and nut
They are usually not disappointed! At some time on Christmas Day the family will sit down to a big turkey dinner followed by Christmas puddin
They will probably pull a cracker with another member of the family
It will make a loud crack and a colored hat, small toy and joke will fall out!
Later in the afternoon they may watch the Queen on television as she delivers her traditional Christmas message to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealt
If they have room for even more food they may enjoy a piece of Christmas cake or eat a hot mince pi
26th December is also a public holiday, Boxing Day, and this is the time to visit friends and relatives or watch football. (254 words)
1)It is very crowded on the train just before Christmas Day.
2)On the sunday before Christmas many churches hold a carol service where special hymns are sung.
3)Most families decorate their houses with brightly-colored paper or holly.
4)Family members wrap up their presents and leave them at the bottom of the Christmas tree to be found on Christmas morning.
5)Father Christmas is expected to come down the chimney.
6)Queen Elizabeth exchanges her Christmas presents with the royal family members and the ministers of the United Kingdom.
7)Just before the bell strikes twelve, everyone makes a wish and prays.
8)People usually visit their friends and relatives or watch football on Boxing Day.
Exercise 2:Directions:Listen to the passage again and try to figure out what British people usually do during each of the following periods.Please one the tape and listen again.
Exercise 3:Directions:Listen to the passage for the third time and take some notes about what people do around Christmas
Compare the traditions with the Chinese ones in celebrating Spring Festival her
You may refer to the questions below and form a passage out of the answers.
1)On the day before Spring Festival, what do people do?
2)Do people prepare gifts for their family members? If so, what kind of gifts?
3)Is there anyone in China who adds to the spirit of the festival?
4)What do the Chinese people have for dinner on that day?
5)Do they play games or do they pull crackers?
6)When do the Chinese people visit their friends and relatives?
Please read one the tape and listen agai
Happy Minute
Listen to the poem and figure out when the Christmas work begins and what the work is
Then follow the tape and try to recite the poem.
The Work of Christmas
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the los
To heal the broken,to feel the hungry
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.
Lesson Two People and Their Pets
Practice One My Dear Dogs
Words You Need to Know
temperament disposition clutch collapse
Exercise 1:Directions:Listen to the story and fill in the blanks.
At a workshop on dog temperament, the instructor noted that a test for a dog's disposition was for anowner to fall down and act hur
A dog with poor temperament would try to bite the person, whereas a good dog would lick his owner's face or show concern.
Once, while eating pizza in the living room, I decided to try out this theory on my two dog
I stood up, clutched my heart, let out a scream and collapsed on the floo
The dogs looked at me, glanced at each other and raced to the coffee table for my pizza. (101 words)
Exercise 2:Directions:Listen to the story again and answer the following questions briefly.
1)What will a dog with poor temperament do when he sees his owner in trouble, according to the theory?
2)How did the speaker act hurt?
Practice Two As Stupid as Pigs?
Words You Need to Know
fame dive genuine game
barnyard tumble earn one's ke
Exercise 1:Directions:Listen to the passage and list all the things that pigs can do.
Some people claim that full-grown pigs can be intelligent, useful pet
A pig named Ralph has earned fame from his diving act at a park in Texa
A pig named Charlotte earns her keep in Maryland by giving children genuine piggyback ride
Some pigs have been trained to hunt small game such as rabbits and birds and to guard a barnyar
Pigs have been trained to race, dance, tumble, and even fetch the morning paper. (70 words)
Exercise 2:Directions:Listen to the passage again and figure out the main idea of the passage.
Practice Three Guide Dogs
Words You Need to know
commute unreliable luxury overestimate
voluntarily contribution minimun Tunbridge Wells
Charing Cross Rye Alsatian Labrad
Exercise 1:Directions:Listen to the dialogue and choose the correct answer to each question according to the information you hear on the tape.
Richard commutes from Tunbridge Wells to Charing Cross in the London area every da
This difficult journey is made easier with the help of Raffles, his guide dog! Laura met him on the train.
Laura:What a lovely dog! How long have you had her?
Richard:...Um...since July, 1998.
Laura:Isn't it a bit unusual to have an Alsatian as a guide dog? Aren't they usually Labradors?
Richard:Yes, you're right. I did have a Labrador before Raffles, but we were walking through London one day when a bomb went off and it frightened her so much that she became unreliable.
Laura:Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. What happened to her?
Richard:She's fine. She's leading a life of luxury with a family in Rye.
Laura:What about Raffles, though? Could you commute without her for instance?
Richard:Mm, yes... but much more slowly. On the other hand, people often overestimate what guide dogs can do
Laura:Really-in what way?
Richard:Well, it's impossible to train them to cope with modern traffic, especially in Londo
The best she can do is to warn me of a dangerous situation.
Laura:How can she do that?
Richard:Simply by sitting down and refusing to move. I have to stand still and just hope that the driver misses me.
Laura:That must be a terrible experience...
Richard:Yes, it's not much fun!
Laura:Can I ask how huch you paid for Rarffles?
Richard:50 pounds.
Laura:What?
Richard:50 pounds...Any blind person can buy a dog for 50 pounds. Of course a lot of people pay more voluntarily, but the minimum price is 50 pounds.
Laura:So public contributions are really important.
Richard:Absolutely. (278 words)
1)Why did Richard part with his Labrador?
2)What is people's opinion of guide dogs according to Richard?
3)What does Raffles do to warn the owner of a dangerous situation?
4)How much did Richard pay for Raffles?
5)How does Richard feel about the public contributions?
Exercise 2:Directions:Listen to the dialogue again. Tick the facts that Laura feels surprised about.
1)Richard commutes from Tunbridge Wells to Charing Cross every day.
2)Richard uses an Alsatian instead of a Labrador.
3)The dog that Richard used to have is leading a life of luxury with a family in Rye.
4)Richard can do without Raffles when walking.
5)People have false ideas about what guide dogs can do.
6)Blind men sometimes feel hopeless even though they are with guide dogs.
7)Richard paid a small amount of money for Raffles.
8)Public contributions are important according to Richard