Lesson 96          The dead return

A Festival for the dead is held once a year in Japan. The festival is a cheerful occasion, for on this day, the dead are said to return to their homes, they are welcomed by the living, they are expected to be hungry after their long journey, food is laid out for them. Specially-made lanterns are hung outside each house to help the dead to find their way. All night long, people dance and sing. In the early morning, the food that had been laid out for the dead is thrown into a river or into the sea as it is considered unlucky for anyone living to eat it. The towns that are near the sea, the tiny lanterns which had been hung in the streets the night before, are placed into the water when the festival is over. Thousands of festivals slowly drift out to the sea to guiding the dead on their return journey to the other world. This is a moving spectacle, for crowds of people stand on the shore watching the lanterns drifting away until they can be seen no more.

Summary 扼要的writing

In not more than 80 words, give an account 解释 of the festival for the Dead. Write two different paragraphs using the points and connections given below.

The Japanese annual每年的 Festival for the Dead is a cheerful occasion. As the dead are said to return home, food is laid out for them and lanterns are lit to guide them on their way. People dance and sing all night and the uneaten food is thrown into the sea or into a river the next morning. In some places, the lanterns are placed on the sea and people watch from the shore until the lanterns drift out of sight. (80 words)

The Japanese annual Festival for the Dead is a cheerful occasion, for the dead are said to return to home. Not only is food laid out for them, but lanterns are lit to guide them as well while people dance and sing all night. The uneaten food is thrown into the sea or a river the next morning. In some places, the lanterns are placed on the sea. People watch from the shore as the lanterns drift out of sight. (79 words)

Composition

Imagine witnessing(witness 目击) the sort方式种类 of festival described in the passage. Write two paragraphs in about 150 words using the ideas思路 given below;

1 Preparations; the making of the lanterns: preparing food---description of the streets at night: people dancing and singing.

2 The following morning---food was thrown away---lanterns on the sea---people watching---the lanterns disappeared---the sun rose.

The Festival for the Dead was a traditional传统的 Japanese festival held once a year. In the early morning, people made

some small lanterns, and prepared special food in order to welcome the dead to their homes. When the night fell下垂, food was laid out for them, and lanterns were hung outside each house to help them to find their way. Throughout the night, people dance and sang in the brightly lit streets.

    The following morning, the food was thrown away into the sea as people considered it would be unlucky for the living to eat it. And thousands of lanterns were placed on the sea to guide the dead back to the other world. All the people stood on the shore watching the lanterns drifting slowly away until they finally disappeared, and the sun rose up high in the sky. It was really a cheerful and moving spectacle. (146 words)

Letter writing

Write a letter to a friend refusing an invitation to a party. Supply供应替代 a suitable合适的 Introduction介绍引言 and Conclusion结束语. Use the following ideas to write your Purpose目的.

You regret遗憾抱歉后悔 you cannot come---reason way---you bought tickets for a play a month ago---you have arranged安排计划 to go with several friends.

Dear Tom;

It is very kind of you to invite me to the party, but I am sorry to say that I cannot come because I bought tickets for the Cup Final决赛最终的 a month ago. You know it is very difficult to get the tickets. And I have already arranged计划安排to go with several friends. So please excuse me for not coming to your party. I hope you will have a wonderful time then. Thank you all the same.  (79 words)

Exercises

A Words Often Confused困惑混淆的

Choose the correct words in the following sentences;

1 He came to see me yesterday as (usually) (usual).

  usual

2 There was no one I knew(between)(among) those present礼物.

  among

3 The (headmaster)(manager) of this store is kept very busy.

    manager

4 Children’s (cloth)(clothes) are difficult to choose.

   clothes

5 He never (greets欢迎致意)(salutes) anyone in the morning.

 greets

6 Your hands are not very (clean)(clear清楚的), are they?

   clean

7 Mary’s in the kitchen. She’s (washing)(washing up) the plates.

   Washing

8 If you lose your (temper脾气)(mood情绪心境) you will regret it.

   temper

9 This problem is (enough)(too) difficult for me.

   too

10 He is (enough)(fairly相当的公平的简直) good at his work.

  fairly

11 He is trying hard but his work is still not good   (enough)(fairly).

  enough

12 Young people should remain留下保持 (free) (single) for a few years before they marry.

 single

13 There was a long (row行排 划船)(queue长队) at the bus stop.

B Get: Keep: Take: Run: Make

Complete these sentences by adding any of the following words: into, in, after, out, out of, down, up, away, for, over, from.

1 His lies would not take (in) anybody but a fool.

2 The explorers探险家 returned because they had run (out of) food.

3 He is very good at making (up) stories for children.

4 It took him a long time to get (over) his illness病.

5 Mrs. Jones told her daughter to keep (away from) the stove火炉.

6 During the storm, the ship made (for) the nearest harbour.

7 Has this car been run (in) yet?

8 The bird accidentally意外地 flew into the room and couldn’t             get (out).

9 He spoke so quickly, I didn’t have time to take(down) what he said.

10 Though we all ran(after) the thief, we could not catch him.

11 I hadn’t seen him for years and I accidentally ran (into)him in the street this morning.

12 Ronald will take (over) the family business now that his father has died.

13 Can you make (out) the address on this envelope?

14 I’ve taken (up) painting in my spare time.

Multiple choice questions

Comprehension

1 The festival is a cheerful occasion because()

(a) of the lanterns

(b) food is laid out for the dead

(c) people stay up all night

(d) the dead are welcomed home by the living

d

2 What is the purpose目的用途 of the lanterns?

(a) They are nice decorations装饰.

(b) They can be thrown into the sea.

(c) They are supposed认为假想 to help the dead to find their way.

(d) They help the living to find their way.

c

Structure

3 () a year is the festival held? Only once a year.

(a)How much

(b)How many
(c)How many times
(d)Which times

c

4 The dead are said to return. () they return to their homes.

(a) It is saying

(b) People say

(c) People are said

(d) It said

b

5 All night long people dance and sing. They do this ().

(a) during the whole night

(b) in all the night

(c) the night long

(d) in the night

a

6 If anyone () the food he will be unlucky.

(a) would ea

(b) will eat

(c) had eaten

(d) eats

d 

7 Lanterns which had been hung in the street () are placed into  the water.

(a) since the night

(b) a night ago

(c) the previous 在之前的早先的night

(d) before the night

c

Vocabulary

8 It’s a cheerful occasion. It’s a cheerful().

(a) situation情况

(b) condition

will(c) place

(d) event事件项目

d

9 The food is thrown into the river. It is thrown ()

a away

b off

c out

d down

a

10 The lanterns are placed into the water when the festival is over. This happens () the festival.

a during

b after

c before

d at the same time as

b

11 The lanterns guide the dead to the other world. They().

a drive them

b steer控制them

c show them the way

d instruct通知教授 them

c

12 It’s a moving spectacle. It’s a wonderful().

a view

b sight 景象

c vision美景梦幻视觉

d viewpoint观点

 b

Sentence structure

Rewrite this sentence, then check your answer against the text.

It’s expected that they will be hungry after their long journey, so food is laid out for them.

As they are expected to be hungry after their long journey so food is laid out for them.