Tell me about a festival in your culture.

You should say:              what the festival is who you celebrate the festival with what is special about this festival

and explain how you feel at this festival．

·Spring Festival＝most meaningful and important celebration

·Family holiday: get together＋big meal

·New beginning: clean the house, put up scrolls around every door

·Visit relatives and friends：tea, snacks, red envelopes

·CCTV Gala＋fireworks

Let me tell you about the Spring Festival in my family. It is by far the most important celebration of the year in China, and it is a very particular time for all of us for many reasons．

First of all, it is a family holiday. Because my parents are extremely busy with their jobs and I do not study in my hometown, we really cherish the New Year as a time to get together and relax. My mother cooks a lot of tasty specialties to spoil everyone, and she makes sure that my grandparents, my uncles and cousins can all come to share a great meal or two．We give presents and money (I am sure you have heard of the red envelopes we distribute to our relatives during the holiday)．It's a time to be generous and considerate with those we really care about.

In addition, the Spring Festival represents a new beginning. It's the start of a new year, a new life for everyone. We must follow some traditions to make sure that this New Year will be a lucky (auspicious) one．First, every single family will stick red scrolls on each side of their doors and windows．When I was a child, my father used to make me paint those scrolls and he would teach me about Chinese calligraphy. Nowadays we mostly buy them in a shop but we still believe they will scare the evil spirits away. Red is a fundamental color for the festival because it symbolizes energy and hope. It is the official color of our country too. We also need to clean the house in order to get rid of all the negative dirt and dust we have accumulated in the last year. Each event has a special meaning. I almost forgot: it is a tradition to buy new clothes too to start the year looking smart and optimistic.

We usually get a week off for Spring Festival and we take advantage of the national holiday to visit our relatives. When we walk into their house, they always welcome us with tea and numerous snacks．Sometimes, we do not stay long but it is still important to wish them all the best for the New Year.

On New Year's Eve, everyone in China watches a TV program called the CCTV Gala. It is an institution in China. The show has been aired for so many years. Famous hosts, singers, actors, even athletes join in to perform in front of the whole country. At midnight, we light fireworks and the whole city suddenly comes to life. The dark sky becomes colorful and everyone has a blast. It's a very unique celebration and holds a special place in our hearts．

A Festival（Dragon Boat Festival）

Tell me about a festival in your culture. You should say:                 what the festival is who you celebrate the festival with what is special about this festival and explain how you feel at this festival．

·Dragon Boat Festival: when?

·Why? Qu Yuan (patriotic writer) drowned

·Boat races：drums, firecrackers, spirit＋carved boats：stunning works of art

·Families get together to encourage the men

·Dinner: we eat rice dumplings and remember a Chinese hero．

Let me tell you about the Dragon Boat Festival we celebrate every year, on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar.

On Dragon Boat Day, we commemorate a patriotic poet called Qu Yuan who drowned in a river. The local people really admired him, and decided to get into some canoes (= boats) and throw rice dumplings to feed the fish in the river, so that they would not eat Qu Yuan's body.

Every year on Dragon Boat Day, in every city around China, men compete on rivers and lakes aboard dragon boats．It is a very lively and exciting festival for many reasons．First of all, the boats are well-decorated. Some artists carve and paint a dragon head as well as a dragon tail on each side of the boat. Each canoe is unique. The men usually cheer and scream while paddling hard. There is usually one man on each boat who beats the drums to encourage the paddlers and fix a rhythm.

It is a popular event and families go to the river together to cheer for the teams. Some people light firecrackers, and many crew members wear colorful clothes．Some even reveal their tattooed arms．When I was a child, my father used to take me to the Min River every year, and now it is my turn to take my child there.

It is a national holiday so families can get together and enjoy a good meal. You know how important food is in China, especially for festivals. Parents prepare a ton of food to celebrate. Naturally, everyone eats the rice dumplings we call "zongzi" in remembrance of Qu Yuan. It is a great opportunity to strengthen family values and to pass on our Chinese heritage to the younger generations.

A Foreign Festival

Tell me about a foreign festival you have experienced or heard of.

                  You should say:                   what the festival is

how people usually celebrate on this occasion

what is special about this festival

and explain what you think about this festival．

·Christmas：extremely popular in most Western countries

·Religious holiday：birth of Christ＋tradition for everyone

·lunch or dinner (Xmas Eve or Xmas Day)

·Santa Claus＋reindeer＋presents＋decorations

·In the future：I would like to experience a white Xmas．

I will tell you what I know about Christmas, which is a famous festival in most Western countries. I believe that it is the most popular celebration around the world, and even though it is not a traditional festival here in China, everyone has heard of it and the customs that are related to it.

First of all, I know that Christmas is a religious holiday. People who believe in God celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. And a lot of people in Europe, and North and South America go to church on Christmas Eve．The Bible tells us that Jesus was born on December the 25`" in a stable. The priest gives a sermon（一 speech) at the mass, and very often people sing religious songs together.

I think that some families actually get together on Christmas Eve to celebrate, while others wait for Christmas Day to organize a big lunch that might last for a long time. When I was in high school, I had a foreign teacher from America who told me that the traditions could be different from one country to another, and also from one family to another. He said that in America, it is common for people to eat a roast turkey or ham with gravy（＝sauce) and Christmas pudding for dessert.

Of course when we talk about Christmas we can't avoid mentioning Santa Claus. He's a legendary imaginary figure that brings gifts to people on Christmas night. He's a plump fat，jolly, white-bearded man wearing a red coat with white collar and cuffs and white-cuffed red trousers. In Western culture, parents tell their children that if they behave well, Santa will bring them presents. There are many different Christmas songs about Santa and his reindeer. They are called Christmas carols. Santa comes from the North Pole, and he usually comes down people's chimneys to set gifts at the foot of the Christmas tree.

People always put a Christmas tree in their houses and decorate it with colored lights．They also hang Christmas balls and other ornaments on it. At the top of the tree there should be a star. I think Christmas is a joyful festival for families to gather and have a great time. The Christmas spirit is one of peace, love and goodwill to all, even for those who don't believe in Jesus．Next year, I intend to study in England and I truly hope I will get a chance to experience this festival with a British family.

1.Compare spending time with family and spending time with friends on special occasions.

It depends on what the occasion is．For example, it is traditional to be with family on national holidays like the Spring Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival in my country. So my parents and my grandparents would find it hard to understand if I didn't go home to celebrate with them. However, I must admit that these festivals are getting a little bit old. You know, other than eating, we don't do much, and what I sometimes dislike is that it's the same deal every year. On the other hand, spending time with friends could be a bit more exciting. We could go out to dinner or sing at a karaoke bar. We might play games, drink a little, or even travel. Usually it is okay to spend time with friends on birthdays, but family always comes first for traditional festivals.

2.  Do you think that family celebrations will become less common in the future ?

Well, no, family celebrations will always take place in China, because they reflect our history and our culture. However, I think that the way we celebrate will change in the future, because young people like me will not want to celebrate in the same way every single year. I mean, last Spring Festival, I stayed home for a week, eating and watching TV every single night. I did it because my parents expect me to hang out with them, but in the future, when I get married, I will try to take advantage of the holiday to travel or at least go out and have some fun. I guess it also depends on if my parents live with me or not.

3.  What kind of national events are celebrated in your country?

We have many different festivals in my country. The year starts with Spring Festival, and then two weeks later we hold the Lantern Festival which marks the end of the holiday season. In April there is Tomb Sweeping Festival when we commemorate our ancestors．In May everyone gets a few days off because of International Labor Day. And there is also Dragon Boat Festival in May or June according to the lunar calendar. In September there is Mid-Autumn Festival when we eat the famous moon cakes. Actually every festival requires people to eat different specialties．On Dragon Boat Day, everyone enjoys rice dumplings we call "zongzi." The first week of October, we all get one week off to celebrate National Day, the foundation of the People's Republic of China. We have festivals all year round．

4.  Do you think that people's attitudes to national celebrations have changed in recent years?

Yes, definitely. The young generation is getting a little tired of the old traditions, and things are changing slowly. At the same time, people in my country have been making more money in the past few years, so their habits have also changed. For example, for Spring Festival many people now go out to eat, but in the past it was traditional to cook at home all together. Same with the ornaments we used to prepare when I was young. These days every family buys the decorations, like paper-cuts and scrolls we hang around each door, but we used to make them all by hand. In addition, many people have started traveling during the holiday instead of staying home all the time.

5.  How significant are national holidays and celebrations?

They are extremely important because it is a great chance for our families to get together and remember why we celebrate such events．National holidays are meaningful. Parents should make sure to keep the traditions alive so that children can understand their cultural heritage and national identity.

6.  Do you ever celebrate Western festivals?

It's now your turn to answer！

(If you do celebrate Western festivals like Christmas or Valentine's Day, explain why.)

A Gift You Received

Tell me about a gift you received.

         You should say:                 what the gift was

whether you think it was expensive

who gave it to you

and explain what your reaction was when you got it.

·Spring Festival, my father bought me a cell phone

·Reaction: excited＋thrilled＋delighted

·Describe the phone

·Convenient＋could instantly use it (SIM card)

·Need to be careful and responsible (money)

Last Spring Festival, my father bought me a mobile phone．It was a great gift, and I cherish it a lot. Before that I had a very old-fashioned looking phone, and I was not so pleased with it. But my father surprised me, and this is why he's such a cool dad: he's always considerate and thoughtful.

I knew I was going to get a gift or some money. It is traditional to receive something new for the Chinese New Year, especially new clothes．The Festival represents a new beginning; this is why we carefully clean the house before the celebration in order to get rid of all the bad things we gathered in a year. It symbolizes a new start. But I really didn't expect such a nice gift on top of the usual red envelope we give each other every year. I was thrilled when I opened the wrapping and saw a phone！

It was a Nokia phone, very trendy, you know, very well-designed, with a large color screen and many different functions. I can use my cell phone to listen to music, and also to get on the Internet. On top of this, I can take pictures and send the photos to other phones ifI want to.

I switched my SIM card from my old phone to the new one, and in 2 minutes I was already sending messages to my friends to tell them about the gift I had received. I also took many pictures of our dinner, and later on the fireworks we set off at night.

At midnight I hugged my Dad to thank him again, and actually he told me that I should be very careful not to lose it, and he emphasized on the fact that I shouldn't play with it in class or while doing my homework. He was such a drag（＝so boring)！He said he didn't want this new phone to be too much of a distraction for me. You know Chinese parents; they always ask their kids to study, and study even more. I got the message. I know I must be responsible.

1.On what occasions do people give gifts in your country?

We always give gifts to each other during Spring Festival. It is traditional to offer food, clothes, and sometimes money to children in the family. Whenever we go to visit our relatives we usually exchange red envelopes that contain money, and we bring tea or liquor alcohol) to each other. In addition, nowadays it is pretty common to bring a gift to friends or relatives on their birthdays, although most people generally just buy a card and a cake, because birthdays are not such a big deal in my country.

2.  Compare the kinds of presents that are given to children now with those given in the past.

Okay. Well, I guess that in the past, children frequently received clothes, books or candy on important occasions, like the traditional festivals. But nowadays electronic items might be more popular. Things like portable video games，MP3s, or mobile phones are great gifts for kids and teenagers· Of course they cost quite a lot of money, but people also earn more than in the past. The differences between the toys kids received 30 years ago and today's toys are huge. In the past they had card games, marbles, and usually toys their grandpas made of wood, but today's toys are sophisticated action figures, Game Boys and other technological items. It's on a whole different level.

3.  How important is the cost of a present?

Well, we usually say that what really matters is the thought, not the cost, but I think it really depends on who is giving the present. For example, if it's a friend who doesn't have much money, of course the price of the gift doesn't matter at all. But I am sure that if a man only buys something cheap for his girlfriend, the girl will complain or think that her boyfriend is stingy！I guess that sometimes just remembering a birthday or Valentine's Day is not enough…Men also need to make an effort to make it special and memorable.

4.  Compare the feelings of people when they give and receive presents.

Both are definitely great. It's nice to give, especially when you know the present is going to please the person a lot. A few months ago, I bought my nephew a portable video game I knew he wanted very badly, and you should have seen the smile on his face！He loved it, and I really made his day. It was a great feeling to actually witness his happiness. On the other hand, receiving a gift, especially when it's a surprise, is always very pleasant. It's a considerate gesture that everyone appreciates.

5.  How much social pressure is there on people to give presents？

Well, in my country, I think it is important to give gifts to important people whenever we go meet them. I know that businessmen feel it's an obligation to exchange gifts before they start working together. In addition, I think that nowadays because many festivals have become commercialized, young people might feel compelled to buy presents for their girlfriends on Valentine's Day or Christmas, because they think that everyone else does, even though it is not a Chinese tradition. Same with weddings, people very often give more money than they really want to give to the new couple, because they are afraid others will give more than they do. They might lose dignity, or "lose face" as we say in Chinese, if they give less than the other guests.

6.  Tell me about some of the organizations in your country which help people in need.

It's your turn to answer!

(Talk about the Red Cross or other charity organizations in China)

A Party You Would Like to Organize

Tell me about a party you would like to organize.

You should say:                   what event you would celebrate who you would invite what would be special about this party

and explain whether you often go to parties of the kind．

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Vocabulary: American Parties

·At a housewarming party, you usually receive gifts for your new home． ·A family reunion is a get-together with your family and relatives. ·When kids go to a slumber party, they stay overnight. ·A bachelor party is for the man before he gets married．（He's the groom．His fiancee is the bride.） ·You hold a shower baby after the baby is born． (Source：World Link series)

A Gift You Gave to Someone

Tell me about a gift you gave to someone. You should say:        what the gift was whether it was expensive what the occasion was and explain why you chose that particular gift for that person.

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