Cultural Presentation lesson Huang Laoshi Credits to Ms. A. Gu Middlesex High (p.9-11) WHuang CH4AP draft1

Cultural Presentation “Telling a story” There are many ancient Chinese stories or myths or folktales. Choose one to present. The presentation needs to summarize the story and give your own opinion on the story. WHuang CH4AP draft1

Festivals & Customs China has many ethnic groups, all of which have different holidays. In your presentation, choose a traditional Chinese holiday (the Spring Festival, the Lantern Festival, the Mid- Autumn Festival, etc) and describe the history behind this holiday, traditional customs, related cultural myths, and how the Chinese people celebrate it. WHuang CH4AP draft1

School/Education Choose one feature specific to Chinese education to present. Describe the feature in general and explain how it affects students. Give your opinions on this topics. WHuang CH4AP draft1

Education/School There are many traditional Chinese stories about learning. Choose one to present. In your presentation, explain the meaning of the proverb or idiom and tell an analogous narrative. Then, talk about the effect of this story on yourself WHuang CH4AP draft1

Chinese language Chinese is a unique language. Choose one characteristics of Chinese characters to present. In your presentation, describe why this aspect of Chinese characters is significant. 说一说中国汉字的特色。 WHuang CH4AP draft1

选一个文学作品，简介作者和这个 作品（一首诗，剧本，或小说）， 还有你的看法。 There are many famous Chinese literary works. In your presentation, choose one work (a poem, screen play, a novel, etc), introduce the author, give a brief summary, and state your own opinion of this work. Literature & History WHuang CH4AP draft1

选一个中国古代的伟人，说一说他的生平和 他的重要事迹，还有他对你有什么影响。 There were many famous people in ancient China. In your presentation, choose one person (Confucius, Qin Shi Huang, Qu Yan, etc) and give a brief biography, including important things this person accomplished and how they have affected you in your life. WHuang CH4AP draft1

Speaking practice pointers Do jot down idea words and phrases, but do not write out a whole presentation before recording. Students will be only given 4 minutes to determine a topic and to prepare for their presentations. They will not have enough time to write down the full presentation. Do not translate. Some students may be tempted to first compose the presentation in English and then translate it into Chinese. This is not recommended. Not only is it no a productive use of time, but translations do not generally yield the best results. Students should practice thinking and speaking in Chinese to achieve a smooth, natural flow in their speech. WHuang CH4AP draft1

Speaking practice pointers Do learn as much as vocabulary as possible to cover as many topics are possible. Do use the best vocabulary /idioms as possible. Using a more sophisticated phrase or idiom has a definite advantage over using a single word, or a tediously long and drawn-out description. WHuang CH4AP draft1

Speaking practice pointers Do correct a mistake immediately. Self-correction shows that students have mastered the correct grammar. Do practice recording presentations with a variety of topics before taking the exam. This way, students can compare what they think with what they actually speak. Listening to their own voice often helps students become more confident in their abilities. Keep in mind that students will be given 2 minutes to deliver their presentations. They may need to adjust their pace to ensure that they complete their presentations within 2 minutes. WHuang CH4AP draft1