1. Celebrating Holidays and Making Friends
Unit 7
Celebrating Holidays and Making Friends

2. Session 3
Section III
Maintaining a Sharp Eye
Section IV
Trying Your Hand

3. Passage II
When I Was in America

4. Warm-up questions
When the following holidays are mentioned, which countries will come to
your mind?
Adults Day
Carnival
Maple Sugar Festival
Japan
Brazil
Canada

5. Warm-up questions
Thanksgiving Day
Spring Festival
U.S.A.
China

6. Warm-up questions 2. What are the traditional customs by
which Chinese people celebrate Spring Festival?

7. Reading of the passage
When I Was in America

8. Reading comprehension
Answer the following questions
according to paragraphs.
Para. 1:
How did the author spend Christmas while studying in the United States?

9. Reading comprehension
Para. 2:
What kind of trouble did the author have during the Christmas of 1989?

10. Reading comprehension
Para. 3:
What did Maria do when she
found out the author’s trouble?

11. Reading comprehension
Para. 4:
What were the attitudes of Maria’s family members to the author?
Welcome

12. Reading comprehension
Para. 5:
How did the author spend Christmas Eve
with Maria’s family?

13. Reading comprehension
Para. 6:
What does the author
think of the tie-clasp?

14. Reading comprehension
Explain the situation of the author according to the given words and expressions in the first two paragraphs.
mixed emotions, be away from, rather than, lock sb. in loneliness, culture, memorable, look forward to, be short of, on schedule

15. Reading comprehension
Retell Paras. 3－6 in the first person with the hints given.
A _________ secretary in the department Maria invited me to ______ Christmas Eve with her family. Her family members _________ me warmly. Maria’s father could only speak Spanish,
temporary
spend
welcomed

16. Reading comprehension
so Maria’s sister acted as an __________. His ______ behavior made me feel right at home. All of them ________ me with sincere hospitality. They gave me a tie-clasp as a Christmas ____. I regard it as an ____________ memento of
friendship.
interpreter
relaxed
received
gift
unforgettable

17. Reading comprehension
Complete the following letter to Maria in the name of the author to express his gratitude.

18. Dear Maria,
I’m writing this letter to __________________________ (对自己受到的款待表示谢意) shown to me during my visit to your home ___________________________________ (评价圣诞晚宴丰盛). __________________
___________________ (表示对方的家人使自己有宾至如归的感觉). ______________
_________________________________
(表明自己对礼物的珍惜).
thank you for your hospitality
The Christmas dinner was very elaborate
And your family made
me feel right at home
I will regard the
tie-clasp as the best gift I’ve received

19. I’m hoping _______________________ ________________________(期望对方在不久的将来到自己的国家来) and my home when I will be able to pay back some of the hospitality I received during my memorable stay with your family.
____________________ (表示对她的亲切问候).
Yours truly, ……
someday in the near future
you could visit my country
With kind /best regards

20. Useful words and expressions
a. lock sb. in loneliness:
put sb. in the state of being lonely
e.g.
After the death of her husband, she has locked herself in her loneliness for quite a long time.

21. Useful words and expressions
b. remind sb. of sth.:
cause sb. to remember
sth.; make sb. think of sth.
e.g.
This reminds me of what we did together during our holidays.

22. Useful words and expressions
c. be short of:
having an inadequate
supply of
e.g.
Since we’re short of money, we have to rent a cheaper room.

23. Useful words and expressions
d. on schedule: on time
e.g.
Although it had snowed for several hours, the train arrived on schedule.

24. Useful words and expressions
e.g.
The boy did not feel right at home in such a splendid house.
e. feel right
at home:
feel as if in one’s
own house; feel
at one’s ease

25. Useful words and expressions
f. hospitality: friendly and generous
reception of guests
e.g.
Speaking of time, we have to leave now. Thank you for your hospitality.

26. Useful words and expressions
g. regard sb./ sth. as:
consider sb./sth. as
e.g.
He is regarded as
one of the best
leaders of the company.

27. Section IV
Trying
Your Hand

28. Applied writing: Notice
Sample analysis
Notices are often used to give information about social activities. They are brief and to the point. The following aspects should be made clear when writing a notice: the informed person or audience; the subject matter; the time; the place and the things that need to be noticed, etc.

29. Applied writing: Notice
Write a notice on one of the following subjects:
1. All professors are required to meet
in the conference room on Saturday, August 18, at 2 p.m. to discuss questions of international academic exchange.

30. Applied writing: Notice
2. All the goods on display are to be sold at twenty percent discount till April 30th.
3. We are going to visit the Science
Museum tomorrow.

31. Applied writing: Notice
4. We will meet at the school gate at eight in the morning and we will go there on foot.

32. Applied writing: Notice
5. All the league members are
requested to meet in Classroom
403 on Monday at 5:00 to discuss
the arrangements for the college
sports meeting.

33. Applied writing: Notice
Exercises
Key to Ex. 2:
英语自助餐
想一想开开心心学英语的感觉！
在本市尝一尝纯正英国炸鱼、薯条的滋味！
时间：周五 10月9日下午 3:00-5:00
地点：希尔顿咖啡店

34. Applied writing: Notice
Exercises
Key to Ex. 2:
大型书展
先到百名者有奖－机会难得！
著名作者现场签名－机会难得！
世界各国畅销书云集－机会难得！
地点：天津街新华书店
时间：8月28日－9月3日 早8点－晚8点30分

35. Comparison of adjectives and adverbs
Sentence writing:
Comparison of adjectives and adverbs
Sample analysis
The comparative is the form of an adjective or adverb that implies a greater degree than the positive base form of the word. A few comparatives are irregular, such as good, better, best; bad, worse, worst.
Grammar Review

36. Comparison of adjectives and adverbs
Sentence writing:
Comparison of adjectives and adverbs
Most adjectives form their comparatives with -er (sometimes doubling the final consonant, sometimes turning a final y into i). The superlative of these adjectives is formed with -est. But a large class doesn't take -er or -est; it's formed with more and most.
Grammar Review

37. Comparison of adjectives and adverbs
Sentence writing:
Comparison of adjectives and adverbs
Exercises
Key to Ex. 6:
The journey is smoother than I have expected.
2. I type faster than he does.

38. Comparison of adjectives and adverbs
Sentence writing:
Comparison of adjectives and adverbs
Exercises
Key to Ex. 6:
3. The football team doesn’t perform
as well as they did yesterday.
4. The girl dresses in the most fashionable way in her class.

39. Comparison of adjectives and adverbs
Sentence writing:
Comparison of adjectives and adverbs
Exercises
Key to Ex. 6:
5. Mary looks much younger than she
really is.
6. Sichuan dishes are much hotter
than Shanghai dishes.

40. Assignments Write a notice for a class meeting.
Do the grammar exercises in the
Workbook.
3. Recite the first paragraph of
Passage II.
4. Read and learn by heart the new
words in Unit 8.
5. Prepare the speaking activities in
Section I of Unit 8.