2. Water, Water, Everywhere Content: reading Source: Book 4 - Lesson 4 Presenter: Kay

3. 2 Let ’ s Talk About: 1. What do you think the people in the picture are doing? Do they have fun?

4. 3 2. Do you like to play with water? If yes, in what way? Like this? Like this? Or this? Or this?

5. 4 3. Some countries around the world hold “ water festivals ” every year. What is their purpose? What do they celebrate for? Let’s find out!! Let’s find out!!

6. 5 Paragraph 1 If you ever have the chance to visit Thailand, be sure to go during mid- April—that is, unless you are afraid of getting wet. In fact, at this time of year, you probably will get not just wet, but soaking wet! And why? Because getting wet is how the Thais celebrate their new year. If you ever have the chance to visit Thailand, be sure to go during mid- April—that is, unless you are afraid of getting wet. In fact, at this time of year, you probably will get not just wet, but soaking wet! And why? Because getting wet is how the Thais celebrate their new year. ThailandsoakingThais ThailandsoakingThais

7. 6 They come outside with buckets, hoses, squirt guns and anything else that will hold water, and then go about dousing each other in a fun-filled, water-throwing street party. No one is safe: water revelers will hose down friends as well as strangers, indeed, anyone who is walking, riding, or driving along the street. They come outside with buckets, hoses, squirt guns and anything else that will hold water, and then go about dousing each other in a fun-filled, water-throwing street party. No one is safe: water revelers will hose down friends as well as strangers, indeed, anyone who is walking, riding, or driving along the street.bucketshoses squirt guns go about dousingrevelersbucketshoses squirt guns go about dousingrevelers

8. 7 Even if people are riding on trains, they need to make sure the windows are shut, or else—Swooosssshhh! Even if people are riding on trains, they need to make sure the windows are shut, or else—Swooosssshhh!

9. 8 Paragraph 2 Such wild celebrations actually take place all over Southeast Asia, but the Thai Water Festival is probably the most famous. It is celebrated across the country. In the cities, people get aboard pick-up trucks that are filled with huge buckets of water and cruise the streets soaking everyone in sight. Such wild celebrations actually take place all over Southeast Asia, but the Thai Water Festival is probably the most famous. It is celebrated across the country. In the cities, people get aboard pick-up trucks that are filled with huge buckets of water and cruise the streets soaking everyone in sight.

10. 9 In the countryside, children hide with buckets along the roadside and wait for motorcyclists to come along. Once wet, the drivers will have to stop, and upon stopping, they are in for a complete drenching! In the countryside, children hide with buckets along the roadside and wait for motorcyclists to come along. Once wet, the drivers will have to stop, and upon stopping, they are in for a complete drenching!

11. 10 It’s hard to say where it’s a water party or a water war! But it seems that no one minds. For these few days, people are simply prepared to get wet, and to enjoy every minute of it. It’s hard to say where it’s a water party or a water war! But it seems that no one minds. For these few days, people are simply prepared to get wet, and to enjoy every minute of it.

12. 11 Paragraph 3 All of this may seem like a chaotic free-for-all, but actually there is some reasoning, as well as ancient and respected traditions, behind the water-filled madness. Much of it has to do with the fact that water has special symbolic meaning: it cleanses, purifies, and renews, not just physically, but also spiritually. All of this may seem like a chaotic free-for-all, but actually there is some reasoning, as well as ancient and respected traditions, behind the water-filled madness. Much of it has to do with the fact that water has special symbolic meaning: it cleanses, purifies, and renews, not just physically, but also spiritually.

13. 12 Dousing each other with water is a way, symbolically, to wash away all the bad things of the past year and to bring good things for the coming year. So…the wetter you get, the better! Dousing each other with water is a way, symbolically, to wash away all the bad things of the past year and to bring good things for the coming year. So…the wetter you get, the better!

14. 13 Paragraph 4 The fun-loving street party is also just one side of the Thai Water Festival. It has as well a more serious side, which involves the traditional ceremonies that take place in people’s homes and at temples. The fun-loving street party is also just one side of the Thai Water Festival. It has as well a more serious side, which involves the traditional ceremonies that take place in people’s homes and at temples.

15. 14 The Thai new year, which starts on April 13 and is known as Songkan, begins with a ritual in which the younger members of the family sprinkle perfumed water in the hands or over the heads of their elders as a show of respect. A similar ritual involves bathing Buddha images with perfumed water. The Thai new year, which starts on April 13 and is known as Songkan, begins with a ritual in which the younger members of the family sprinkle perfumed water in the hands or over the heads of their elders as a show of respect. A similar ritual involves bathing Buddha images with perfumed water.

16. 15 Paragraph 5 Once the family and religious ceremonies are over, however, it is time for the hoses and the buckets! Some people say the Water Festival is becoming wilder and wilder every year. Once the family and religious ceremonies are over, however, it is time for the hoses and the buckets! Some people say the Water Festival is becoming wilder and wilder every year.

17. 16 What’s more, it seems that the fun of water wars is contagious—it is even spreading to Taiwan, where members of the large Burmese-Chinese community in Chungho City, near Taipei, now celebrate the Water Festival every year. And anyone is welcome to join the fun— anyone, that is, who is not afraid of getting wet! What’s more, it seems that the fun of water wars is contagious—it is even spreading to Taiwan, where members of the large Burmese-Chinese community in Chungho City, near Taipei, now celebrate the Water Festival every year. And anyone is welcome to join the fun— anyone, that is, who is not afraid of getting wet!

18. 17 生字表 soaking soaking wet soaking wet soak (v.) soak (v.) soaked (adj.) soaked (adj.) E.g. It rained so hard. The ceiling in my apartment even got soaked. E.g. It rained so hard. The ceiling in my apartment even got soaked. E.g. You were soaked through. E.g. You were soaked through.