本书充分吸收和借鉴了国内外优秀教材的特点，语言知识与语言技能并举，为英语口语的学习营造了真实丰富的语言环境，在提供生动多元的文化背景知识的同时，设计了形式多样的教学活动，寓教于乐。本书共分两个部分，各包含16个单元，每一单元中包括课前热身(学习导入问题)、语音知识(分为元音、辅音和字母组合的读音规则、句子重读等)、精选对话(七个不同方面的对话对章节进行全覆盖)、词汇、口语短句(近百条日常口语表达句式)、口语练习(着眼对章节内容的复习和常用口语的操练)、文化背景知识和课堂游戏(游戏方法新颖，适合课堂操作)。
本书可供高职高专公共英语教学使用，也可供意欲培养和提高英语口语交际能力的具有一定英语基础的自学者、专业技术人员、出国人员以及涉外工作者学习使用。
本书是为了满足高职高专英语教学改革的需求，根据教育部颁发的《高职高专教育英语课程教学基本要求》(以下简称《基本要求》)编写而成。本书可供高职高专公共英语教学使用，也可供意欲提高英语口语交际能力的具有一定英语基础的自学者、专业技术人员、出国人员以及涉外工作者学习使用。
本书在编写过程中，严格遵守《基本要求》中的“实用为主，够用为度”原则，力求教学内容新颖，突出学生实训演练和实际应用。
Unit 1 Holidays
Lead-in
What's the customary way to spend a special holiday? Discuss them with your partner. You may use the following examples for help.
It's customary to...in ...holiday. /To celebrate the...holiday, we usually....
Warm-up Activities
I. Read the following words and pay attention to the pronunciation of "ur" .
1. [?:] fur blur hurt turn purchase
2. [?] assure pastureland insure resurrect
II. Read the material below and pay attention to your pronunciation and intonation.
How Chinese Spend Their Holidays
People have adopted a new concept of rest and entertainment for their holiday. They now have a wide range of options to help them enjoy their week off to the fullest extent, from parties at home to travelling on organized tours.
In the past, most Chinese people chose to use their time off to strengthen their relationships by visiting families and friends. This is still a popular way to spend the holiday today. But growing numbers of people are packing their bags and setting off to explore the beautiful scenic spots scattered around the country.
Others are choosing to spend their time at the gym, a sign of the growing health consciousness across China. A number of women have flocked to take yoga classes at fitness clubs over the holidays. Some literary folk prefer to spend their holidays recharging their batteries through reading.
As well as all the above-mentioned, there are quite a few homebodies who prefer to stay at home and catch up on TV episodes or much needed sleep.
Dialogues
Dialogue 1
Monica: So, Dennis. What are you going to do for Thanksgiving?
Dennis: I'm going to have dinner at my parents' house. What about you? Any plans?
Monica: Yeah. I'm going to cook dinner with some friends. We're going to make fish soup.
Dennis: Hmm. That's unusual. We always have turkey, mashed potatoes and so on.
Monica: I know. Every year, my friends and I make something different.
Dennis: That sounds like fun. Well, have a happy Thanksgiving.
Monica: Thanks. You, too.
Dialogue 2
Amy: Do you know something about the origin of Valentine's Day？
Sue: Yeah. Valentine's Day is named for Saint Valentine. He was an early Christian Churchman who reportedly helped young lovers. Valentine was executed for his Christian belief on February14th more than 1,700 years ago. To memorize this hero, people took this day to be the Valentine's Day.
Amy: How did the lovers celebrate the Valentine's Day at that time？
Sue: Girls wrote their names on pieces of paper and put them in a large container. Boys reached into the container and pulled one out. The girl whose name was written on the paper would become his lover or sweetheart for a year.
Amy: Oh, it's so interesting.
Dialogue 3
Jason: Merry Christmas, Professor Li!
Prof. Li: Oh! Hi. Merry Christmas to you, Jason.
Jason: There are a lot of people here.
Prof. Li: Yeah, every year is just like this. You know, I'm in a hurry. I've got to buy several gifts today.
Kate: Hello, Professor Li! Season's greetings!.
Prof. Li: Yes, this is the season to be jolly.
Kate: Yes, but it's hard to be jolly in a crowded department store like this.
Prof. Li: Oh, sorry. I'm afraid I must be going now. You guys have a good holiday.
Jason & Kate: The same to you.
Dialogue 4
A: Happy Easter. How are you going to spend it? Are you ready to go to watch the parade?
B: Uh, not yet, I don't know what I should wear at the parade.
A: Here, I bought an extra Easter bonnet for you to wear.
B: I thought dressing up for Easter was weird for me.
A: What's wrong? Don't you like my bunny costume?
B: It's very...stupid. Hah!
A: Come on, Jim. Where's your Easter spirit? Didn't you celebrate Easter as a kid?
B: Actually, yeah. I'd get an Easter basket full of candy and a big chocolate bunny.
A: Did the Easter bunny, I mean your folks, hide your basket?
B: Uh-huh, always in a different spot - the fireplace, the dryer, and the dishwasher...
A: And what about Easter egg hunts? They sound like so much fun.
B: They are. Our family has one for the young ones every year.
A: That's great. Can I go?
B: Sure. After the parade, I am going to go anyway. Easter is like family reunion time for my family.
Dialogue 5
A: What's the biggest holiday in China?
B: Spring Festival. That's the Chinese Lunar New Year, about one month or so later than the western calendar, you know, which is just as important as the Christmas in your country.
A: That's fascinating. How do you celebrate it? Are there any special traditional customs?
B: Well, as it's the right time for family reunions, everyone seems to stay at home with his families, having the big feast on the Eve, watching CCTV Spring Festival Gala, and setting off firecrackers, etc.
A: Amazing! It's really a great holiday.
B: Definitely! Especially for children, for they all dress up in their best, and they can get gift money from the adults.
A: Well, sounds interesting!
Dialogue 6
(Elaine and Li Hong are talking about the coming Mid-autumn Festival.)
Elaine: Hong, what holidays do you have in China?
Li Hong: Well, there are so many. We almost have holidays in each month. Like the Mid-autumn Festival, also called the Moon Festival, is just in this month.
Elaine: Yes, I have heard about it a lot these days. I was told that moon cakes are traditional food for that day, because they're little round cakes shaped like a full moon.
Li Hong: Exactly! Chinese people enjoy moon cakes during this feast just as they eat rice dumplings for the Dragon Boat Festival.
Elaine: Oh, that sounds interesting!
Li Hong: Yep! It is believed that the moon is the brightest and roundest at that night, and that's why it is called the Moon Festival.
Elaine: Oh, really poetic! I can't wait to enjoy the moonlight!
Li Hong: Moreover, there's an interesting legend about this great day.
Elaine: Wow, great! Tell me something about it. I can't wait!
Li Hong: It is said that there's a great archer named Hou Yi, who shot down nine extra suns that had suddenly appeared in the sky and thus kept the earth from being scorched. For this, he was rewarded with a pill containing the elixir of immortality. His beautiful wife, Chang Er, discovered and swallowed the pill and soared to the moon. That's why when people appreciate the moon at that night, they will look for the beautiful figure there.
Elaine: Wow, that's impressing! I enjoy this story very much.
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