高考学习网－中国最大高考学习网站 Gkxx.com | 我们负责传递知识！ 必修 3 unit1 Festivals and celebrations Festivals and celebrations of all kinds have been held everywhere since ancient times.Most ancient festivals would celebrate the end of cold weather,planting in spring and harvest in autumn.Sometimes celebratewould be held after hunters had caught animals.At that time people would starve if food was difficult to find,especially during the cold winter months.Today’s festivals have many origins ,some religious,some seasonal, and some for special people or events. Festivals of the Dead Some festivals are held to honour the dead or to satisfy the ancestors,who might return either to help or to do harm.For the Japanese festival.Obon,people should go to clean graves and light incense in memory of their ancestors.They also light lamps and play music because they think that this will lead the ancestors back to earth.In Mexico,people celebrate the Day of the Dead in early November.On this impoutant feast day,people eat food in the shape of skulls and cakes with” bones” on them.They offer food,flowers and gifts to the dead.The Western holiday Halloween also had its origin in old beliefs about the return of the spirits of dead people. It is now a children’s festival,when they can dress up and to to their neighbours’homes to ask for sweets.Ifthe neighbours do not give any sweets,the children might play a trick on them. Festivals to Honour People Festivals can also be held to honour famous people .The Dragon Boat Festival in China honours the famous ancient poet,Qu Yuan.In the USA Columbus Day is in memory of the arrival of Christopher Columbus in New World.India has a national festival on October 2 to ho...
