Tet marks the beginning of spring and, for agrarian people, the start of a new year

TRƯỜNG THPT BÌNH CHÁNH

TỔ NGOẠI NGỮ

Unit 8:

CELEBRATIONS

Part A: Reading

WELCOME TO OUR LESSON!

3

Listen to the a piece of music and answer these questions:

1) What is the title of the song?

2) When do you often sing or listen to it?

Before you read:

Lunar New Year, or Tet, is Vietnam's main holiday. It is the grandest and most important occasion in the year which falls sometime between 19^th January and 20th February on the Western calendar. Tet marks the beginning of spring and, for agrarian people, the start of a new year.

Tet’s preparations and celebrations used to be spread over months, but nowadays the holiday is much shorter. A great deal of excitement still builds up well before Tet, however. Streets are decorated with coloured lights and red banners. Shops are full of goods. People arc busy buying gifts, cleaning and decorating their houses and cooking traditional foods.

Homes are often decorated with plants and flowers at this time. Peach blossom is traditional at Tet in the North while apricot blossom is traditional in the South. The kumquat tree with its ripe deep orange fruits is popular throughout the country. One of Tet’s most special foods is Banh Chung, which is made from sticky rice, green beans and fatty pork. Mut, which is candied fruit such as sugared apples, plums or tomatoes, is also popular.

On the days of Tet everyone tries to be nice and polite to each other. People believe that what they do on the first day of the year will influence their luck during the whole year.

Thus, only positive comments should be made. People visit other family members or friends, and they exchange New Year's wishes. Children receive their “lucky money" inside red envelopes. Many people go to pagoda to pray for a happy year for themselves and their family. Both children and adults take part in games and various forms of entertainment. Tet is really a time of fun and festivals throughout the country.

READING PASSAGE

1/ Agrarian /ә’greәriәn/ (adj): thuộc về nghề nông Agrarian person = farmer

2/ peach blossom /pi:t∫ 'blɔsәm/ (n) : hoa đào 3/ apricot blossom / 'eiprikɔt 'blɔsәm / (n): hoa mai 4/ kumquat tree / 'kʌmkwɔt tri:/ (n) : cây quất 5/ sugared apples /´ʃugәd ‘æplz/ (n) : mứt táo

6/ pray (+for) / prei / (v) : cầu nguyện

Ex: I went to the pagoda to pray for a happy new year.

7/ excited / exciting (adj) >< quiet: sôi nổi, nô nức

=> excitement /ɪkˈsaɪtmәnt/ (n) : sự nô nức 8/ banner / 'bænә / (n): băng rôn, câu đối

Red banners

1. Banner 2. Agrarian 3. Excitement

4. Sugared apples 5. Pray

6. Apricot blossom 7. Grand

A. thuộc về nghề nông B. mứt táo

C. băng rôn, câu đối D. sự nô nức

E. to lớn, hoành tráng F. cầu nguyện

G. hoa mai

Task 1: Match the words in column A with the suitable meanings in column B:

B A

While you read:

Task 2. Decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F).

1.Tet is always on 20

February on the Western calendar.

2. According to the text, for people anywhere in the world, the beginning of spring is the start of a new year.

3. Tet used to be longer than it is nowadays.

4. According to the text, “lucky money” is given to everyone at Tet.

5. Kumquat trees are popular both in the North and in the South of Vietnam.

6. People try to be nice and polite to each other

because they want to have good luck on New Year’s Day.

T F

1. When is Tet holiday in Vietnam?

………

2. How long did Tet preparations and celebrations last in the past?

………

3. What do streets look like before Tet?

………

4. What do people often do to prepare for Tet?

………

5. What is banh chung made from?

………

6. What is mut?

………

7. What are some popular activities at Tet?

………

Task 3. Answer the questions.

making Chung cake

eating special Tet foods

going to the pagoda

receiving “lucky money”

decorating the house

going to the flower market

watching fireworks

visiting relatives & friends

Free talk: Look at the pictures and give the activities:

Talk about which of these activities do you enjoy doing most at Tet ?

After you read:

1. Agrarian people depend on the lunar calendar to prepare for their crops.

A. gardeners B. planters C. farmers D. highlanders 2. There is a ______ mood everywhere on New Year's Day.

A. popular B. good C. optimistic D. festive

3. On the first -day of Tet, children _______ their new clothes and make New Year’s wishes to their parents.

A. take on B. pick on C. put on D. try on

4. People believed that what they do on the first day of the year will _______ their luck during the whole year.

A. exchange B. influence C. control D. result

5. Tet is really a time of fun and _______ throughout the country.

A. holidays B. festivals C. preparations D. celebrations 6. We wish you both health and longevity.

A. long life B. happy life C. easy life D. exciting life

Exercise 1. Multiple-choice questions:

PRACTICE

EXERCISE

1/ We're praying _____ good weather _____

Saturday.

2/ The sky was full _____ brightly coloured fireworks.

3/ In Viet Nam, there is great excitement built ____

well before Tet Nguyen Dan.

4/ On the days of Tet, people try to be nice and polite _____ each other.

5/ This cake is made ______ all natural ingredients.

6/ They decorated the table _______ flowers and candles.

Exercise 2. Complete these sentences with suitable prepositions.

1. Tet remarks the ____________of spring and the start of the New Year. (begin) 2. What are your country's ___________ foods? (speciality)

3. What forms of ______________ do you take part in on Tet vacations? (entertain) 4. Her eyes were wide with _____________when she heard the news. (excite)

5. How do people ____________ the new year in your country? (celebration)

6. Many__________ activities are held during Tet holidays in this village. (culture) 7. Those ladies often go to pagoda to pray for ____________ and luck.(happy)

8. ______________, the Vietnamese attach great importance to the first visitor from outside on the first day of Tet. (tradition)

9. It's time to put away the Christmas ________________. (decorate)

10. People usually make _________________ for the Tet several weeks beforehand.

(prepare)

Exercise 3. Complete the sentences with the appropriate forms of the words.

- Learn by heart the new words - Do the tasks again

- Prepare for the next lesson

for your attendance!