必修二Unit3 课文内容
1
2
1.I developed very slowly and it took nearly two hundred years 3
before I was built as an analytical machine by Charles Babbage.
4
本句是由并列连词and连接的并列句。and后的句子中before引导时间状5
语从句。
6
△ before引导时间状语从句
7
before引导时间状语从句时可以根据语境译作“过了……（时间）才……”，8
“还没来得及……就……”或“在……之前”。
9
They walked about 30 miles before they saw a village.
10
We hadn’t run a mile before he felt tired.
11
△ before常用于以下句型中：
12
⑴ It was + 时间段 + before... “过了……才……”，从句常用一般过
13
去时。
14
⑵ It was not long before ... “不久就……”，从句常用一般过去时。
15
⑶ It will not be long before... “不久就会……”，从句常用一般现
16
在时。
17
⑷ It will be + 时间段 + before... “要过……才……”，从句常用一
18
般现在时。
19
It was five days before he came back.
20
It was not long before he sensed the danger of the position.
21
It will not be long before they understand each other.
22
It will be half a year before you graduate from the school.
23
练习：
24
1. It was evening ______ we reached the little town of Winchester.
25
A. that
B. until
C. since
D. before
26
2. Scientists say it may be five or six years ______ it is possible 27
to test this medicine on human patients.
28
A. since
B. after
C. before
D. when
29
3. Someone called me up in the middle of the night, but they hung 30
up ______ I could answer the phone.
31
A. as
B. since
C. until
D. before
32
4. He made a mistake, but then he corrected the situation ______ 33
it got worse.
34
A. until
B. when
C. before
D. as
35
5. It was some time _____ we realized the truth.
36
A. when
B. until
C. since
D. before
37
6. The American Civil War lasted four years _____ the North won in 38
the end.
39
A. after
B. before
C. when
D. then
40
7. –Why didn’t you tell him about the meeting?
41
–He rushed out of the room _____ I could say a word.
42
A. before
B. until
C. when
D. after
43
8. –How long do you think it will be______ China sends a manned 44
spaceship to the moon?
45
–Perhaps two or three years.
46
A. when
B. until
C. that
D. before
47
2.Anyhow, my goal is to provide humans with a life of high 48
quality.
49
本句为简单句。my goal为主语；动词不定式短语to provide...为表语；
50
of high quality作定语，修饰a life.
51
△“of + 名词”结构
52
“of + 名词”结构可在句中作表语、定语和补语。该结构可分为两类：
53
⑴名词有相应的形容词时，“of + 名词”可转化为相应的形容词。这类
54
名词有value, use, important, help, interest, benefit等。它们可用55
no, some, any, little, much, great等词修饰。
56
They are of great help ( = very helpful) to English learners.
57
In fact, sports can be of great benefit (=very beneficial) to our 58
health.
59
⑵名次没有相应的形容词时，“of + 名词”没有相应的形容词形式。常
60
见的名词有age, size, color, weight, quality, height, price, opinion,
61
shape, kind, way等，这些名词前的限定词常为a, an, the same等。
62
Mr. Smith, my teacher, is of the same opinion.
63
We are of the same age.
64
Tom is of a different way of thinking.
65
练习：
66
⑴– This book by Tony Garrision is ______ for our course.
67
– But I think his latest one is better worth reading.
68
A. useless
B. of no use
C. of great use
69
D. great useful
70
⑵完成句子
71
①这项工程对每个人都大有好处。
72
This project is ______________________________ (benefit) to
73
everyone.
74
②同时，性别差异的主题也很有趣。
75
Also, the topic of sex differences is ____________________________
76
(interest).
77
③在这个地区，我们学校的教学质量是最好的。
78
Our school education is ________________________ (quality) in this
79
area.
80
3.As time sent by I did research into how to make my radio.
81
本句中as time sent by为as引导的时间状语从句，how to make my radio 82
作介词into的宾语。
83
△as引导的时间状语从句
84
⑴ as引导时间状语从句，意为“随着，当……”，强调主从句的谓语动作
85
同时发生。
86
As shots rang, people could be seen running out of the building.
87
⑵ as引导比较状语从句，意为“像……一样”。
88
He is as old as I (am).
89
⑶ as引导方式状语从句，意为“照……的方式”。
90
When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
91
⑷ as引导原因状语，意为“因为，由于”。”
92
As she has no car, she can’t get there easily.
93
⑸ as引导让步状语从句，意为“尽管，虽然”，此时从句需用部分倒装结
94
构。
95
Happy as/though they were, there was something missing.
96
Child as/though he is, he knows a lot.
97
练习：
98
⑴ Stupid ______ it sounds, I was so in love with her that I believed
99
her.
100
A. although
B. as
C. while
D. when
101
⑵ Lessons can be learned to face the future, _______ history cannot 102
be changed.
103
A. though
B. as
C. since
D. unless
104
⑶完成句子
105
①我们最好快一点，因为天就要黑了。
106
We had better hurry, 107
_________________________________________.
108
②尽管她已经很累了，但她想睡觉是没有指望的。
109
___________________________________, there was no hope of her 110
being able to sleep.
111
③详细的调查显示多达50%的病人没有遵照指示服药。
112
Careful surveys have indicated that as many as 50% of patients 113
do not take drugs ____________________________. (direct)
114
4.She programs us with all the possible moves she has seen while 115
watching human games.
116
本句为主从复合句。she has seen while watching human games是省略117
了关系代词that的定语从句，修饰先行词moves；该定语从句中的while 118
watching human games为时间状语从句的省略形式，完整形式应为while she 119
was watching human games.
120
△状语从句的省略
121
省略现象一般出现在下列五种状语从句中：
122
①由when, while, as, before, after, till, until, once等引导的123
时间状语从句；
124
②由whether, if, unless等引导的条件状语从句；
125
③由though, although, even if, whatever等引导的让步状语从句；126
④由as, than等引导的比较状语从句；
127
⑤由as, as if, as though等引导的方式状语从句。
128
遵循以下原则：
129
⑴当状语从句的主语与主句的主语一致且从句中含有be动词的某种形式130
时，可以省略状语从句的主语和be动词。这时从句中可出现如下结构：131
①连词 + 名词/形容词/介词短语
132
While (he was) a young boy, he was always ready to help others. 133
Work hard when (you are) young, or you’ll regret.
134
When/While (I was) on my way to work, I met her.
135
②连词 + 现在分词（现在分词与主句主语为逻辑上的主谓关系，且现在136
分词表示的动作与主句谓语动作同时发生）
137
While (I was) waiting, I was reading some magazines.
138
③连词 + 过去分词（过去分词与主句主语为逻辑上的动宾关系）
普通高中课程标准实验教科书《英语》电子课本 Book 3 Unit 1 Festivals around the world B3U1P1-3 FESTIV ALS AND CELEBRATIONS Ancient Festivals Festivals and celebrations of all kinds are held everywhere. The most ancient festivals would celebrate the end of the cold weather, planting in spring and harvest in autumn. Other celebrations were held when hunters could catch animals. They would starve if food was difficult to find, so they celebrated when they had food. They lit fires and made music because they thought these festivals would bring a year of plenty. Festivals of the Dead Some festivals are held to honour the dead, or satisfy and please the ancestors, who could return either to help or to do harm. In Japan the festival is called Obon, when people should go to clean the graves and light incense in memory of their ancestors. They light lamps and play music because they think that this will lead the ancestors back to earth. In Mexico they have the Day of the Dead in early November. On this important feast day, people might eat food in shape of skulls, and cakes with “bones” on them. They offer food, flowers and gifts to the dead. The festival of Halloween had its origin as an event in memory of the dead. It is now a children’s festival, when they can go to their neighbours’ homes and ask for sweets. They dress up and try to frighten people. If they are not given anything, the children might play a trick. Festivals to Honour People Festivals can be held as an honour to famous people or to the gods. One of these is the Dragon Boat Festival in China, which honours the famous ancient poet, Qu Yuan. Another is Columbus Day in the USA, in memory of the arrival of Christopher Columbus in America. In India there is a national festival on October 2 to honour Mahatma Gandhi, the leader who helped gain India’s independence from Britain. Harvest Festivals Harvest and Thanksgiving festivals can be very happy events. People are grateful because their food is gathered for the winter ,and because a season of agricultural work is over. In European countries it is the custom to decorate churches and town halls with flowers and fruit, and people get together to have meals. Some people might win awards for their animals, flowers, fruits and vegetables, like the biggest watermelon or the most handsome rooster. In China and Japan there are mid-autumn festivals, when people admire the moon and give gift of mooncakes. Spring Festivals The most energetic and important festivals are the ones that look forward to the end of winter and to the coming of spring. At the Spring Festival in China, people eat dumplings, fish and meat, and may give children lucky money in the red paper. There are dragon dances and carnivals, and families celebrate the lunar New Year together. In some Western countries there are very exciting carnivals, which take place forty days before Easter, usually in February. They might include parades, dancing in the streets day and night, loud music and colourful clothing of all kinds. Easter is an important religious and social festival in Christian countries. It celebrates the return of Jesus for Christians and it also celebrates the coming of spring. In Japan, the Cherry Blossom Festival happens a little later. The country is covered with cherry tree flowers so that it looks as though it might be covered with pink snow. People love to get together to eat, drink and have fun with each others. Festivals let us enjoy life, be proud of our customs and forget our daily life for a little while.
Frederick William Ⅰ，the King of Prussia , could never have imagined that his greatest gift to the Russian people would have such an amazing history . This gift was the Amber Room , which was given this name because several tons of amber were used to make it . The amber which was selected had a beautiful yellow-brown colour like honey . The design of the room was in the fancy style popular in those days . It was also a treasure decorated with gold and jewels , which took the country's best artists about ten years to make . In fact , the room was not made to be a gift . It was designed for the palace of Frederick Ⅰ. However, the next King of Prussia , Frederick William Ⅰ,to whom the amber room belonged, decided not to keep it. In 1716 he gave it to Peter the Great. In return , the Czar sent him a troop of his best soldiers. So the Amber Room because part of the Czar's winter palace in St Petersburg.About four metres long, the room served as a small reception hall for important visitors . Later,Catherine Ⅱhad the Amber Room moved to a palace outside St Petersburg where she spent her summers. She told her artists to add more details to it .In 1770 the room was completed the way she wanted . Almost six hundred candles lit the room ,and its mirrors and pictures shone like gold. Sadly , although the Amber Room was considered one of the wonders of the world , it is now missing . In September 1941, the Nazi army was near St Petersburg . This was a time when the two countries were at war . Before the Nazis could get to the summer palace , the Russians were able to remove some furniture and small art objects from the Amber Room . However , some of the Nazis secretly stole the room itself . In less than two days 100,000 pieces were put inside twenty-seven woooden boxs . There is no doubt that the boxs were then put on a train for Konigsberg, which was at that time a German city on the Baltic Sea . After that, what happened to the Amber Room remains a mystery . Recently , the Russians and Germans have built a new Amber Room at the summer palace . By studying old photos of the former Amber Room , they have made the new one look like the old one .In 2003 it was ready for the people of St Petersburg when they celebrated the 300th birthday of their city . A FACT OR AN OPINION? What is a fact? Is it something that people believe? No. A fact is anything that can be proved. For example, it can be proved that China has more people than any other country in the world. This is a fact. Then what is an opinion? An opinion is what someone believes is true but has not been proved. So an opinion is not good evidence in a trial. For example, it is an opinion if you say “Cats are better pets than dogs”. It may be true, but it is difficult to prove. Some people may not agree with this opinion but they also cannot prove that they are right. In a trial, a judge must decide which eyewit nesses to believe and which not to believe. The judge does not consider what each eyewitness looks like or where that person lives or works. He/she only cares about whether the eyewitness has given true information, which must be facts rather than opinions. This kind of information is called evidence. Unit 2 AN INTERVIEW Pausanias, who was a Greek writer about 2,000 years ago, has come on a magical journey on March 18th 2007 to find out about the present-day Olympic Games. He is now interviewing Li Yan, a volunteer for the 2008 Olympic Games.
人教新课标模块3教材分析 ——西北工业大学附属中学 由国家教育部制定并颁布的《普通高中英语课程标准（实验）》明确规定高中英语课程应使学生在义务教育阶段学习的基础上进一步明确英语学习的目的，发展自主学习能力和合作精神；在加强对学生综合语言运用能力培养的同时，注重提高学生用英语获取信息、处理信息、分析问题和解决问题的能力，以及用英语进行思维和表达的能力；高中英语课程还应根据学生的个性特征和发展的需要，为他们提供丰富的选择机会和充分的表现空间。通过高中英语课程的学习，使学生的语言运用能力进一步得到提高，国际视野更加宽广，爱国主义精神和民族使命感进一步增强，为他们的为未来发展和终身学习奠定良好的基础。人教新课标这套教材每一个模块有五个教学单元。每个单元围绕一个主要的话题开展听说读写的活动，共分九个部分。“热身”（warming up）---主要通过问卷调查，看图讨论，情景听说，思考问题等多种形式的活动，激发学生的学习兴趣，激活其已有的知识，使学生能运用自己已有的知识和经验思考该单元的中心话题。“读前”(Pre-reading)---设置问题启发学生预测课文的内容，展开简短的讨论，以便通过阅读验证自己的推测。“阅读”（Reading)---为各单元的主要阅读语篇，题材和体裁多种多样，承载该单元的话题重要信息，以及大部分词汇和主要的语法结构。“理解”（Comprehending）---用以检测学生对阅读课文的理解程度。“语言学习” (Learning about Language)---采用发现和探究的方法启发学生自己找出书中的重要语言项目，培养学生初步运用这些语言的技能。“语言运用”(Using Language)---围绕中心话题的听说读写的综合性练习，包括了Listening and speaking & Reading and writing。“小结”(Summing Up)---要求学生自己小结从各单元中学到的内容，生词和习惯用语以及语法结构。“学习建议”(Learning Tip)---培养学习策略，优化学习方式，提高自主学习的能力。“趣味阅读”(Reading for Fun)---满足学生的兴趣需求，体现教材的选择性和拓展性。 以上是普通高中英语课程标准（实验稿）对课程目标的解读。下面，我们将从教材的使用者的角度，结合在教材使用过程中学生对教材的反应情况，主要针对模块教材整体，从模块和单元知识结构，模块和单元内容发生发展过程，模块和单元知识学习意义，模块和单元教学建议与学法指导说明四个方面浅略地谈一下自己的见解，以期与各位同行共同探讨更好地掌握、运用好英语课程标准。
必修二，unit2 语法讲解一般将来时的被动语态[学习中的语法] ①Only athletes who have reached the agreed standard for their event will be admitted as competitors. ②And after that the 2012 Olympics will be held in London. ③A new village for the athletes and all the stadiums will be built to the east of London. ④I shall be invited to speak at the opening ceremony. ⑤We shan’t be asked to be there before eight. ⑥They won’t be stopped outside the stadium.They have tickets. ⑦Shall I be admitted into the stadium? ⑧Will he be cheered up by the watchers when competing in the race? [我的发现] (1)上述例句中加黑部分的时态为的被动语态；其谓语动词的构成为：。(2) 例句①～④为一般将来时被动语态的肯定句，其结构为：主语＋＋其他。 (3)例句⑤和例句⑥为一般将来时被动语态的否定句，其结构为：主语＋＋过去分词＋其他。 (4)例句⑦和例句⑧为一般将来时被动语态的一般疑问句，其结构为＋过去分词＋其他？ 一、定义 一般将来时的被动语态表示主语为动作的承受者，且动作发生在将来某一时刻或阶段。 二、一般将来时的被动语态的构成 其基本构成为：“shall/will＋be＋过去分词”，其中shall 常用于第一人称，will 用于各种人称。 The building will be built next month. 这栋楼将下个月开工。 The little girl will not be allowed to watch TV if she doesn’t finish her homework. 如果完不成作业，小女孩不能看电视。 1－1.用所给词的适当形式填空 ①A new bridge (build) next year. ②I (give) a bike as my present tomorrow. ③those old buildings (pull) down next week? ④(湖南高考)Don’t worry. The hard work that you do now later in life. A．will be repaid B．was being repaid C．has been repaid D．was repaid 三、一般将来时被动语态的用法 1．表示根据计划或安排将要发生的被动的动作。常与表示将来的时间状语连用，或暗含将来的时间。 These books will be published next week.
必修三 Unit1 festivals around the world 1.take place 发生（指按计划发生，相当于不及物动词，没有被动语态）； happen发生（指偶然地没有预见地发生，也是不及物动词，没有被动语态，） take the place of 代替 e.g. The 2012 Summer Olympics will take place in London. A funny thing happened in our class last Monday. I will take the place of him to finish the work. 2. in memory of…纪念；追念（介词短语） e.g. I send you this card in memory of our happy summer together. 3. lead…to…把……带向（引领到）…; lead to…导致 e.g. I will lead the blind man back home. Regular reviewing leads to better grades. 4. in the shape of…以/在……的形状 e.g. I dare eat the food in the shape of skulls. 5. belief 信任；信心；信仰。其复数为beliefs. 6. dress up 盛装；打扮；装饰。dress up as…打扮成…… e.g. We dressed up for the school party on Christmas Day. They tried to dress him up as a “national hero”. dress up, put on, wear, have on 的区别 1）dress意思是给自己或别人穿衣服。可单独用作不及物动词；作及物动词接宾语时要接表示人的名词、代词或反身代词。dressed可作表语，be dressed (in)表示“穿着”的状态。2）put on 表示“穿上、戴上”，是终止性短语，表动作，其宾语是衣服、鞋、帽、手套、袜子、眼镜等。 3）wear是“穿着、戴着”，除了接普通衣服外，还可指佩戴手表、首饰、徽章、花以及留发型、胡须等，含义最广。 4）have on表示静态“穿着、戴着”，多用于口语，是比较普通的用语，不用于进行时。 7. play a trick on…搞恶作剧；诈骗；开玩笑。还常用作play tricks on… e.g. He intends to play a trick on that girl. Don’s play tricks on me- I want to know the truth. 8. award n. 奖，奖品（可数）vt.授予；判定 e.g. He won the first awards of many English contests. The school awarded Mary a prize for her good work.学校因为玛丽的出色表现而奖励了她。medal, prize, reward和award用法辨析： medal指“奖章，勋章，纪念章”，如金牌、银牌等。 prize指“奖品，奖金；战利品；捕获物”，如在竞争或比赛中赢得的，或作为对胜利或优胜的嘉奖的东西 reward指“回报，报酬，报应”，为相应的行为作酬劳或为邪恶的举止作报应而授予或收到的东西。 award指“奖品”，因优点奖励或授予的东西。 e.g. How many gold medals has he won? My brother won the first prize in the contest. A large reward is offered for the capture of the criminals.
Unit1 Cultural relics-语法篇 __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 通过本节课的学习掌握限制性定语从句与非限制性定语从句的用法与区别。 一.限制性定语从句和非限制性定语从句 定语从句可分为限制性定语从句和非限制性定语从句 什么是限制性定语从句？ ?Anyone should be punished. Anyone who breaks the rules should be punished. 也就是说，如果一个句子去掉定语从句后，主句的意思不是所要表明的意思，那么这个定语从句就是限制性定语从句。 什么是非限制性定语从句？ 就是不用限制先行词的定语从句。译成汉语时，主句和从句可以分别翻译，互不影响。最大的特点就是先行词后面有逗隔开。 ?She is good at spe aking French, which she lea rned at school. ?This book was written by Jack, who was here a moment ago. ?I have some friends, some of whom are teachers. 限制性定语从句的连接词可以用who, whom或whose, which。不用that，也不能省略。 ?She had eight children, three of whom became sold iers. ?Their teacher is a Japanese, whose wife is a Chinese. ?My sister, who is a nurse, got married last month. ?China has hundreds of islands, the largest of which is Taiwan. 非限制性定语从句还可以用when或where引导。 ?She is going to Shanghai, where she was born.
1.必修三Unit1 Festivals and celebrations节日和庆典 Festivals and celebrations of all kinds have been held everywhere since ancient times. 自古以来，世界各地就有各种各样的节日和庆典。Most ancient festivals would celebrate the end of cold weather, planting in spring and harvest in autumn. 最古老的节日总是庆祝严寒的结束、春季的种植和秋天的收割。Sometimes celebrate would be held after hunters had caught animals. 有时，在猎人捕获猎物后，也举行庆祝活动。At that time people would starve if food was difficult to find, especially during the cold winter months. 在那个时代，如果食物难以找到，特别是在寒冷的冬月，人们会挨饿。Today’s festivals have many origins ,some religious, some seasonal, and some for special people or events. 现在的节日有很多由来，一些是宗教上的，一些是季节性的，一些是纪念特殊的人和事件的。 Festivals of the Dead亡灵节 Some festivals are held to honour the dead or to satisfy the ancestors, who might return either to help or to do harm. 有些节日，是为了纪念死者，或使祖先得到满足，因为祖先们有可能回到世上（给人们）提供帮助，也有可能带来危害。For the Japanese festival. Obon, people should go to clean graves and light incense in memory of their ancestors. 在日本的盂兰盆节，人们要扫墓、烧香，以缅怀祖先。They also light lamps and play music because they think that this will lead the ancestors back to earth. 他们还点起灯笼，奏响乐曲，因为他们认为这样做可以把祖先引回到世上。In Mexico, people celebrate the Day of the Dead in early November. 在墨西哥，亡灵节是在11月初。On this important feast day, people eat food in the shape of skulls and cakes with “bones” on them. 在这个重要的节日里，人们会吃制成颅骨形状的食物，和装点有“骨头”的蛋糕。They offer food, flowers and gifts to the dead. 他们向亡者祭献食物、鲜花和礼品。The Western holiday Halloween also had its origin in old beliefs about the return of the spirits of dead people. 西方节日万圣节也源自人们古老的信念，认为亡者的灵魂会返回人间。It is now a children’s festival, when they can dress up and to their neighbours’ homes to ask for sweets. 万圣节如今成了孩子们的节日，这天他们可以乔装打扮上到邻居家要糖吃。If the neighbours do not give any sweets, the children might play a trick on them. 如果邻居什么糖也不给，那么孩子们就可以捉弄他们了。 Festivals to Honour People纪念名人的节日 Festivals can also be held to honour famous people . 也有纪念名人的节日。The Dragon Boat Festival in China honours the famous ancient poet, Qu Y uan. 中国的端午节（龙舟节），是纪念著名古代诗人屈原的。In the USA Columbus Day is in memory of the arrival of Christopher Columbus in New World. 美国的哥伦布日是纪念克里斯托弗·哥伦布发现“新大陆”的日子。India has a national festival on October 2 to honour Mohandas Gandhi, the leader who helped gain India’s independence from Britain. 印度在10月2日有个全国性节日，纪念莫汉达斯·甘地，他是帮助印度脱离英国而独立的领袖。 Harvest Festivals庆丰收的节日 Harvest and Thanksgiving festivals can be very happy events. 收获与感恩节是非常喜庆的节日。People are grateful because their food is gathered for the winter and the agricultural work is over. 越冬的粮食收集起来了，农活结束了，人们都心怀感激。In European countries, people will usually decorate churches and town halls with flowers and fruit, and will get together to have meals. 在欧洲国家，人们通常用花果来装饰教堂和市政厅，在一起聚餐。Some people might win awards for their farm produce, like the biggest watermelon or the most handsome rooster. 有些人还可能因为他们的农产品（参加各种评选）而获奖，比如最大的西瓜或最帅的公鸡。China and Japan have mid-autumn festivals, when people admire the moon and in China, enjoy
Unit1 IN SEARCH OF THE AMBER ROOM Frederick William I, the King of Prussia, could never have imagined that his greatest gift to the Russian people would have such an amazing history. This gift was the Amber Room, which was given this name because several tons of amber were used to make it. The amber which was selected had a beautiful yellow-brown colour like honey. The design of the room was in the fancy style popular in those days. It was also a treasure decorated with gold and jewels, which took the country's best artists about ten years to make. In fact, the room was not made to be a gift. It was designed for the palace of Frederick I. However, the next King of Prussia, Frederick William I, to whom the amber room belonged, decided not to keep it. In 1716 he gave it to Peter the Great. In return, the Czar sent him a troop of his best soldiers. So the Amber Room became part of the Czar's winter palace in St Petersburg. About four metres long, the room served as a small reception hall for important visitors. Later, Catherine II had the Amber Room moved to a palace outside St Petersburg where she spent her summers. She told her artists to add more details to it. In 1770 the room was completed the way she wanted. Almost six hundred candles lit the room, and its mirrors and pictures shone like gold. Sadly, although the Amber Room was considered one of the wonders of the world, it is now missing. In September 1941, the Nazi army was near St Petersburg. This was a time when the two countries were at war. Before the Nazis could get to the summer palace, the Russians were able to remove some furniture and small art objects from the Amber Room. However, some of the Nazis secretly stole the room itself. In less than two days 100,000 pieces were put inside twenty-seven wooden boxes. There is no doubt that the boxes were then put on a train for Konigsberg, which was at that time a German city on the Baltic Sea. After that, what happened to the Amber Room remains a mystery. Recently, the Russians and Germans have built a new Amber Room at the summer palace. By studying old photos of the former Amber Room, they have made the new one look like the old one. In 2003 it was ready for the people of St Petersburg when they celebrated the 300th birthday of their city.
Unit 1 Festivals around the world 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 celebrations would 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 will lead the ancestors back to earth. In Mexico, people celebrate the Day of the Dead in early November. On this important 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 go to their neighbours’ homes to ask for sweets. If the 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 Y uan. In the USA, Columbus Day is in memory of the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the New World. India has a national festival on October 2 to honour Mohandas Gandhi, the leader who helped gain India’s independence from Britain. Harvest Festivals Harvest and Thanksgiving festivals can be very happy events. People are grateful because their food is gathered for the winter and the agricultural work is over. In European countries, people will usually decorate churches and town halls with flowers and fruit, and will get together to have meals. Some people might win awards for their farm produce, like the biggest watermelon or the most handsome rooster. China and Japan have mid-autumn festivals when people admire the moon and in China enjoy moon-cakes. Spring Festivals The most energetic and important festivals are the ones that look forward to the end of winter and to the coming of spring. At the Spring Festival in China, people eat dumplings, fish and meat and may give children lucky money in red paper. There are dragon dances and carnivals, and families celebrate the Lunar New Year together. Some Western countries have very exciting carnivals, which take place forty days before Easter, usually in February. These carnivals might include parades, dancing in the streets day and night, loud music and colourful clothing of al kinds. Easter is an important religious and social festival for Christians around the world. It celebrates the return of Jesus from the dead and the coming of spring and new life. Japan’s Cherry Blossom Festival happens a little later. The country, covered with cherry tree flowers, looks as though it is covered with pink snow. People love to get together to eat, drink and have fun with each other. Festivals let us enjoy life, be proud of our customs and forget our work for a little while.