节目资讯
刊物:大家说英语
日期:2014-01-31
难易度:Medium
关键字:parent, stay up, firecracker, midnight, dragon, riches, red envelope
Happy New Year, everyone.
We are so glad that you joined us today for our Chinese New Year lesson.
My name is Nathan.
We're going to have a great time together today.
And so, of course, our topic for today is HOLIDAY.
And our lesson is called Happy Chinese New Year.
Happy Chinese New Year.
Did you celebrate last night, Katie?
Yes, Nathan, I did.
I got to eat dinner with some friends and we spent a lot of great time together.
It was a lot of fun celebrating the Chinese New Year.
Hi, everyone.
My name is Katie, and I hope that you're excited for our lesson today.
We're going to learn a lot of things.
Now let's look at today's Read It in our LTE magazine and read along with Katie
now.
The Chinese word for fish, "yu," sounds like the Chinese word for riches.
So fish is a lucky food.
Children get red envelopes from their parents and other adults.
Children also stay up late for the firecrackers at midnight.
Some cities have Chinese New Year parades.
The parades have dragons in them.
They are fun to watch.
Hey, yesterday we saw Susie, Mark and Rob talking about Chinese New Year.
Now we get to see what else they talked about.
Well, you're right.
Yesterday was Chinese New Year's Eve, the day before the New Year starts.
So what do we call today, Nathan?
Well, we can call today Chinese New Year's Day.
There are lots of Chinese New Year traditions we can still talk about today.
But we need to talk about our key words first.
Let's see Christina.
Hello.
(Chinese).
(Music).
Why is fish a lucky food?
Well, the Chinese word for fish is "yu." That sounds like the Chinese word for
"riches.".
Oh! So people want to have riches in the new year.
That's right.
And children do get riches.
They do?
Yes! Children get red envelopes from their parents and other adults.
The envelopes have money in them!
Well, we start our day right where we finished yesterday.
Mark said that fish is a lucky food yesterday, and now we find out why.
So the Chinese word for fish sounds like the word for riches.
Riches means a lot of money or things that are worth a lot.
That's right.
The words sound the same.
Yu.
There's a Chinese New Year blessing that uses this word, too.
(Chinese).
Oh, I heard the word.
But what does that mean?
Hmm, well, it means have more than you need every year.
But it sounds like it could mean have fish every year.
Because those words sound the same.
You know, Nathan, we always say that learning English can be fun.
But Chinese can be a lot of fun, too.
Yes, there are lots of interesting things about the Chinese language and
traditions.
Lucky food is interesting.
But what other traditions did our friends talk about?
Oh, they talk about red envelopes.
I like that tradition.
I wish we had it in the United States.
Well, only children get red envelopes.
I think we're a little too old now, Katie.
But no one is too old for Calendar Phrase.
Children get red envelopes.
Children get red envelopes.
(Chinese).
Kids love Chinese New Year.
Yeah. Children get red envelopes.
Kids can stay up late.
Yeah. Children get red envelopes.
Kids can watch fireworks.
Yeah. Children get red envelopes.
And kids get red envelopes.
I'm a kid.
And here's your red envelope.
Hooray! Happy Chinese New Year!
Children get red envelopes.
Children get red envelopes.
(Chinese).
Children really do get riches at Chinese New Year.
That really is a nice tradition.
Hmm. Katie, why do we say things like children "do" get riches?
What does it mean to "do" get?
Oh. That's just the way to say that something really is true.
Susie said that people want riches in the new year, so Rob says that they really
do.
But do parents stop giving their children red envelopes at some time?
Oh, that's right.
What you said sounded like what Rob said earlier.
And I think that sounds like what Christina would like to teach us next.
So let's go and visit her to hear about this phrase: sounds like.
(Chinese).
(Music).
Chinese New Year is a fun holiday.
I really loved it as a child.
Why?
Because you got red envelopes?
Yes.
And because we could stay up really late on Chinese New Year's Eve.
And we had firecrackers at midnight to start the New Year.
Was it really loud?
Oh, yes!
Everyone had firecrackers.
It was lots of fun.
Well, that sounds like fun to me, too.
And it's a little like what we do in the United States for New Year's Eve except
for the red envelopes.
No. Kids don't get red envelopes in the United States.
But they do get Christmas presents, and those aren't very common in Asia.
Oh, that's true.
And most people stay up late on New Year's Eve, too.
I still really like that holiday.
Because you get to stay up late?
No, Nathan. I'm an adult. I always get to choose how late I want to stay up.
And Nathan, you know we shouldn't start our sentences with the word: because.
Well, if you're writing something for school, that's true, don't start a
sentence with because.
But if you're talking to friends, you can start a sentence that way.
Susie did it, too.
Well, OK. I guess that starting a sentence with because is OK for answering
questions.
So why do you like New Year's Eve so much, Katie?
Because it's fun to wait for the New Year to come with your friends!
Hey, I just did it, too.
I started a sentence with because.
See? It's OK.
And I agree.
It's fun to wait for the New Year with your friends.
And we also have firecrackers for New Year's, too.
Really?
I don't think we use many firecrackers for the New Year's in the United States.
Sure we do.
You... you can watch them in the sky in many different places at New Year's.
No, no, Nathan, you're thinking of fireworks, not firecrackers.
Firecrackers just make loud noises, but you can't shoot them up into the sky.
Oh... OK.
I guess I'll have to remember that.
But I do love fireworks at New Year's.
And I know many places in Asia use fireworks, too.
Do you like fireworks, Katie?
Ooh, I do love fireworks.
I think that fireworks are so pretty.
And I love to watch them at New Year's and any other holiday when there are
fireworks.
Well, this is all so much fun, but we need to take a break right now.
We will be back verysoon.