节目资讯
刊物:大家说英语
日期:2014-01-30
难易度:Low
关键字:dumpling, born, horse, cook, fish, lunar calendar, get together
You're watching Let's Talk in English.
It's a great day here at LTE TV.
My name is Katie, and we're all going to learn a lot today.
Our new topic is HOLIDAY.
And the title of our lesson is Happy Chinese New Year!
Happy Chinese New Year!
Nathan, do you celebrate Chinese New Year?
Of course I celebrate Chinese New Year.
I lived in Asia for a long time, so I like to spend Chinese New Year with
friends.
Hello, everyone.
My name is Nathan.
We're going to have a great time today with our lesson.
So to get started with the lesson, take out your magazine and find today's Read
It.
You can read it with Nathan right now.
Mark will eat dumplings tonight.
It's Chinese New Year's Eve.
The date is different every year because of the lunar calendar.
Mark was born in the Year of the Horse.
Mark's family gets together at Chinese New Year.
His mother cooks a big dinner.
She always cooks fish.
It's a lucky food.
Well, it's time to get ready for Chinese New Year.
It's almost here.
It's Chinese New Year's Eve.
Eve means the day before, so this is the day before Chinese New Year.
And in the United States, only a few holidays have important eves.
Like our New Year's Eve - we just celebrated that about a month ago.
People celebrate on the night of New Year's Eve until midnight.
And we also have Christmas Eve.
We like to be with our family on Christmas Day.
But we celebrate with friends or go to church on Christmas Eve.
And now we can see how Mark will celebrate Chinese New Year's Eve.
But first, let's learn about today's key words with Christina.
Hello.
(Chinese).
(Music).
Are you celebrating tonight, Mark?
Yes, I will go out and get dumplings.
Where are you going?
I'm going to Tang's Jiao Zi House.
I love that place!
Can I go with you?
Sure!
We can celebrate together.
Uh, what are you celebrating?
Chinese New Year!
Tonight is Chinese New Year's Eve.
Well, Rob and Mark probably celebrate Chinese New Year every year.
They are from Asian families.
But Susie is American.
Right.
Many people in Asia will celebrate Chinese New Year.
But people from other places may not even think about Chinese New Year.
They have a different New Year's Day.
But Nathan and I often celebrate Chinese New Year because we have both lived in
Asia.
We might go out for some Asian food to celebrate like Mark.
Yes, that's one of the ways we can still celebrate even if we are in the United
States.
And if you go out for something, you leave home to buy it.
We often use that phrase to talk about food.
Like, let's go out for some seafood.
Or, I'm going out to get lunch.
But we can also use it for other things.
We're going out to buy some clothes.
But Mark is going out to Tang's Jiao Zi House.
I know that jiao zi are dumplings.
But what is a jiao zi house, Katie?
You... you can't make a house from dumplings.
Well, Nathan, you know that some restaurants are called some kind of house.
I'm sure you've heard of steak houses.
Oh, yeah, right.
We don't call all restaurants houses, everyone.
But some of them do have "house" in their name.
So, do you like dumplings, Katie?
Ooh, yes, I really like dumplings.
Those are one of my favorite kinds of Chinese food to eat.
And there are many different kinds of dumplings.
They can have very different things in them like pork or shrimp or vegetables.
And some are cooked in hot water, but others are fried.
What kind do you like?
What is your favorite kind of dumpling, everyone?
How about you, Katie?
Ooh.
I think my favorite kind of dumpling is the shrimp kind or the vegetable kind.
Those are both really great kinds of dumplings to eat.
Now everyone, are you getting some special food to celebrate tonight?
Not sure?
Well, Christina can help us understand that question, so let's go to her right
now.
(Chinese).
(Music).
But Chinese New Year is in February.
Not always.
Sometimes it's in January.
Oh, right.
The lunar calendar isn't the same every year.
That's right.
And next year will be the Year of the Horse.
Will it be a good year?
I think so.
I was born in the Year of the Horse!
I think that many of you know that sometimes in Asia, the moon is used to choose
the months and days.
Now in English, we call that the lunar calendar.
Yes, something lunar is about the moon.
A calendar is also something that shows all the days and months in a year.
Next year starts tomorrow on the lunar calendar.
And most of the world uses a different calendar.
The Sun is used to choose days and months on the other calendars.
Today is January 30th on this calendar.
January 1st always comes at the same time.
But the new year comes at different times on the lunar calendar.
It's not always in February.
Right.
It can also be in January like this year.
Now many of you know that "always" means "every time." Christmas is always in
December.
It's in December every year.
But Chinese New Year is not always in February.
It is not in February every time.
Many things are not always right.
Or I'm not always hungry in the morning.
Now the store is not always open in the morning.
Now you should remember that Chinese New Year is not always in February.
But we also need to remember something else about Chinese New Year.
Every year has a special animal.
Oh, that's right.
There are twelve animals used for the years in the Chinese calendar.
Nathan, which year were you born in?
Well, I was born in the Year of the Snake.
Hey, that is a pretty great sentence.
Everyone can use that sentence.
Maybe that's why it's a Use It sentence.
Help us out, Elizabeth.
(Music).
Today we're going to learn how to use the phrase:
I was born in the year of the (something).
Here's an example.
I was born in the year of the Dog.
Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof.
Or...
I was born in the year of the Chicken.
(Background Noise).
OK, friends, remember to use it.
(Music).
You know that really is a good sentence.
It's so good that Christina wants to talk to us about it, too.
(Chinese).
(Music).
I'm sure you can all use that sentence today.
Hey, Katie, what year were you born in?
Oh, me?
I was born in the year of... 1988.
I'm not really sure.
But I'll tell you all after the break, OK?
So don't go away.
We'll be right back.