英语必修3

unti 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(扫墓烧香) 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 Maxico, 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, flower and gifts to the dead. The western holiday Halloween(万圣节) 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 neighbour's 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 Yuan. In the USA, Columbus Days is in memory of the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the New World. India has a national festival on October 2 to honour Mohandas Gandi, 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 flowrs 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 mooncakes.

Spring Festivals The most anergetic 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(狂欢节), 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 all 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 foget our work for a little while.

Unit 2 Healthy eating

COME AND EAT HERE（I） Wang Peng sat in his empty restaurant feeling very frustrated. It had been a very strange morning. Usually he got up early and prepared his menu of barbecued mutton kebabs, roast pork, stir-fried vegetables and fried rice. Then by lunchtime they would all be sold. By now his restaurant ought to be full of people. But not today! Why was that? What could have happened? He thought of his mutton, beef and bacon cooked in the hottest, finest oil. His cola was sugary and cold, and his ice cream was made of milk, cream and delicious fruit. "Nothing could be better," he thought. Suddenly he saw his friend Li Chang hurrying by. "Hello, Lao Li," he called. "Your usual?" But Li Chang seemed not to hear. What was the matter? Something terrible must have happened if Li Chang was not coming to eat in his restaurant as he always did.

Wang Peng followed Li Chang into a new small restaurant. He saw a sign at the door. Tired of all that fat? Want to lose weight? Come inside Yong Hui's slimming restaurant. Only slimming foods served here. Make yourself thin again!

Curiosity drove Wang Peng inside. It was full of people. The hostess, a very thin lady, came forward. "Welcome," she said. "My name is Yong Hui. I'll help you lose weight and be fit in two weeks if you eat here every day." Then she gave a menu to Wang Peng. There were few choices of food and drink on it: just rice, raw vegetables served in vinegar(醋), fruit and water. Wang Peng was amazed at this especially at the prices. It cost more than a good meal in his restaurant! He could not believe his eyes. He threw down the menu and hurried outside. On his way home he thought about his own menu. Did it make people fat? Perhaps he should go to the library and find out. He could not have Yong Hui getting away with telling people lies! He had better do some research!

At the library Wang Peng was surprised to find that his restaurant served far too much fat and Yong Hui's far too little. Even though her customers might get thin after eating Yong Hui's food, they were not eating enough energy-giving food to keep them fit. They would become tired very quickly. Wang Peng felt more helpful as he drove back home. Perhaps with a discount and a new sign he could win his customers back. So he wrote:

Want to feel fit and energetic? Come and eat here! Discounts taday! Our food gives you energy all day! The competition between the two restaurant was on!

Unit 3 The Million Pound Bank Note

THE MILLION POUND BANK NOTE Act I, Scene 3 NARRTOR: It is the summer of 1903. Two old and wealthy brothers, Roderick and Oliver, have made a bet. Oliver believes that with a million pound bank note a man could survive a month in London. His brother Roderick doubts it. At this moment, they see penniless young man wandering on the pavement outside their house. It is Henry Adams, an America businessman, who is lost in London and does not know what he should do. RODERICK: Young man, would you step inside a moment, please? HENRY: Who? Me, sir? RODERICK: Yes, you. OLIVER: Through the front door on your left. HENRY: (A servant opens a door) Thanks. SERVANT: Good morning, sir. Would you please come in? Permit me to leader the way, sir. OLIVER: (Henry enters) Thank you, James. That will be all. RODERICK: How do you do, Mr...er...? HENRY: Adams. Henry Adams. OLIVER: Come and sit down, Mr Adams. HENRY: Thank you. RODERICK: You're an American? HENRY: That's right, from San Francisco. RODERICK: How well do you know London? HENRY: Not at all. it's my first trip here.. RODERICK: I wonder, Mr Adams, if you'd mind us asking a few question. HENRY: Not at all. Go right ahead. RODERICK: May we ask what you're doing in this country and what your plans are? HENRY: Well, I can't say that I have any plans. I'm hoping to find work. As a matter of fact, I landed in Britain by accident. OLIVER: How is possible? HENRY: Well, you see, back home I had my own boat. About a month ago, I was sailing out of the bay ... (his eyes stare at what is left of the brothers' dinner on the table) OLIVER: Well, go on. HENRY: Oh, yes. Well, towards nightfall(夜幕降临) I found myself carried out to sea by a strong wind. It was all my fault. I didn't know whether I could survive until morning. The next morning I'd just about given myself up for lost when I was spotted by a ship. OLIVER: And it was the ship that brought you to English. HENRY: Yes. The fact is that I earned my passage(旅程) by working as an unpaid hand(义工), which accounts for my appearance. I went to the American embassy to seek help, but ... (The brothers smile at each other.) RODERICK: Well, you mustn't worry about that. It's an advantage. HENRY: I'm afraid I don't quite follow you, sir. RODERICK: Tell us, Mr Adams, what sort of work did you do in America? HENRY: I worked for a mining company. Could you offer me some kind of work here? RODERICK: Patience, Mr Adams. If you don't mind, may I ask you how much money you have? HENRY: Well, to be honest, I have none. OLIVER: (happily) What luck! Brother, what luck!(claps his hands together) HENRY: Well, it may seem lucky to you but not to me! On the contrary, in fact. If this is your idea of some kind of joke, I don't think it's very funny. (Henry stands up to leave) Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll be on my way. RODERICK: Please don't go, Mr Adams. You mustn't think we don't care about you. Oliver, give him the letter. OLIVER: Yes, the letter.(gets it from a desk and gives it to Henry like a gift) The letter. HENRY: (taking it carefully ) For me? RODERICK: For you. (Henry starts to open it) Oh, no, you mustn't open it. Not yet. You can't open it until two o'clock. HENRY: Oh, this is silly. RODERICK: Not silly. There's money in it. (calls to the servant) James? HENRY: Oh, no. I don't want your charity. I just want an honest job. RODERICK: We know you're hard-working. That's why we've given you the letter. James, show Mr Adams out. OLIVER: Good luck, Mr Adams. HENRY: Well, why don't you explain what this is all about? RODERICK: You'll soon know. (looks at the clock) In exactly an hour and a half. SERVANT: This way, sir. RODERICK: My Adams, not until 2 o'clock, Promise. HENRY: Promise. Goodbye.

unit 4 Astronomy: the science of the stars

HOW LIFE BEGIN ON THE EARTH No one knows exactly how the earth began, as it happened so long ago. However, according to a widely accepted theory, the universe began with a "Big Bang" that threw matter in all directions. After that, atoms began to form and combine to create stars and other bodies. For several billion years after the "Big Bang", the earth was still just a cloud of dust. What is was to become was uncertain until between 4.5 and 3.8 billion years ago when the dust settled in a solid globe. The earth became so violent that it was not clear whether the shape would last or not. It exploded loudly with fire and rock. They were in time to produce carbon, nitrogen(氮), water vapour and other gases, which were to make the earth's atmosphere. What is even more important is that as the earth cooled down, water began to appear on its surface. Water had also appeared on other planets like Mars but, unlike the earth, it had disappeared later. It was not immediately obvious that water was to be fundamental to the development of life. What many scientists believe is that the continued presence of water allowed the earth to dissolve harmful gases and acids into the oceans and seas. This produced a chain reaction, which made it possible for life to develop. Many millions of years later, the first extremely small plants began to appear on the surface of the water. They multiplied and filled the oceans and seas with oxygen, which encouraged the later development of early shellfish and all sorts of fish. Next, green plants began to grow on land. They were followed in time by land animals. Some were insects. Others, called amphibians(两栖动物), were able to live on land as well as in the water. Later when the plants grew into forests, reptiles(爬行动物) appeared for the first time. They produced young generally by laying eggs. After that, some huge animals, called dinosaurs, developed. They laid eggs too and existed on the earth for more than 140 million years. However, 65 million years ago the age of the dinosaurs ended. Why they suddenly disappeared still remains a mistery. This disapearence made possible the rise of mammals(哺乳动物) on the earth. These animals were different from all life forms in the past, because they gave birth to young baby animals and produced milk to feed them. Finally about 2.6 million years ago some small clever animals, now with hands and feet, appeared and spread all over the world. Thus they have, in their turn, become the most important animals on the planet. But they are not lookong after the earth very well. They are putting too much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which prevents heat from escaping from the earth into space. As a result of this, many scientists believe the earth may become too hot to live on. So whether life will continue on the earth for millions of years to come will depend on whether this problem can be solved.

unit 5 Canada — "The True North"

A TRIP ON "THE TRUE NORTH" Li Daiyu and her cousin(表妹) Liu Qian were on a trip to Canada to visit their cousins(表兄妹) in Montreal on the Atlantic coast. Rather than take the aeroplane all the way, they decided to fly to Vancouver and then take the train from west to east across Canada. The thought that they could cross the whold continenet was exciting. Their friend, Danny Lin, was waiting at the airport. He was going to take them and theit baggage to catch "The True North", the cross-Canada train. On the way to the station, he chatted about their trip. "You're going to see some great scenery. Going eastward, you'll pass mountains and thousands of lakes and forests, as well as wide rivers and large cities. Some people have the idea that you can cross Canada in less than five days, but they forget the fact that Canada is 5,500 kilometres from coast to coast. Here in Vancouver, you're in Canada's warmest part. People say it is Canada's most beautiful city, surounded by mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Skiing in the Rocky Mountains and sailing in the harbour make Vancouver one of Canada's most popular cities to live in. Its population is increasing rapidly. The coast north of Vancouver has some of the oldest and most beautiful forests in the world. It is so wet there that trees are extremely tall, some measuring over 90 metres." That after aboard the train, the cousins settled down in their seats. Earlier that day, when they crossed the Rocky Mountains, they managed to catch sight of some mountain goats and even a grizzly bear(灰熊) and an eagle. Their next stop was Calgary, which is famous for the Calgary Stampede(赛马会). Cowboys from all over the world come to compete in the Stampede. Many of them have a gift for riding wild horses and can win thousands of dollars in prizes. After two days travel, the girls began to realize that Canada is quite empty. At school, they had learned that most Canadians live within a few hundred kilometers of the USA border, and that Canada's population is only slightly over thirty million, but now they were amazed to see such an empty country. They went through a wheat-growing province and saw farms that covered thousands of acres. After dinner, they were back in an urban area, the busy port city of Thunder Bay at the top of the Great Lakes. The girls were suprised at the fact that ocean ships can sail up the Great Lakes. Because of the Great Lakes, they learned, Canada has more fresh water than any other country in the world. In fact, it has one-third of the world's total fresh water, and much of it is in the Great Lakes. That night as they slept, the train rushed across the top of Lake Superior, through the great forests and southward towards Toronto.

"THE TRUE NOTRH" FROM TORONTO TO MONTREAL The next morning the bushes and maple trees outside their windows were red, gold and orange, and there was frost on the ground, confirming that fall had arrived in Canada. Around noon they arrived in Toronto, the biggest and most wealthy city in Canada. They were not leaving for Montreal until later, so they went on a tour of the city. They went up the tall CN Tower and looked across the lake. In the distance, they could see the misty cloud that rose from the great Niagara Falls, which is on the south side of the lake. The water flows into the Niagara River and over the falls on its way to the sea. They saw the covered stadium, home of several famous basketball teams. As they walked north from the harbour area, Li Daiyu said, "Lin Fei, one of my mother's old schoolmates, lives here. I should phone her from a telephone booth." They met Lin Fei around dusk in downtown Chinatown, one of the three in Toronto. Over dinner at a restaurant called The Pink Pearl(珍珠), the cousins chatted with Lin Fei, who had moved to Canada many years earlier. "We can get good Cantonese food here," Lin Fei told them, "because most of the Chinese people here come from South China, especailly Hong Kong. It's too bad you can't go as far as Ottawa, Canada's capital. It's approximately four hundred kilometers notheast of Toronto, so it would take too long." The train left late that night and arrived in Montreal at dawn the morning. At the station, people everywhere were speaking French. There were signs and ads in French, but some of them had English words in smaller letters. "We don't leave until this evening," said Liu Qian. "Lets'go downtown. Old Montreal is close to the water." They spent the afternoon in lovely shops and visiting aritists in their workplaces beside the water. As they sat in a buffet restaurant looking over the broad St Lawrence River, a young man sat down with them. "Hello, my name is Henri. I'm a student at the university nearby," he said, "and I was wondering where you are from." The girls told him they were on a train trip across Canada and that they had only one day in Montreal. "That's too bad," he said, "Montreal is a city with wonderful restaurants and clubs. Most of us speak both English and French, but the city had French culture and traditions. We love good coffee, good bread and good music." That night as the train was speeding along the St Lawrence River toward the Gulf(海湾) of St Lawrence and down to the distant east coast, the cousins dreamed of French restaurants and red maple leaves. https://wenku.baidu.com/view/6ab7177bf242336c1eb95ea2.html