中国传统节日

激活·素养解读

实践·读写整合

Xiazhi： The longest day

夏至：最长的一天

广东 张燕

In many countries of the world， there is a day that is celebrated， without prior agree?ment， considered special by people who observe the movement of the sun. Chinese peopleattach equal importance to this day， namely the Summer Solstice， or Xiazhi in Chinese，which falls on Wednesday this year， is the tenth of the traditional Twenty?four Solar Terms.

In the Northern Hemisphere（北半球）， the Summer Solstice occurs when the sun isdirectly over the Tropic of Cancer（北回归线）. It is the longest day of the year in terms ofdaylight. After the solstice， the subsolar point begins its migration south， and daytime grad?ually shrinks.

In Dengfeng city， central Chinas Henan Province， one ancient structure tells the storyof the observation of the sun by ancient Chinese. According to historical documents， Ji Dan， the Duke of Zhou， a famous politician of the Western Zhou Dynasty， established a sun?dial platform（日晷台）in Dengfeng， which at the time was considered to be the center ofthe earth， to observe the movement of the sun.

The platform is a guibiao， an ancient Chinese sundial with a gui， a horizontal scale onthe ground extending to the north， and a biao， a perpendicular（垂直的）bar standing up?right. As the sun moves， the shadow of the biao is cast on the gui， and the length of theshadow at different times helps to trace variations of the suns movement.

“It is said that the ancient Chinese found a day when the shortest shadow cast wasabout 50 centimeters， and that was the start of the hottest period of summer. That is how theSummer Solstice was discovered，”says Lyu， who is also director of the office of Dengfengchronicles.

Due to such history， people in Dengfeng highlight the Summer Solstice and celebrateits arrival with a festival featuring various activities， including paying tribute to Ji， watchingthe shadow cast by the sun on the guibiao， and art performances. Since the Summer Sol?stice is often a time when people harvest wheat， its a tradition to eat noodles. The SummerSolstice Festival in Dengfeng also includes an activity whereby nearly a thousand peopleeat noodles together.

Activity A Reading for understanding

Ⅰ. Text?centered chunks

attach equal importance to 同等重視

in terms of 依据；在……方面

be considered to be 被认为是

extend to 延伸至；扩至

be cast on 被投射在……

pay tribute to 称赞；歌颂

Ⅱ. Text?centered sentences

1. that引导定语从句

In many countries of the world， there is a day that is celebrated， without prior agree?ment， considered special by people who observe the movement of the sun. 在世界上的许多国家，人们在没有事先商定的情况下庆祝一下节日，观察太阳运动的人视这个节日为特殊的日子。

【点石成金】本句中，that is celebrated为定语从句，其中关系代词that在从句中作主语，指代先行词a day。

【运用迁移】曾经只生长在中国的许多花卉如今能在世界各处看到。

____________________________

2. when引导定语从句

Since the Summer Solstice is often a time when people harvest wheat， its a tradition toeat noodles. 因为夏至通常是人们收获小麦的时候，所以吃面条是一种传统。

【点石成金】本句中，when people harvest wheat意为“当人们收获小麦的时候”，是由when引导的定语从句，其中when在定语从句中作状语。

【运用迁移】作为家里最小的孩子，亚历克斯总是渴望他能够独立的时候。

_______________________

3. it用作形式主语

It is said that the ancient Chinese found a day when the shortest shadow cast wasabout 50 centimeters， and that was the start of the hottest period of summer. 据说，古代中国人发现有一天的影子最短约为50厘米，而那就是夏天最热时期的开始。

【点石成金】本句中，It is said that是形式主语结构，其中It为形式主语，真正的主语是第一个that 引导的从句。It放在句首可以避免头重脚轻，保持句子平衡。

【运用迁移】那时大家都相信中国将会步入世界强国之列。

__________________________

Activity B Reading for writing

假定你是李华，你的网友Jack来信询问有关中国二十四节气的内容，请根据以下提示，给他回一封电子邮件。

1. 你喜欢的一个节气；

2. 节气的具体介绍。

注意：

1.词数80左右；

2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；

3. 至少需要使用定语从句或it作形式主语的结构；

4. 注意段落内的逻辑关系。

Dear Jack，

I'm glad that you are interested in the traditional Chinese Twenty?four Solar Terms.__________________

Yours，

Li Hua

写作导引

本次的写作任务是写一封关于中国传统节气的介绍信，要求学生向外国朋友介绍二十四节气中自己喜欢的一个节气，让朋友了解该节气的时间、起源、活动以及意义等，并且需要使用定语从句或者it作形式主语的结构。这些写作要求和所给语篇的主题语境是紧密相关的。我们可以通过整合同主题阅读材料的内容和语言，梳理写作思路和积累素材。

一、语篇解码

（一）主题归纳

What is the text mainly about？_______________________

（二）结构梳理与内容分析

Fill in the blanks according to the text.

二、素材积累

本文是基于同一主题的阅读和写作，我们可以通过学习、模仿并运用阅读中的语言表达，如词块和句型，积累写作的语言素材。

（一）介绍中国传统节气的核心表达

1. fall on （节日等）适逢（某日）

2. a three?day vacation 三天的假期

3. date back to/date from 追溯到

4. observe the customs 遵守风俗习惯

5. set off fireworks 放烟花

6. put on performances 表演节目

7. visit relatives and friends 走亲访友

8. show respect for 对……表示尊敬

（二）中国传统节气的重要活动与意义

1. It is an ancient tradition to celebrate the coming of...by setting off fireworks. 通過燃放烟花庆祝……的到来是一种古老的传统。

2. It is a day full of pleasure and laughter. 这是一个充满欢声笑语的日子。

3. On...， people have a big dinner with their family， talking and laughing. 在……，人们会和家人吃一顿丰盛的晚餐，有说有笑。

4. People celebrate...in honor of... 人們庆祝……是为了纪念……

（三）告知介绍信的核心表达

1. I am delighted to know you are interested in... Now Im writing to tell you the detailsof... 我很高兴知道你对……感兴趣。现在我写信告诉你……的细节。

2. Now Im writing to tell you how and why we Chinese people celebrate...现在我写信告诉你我们中国人如何以及为什么庆祝……。

3. I am more than glad to receive your e?mail to know about... 我非常高兴收到你来了解……的电子邮件。

4. I sincerely hope， if possible， that you can come to China to have a real experience ofit. 我真诚地希望，如果可能的话，你能来中国亲自体验一下。

5. If you have any other questions， please dont hesitate to turn to me for help. 如果你有任何其他问题，请不要犹豫，向我求助。

三、写作支架

本次的写作任务是写一封关于中国传统节气的介绍信，根据任务的要求，语篇结构可定为“告知节气+介绍节气具体内容+客套性结束语”。文章的框架如下：

Dear ，______

I am delighted to know you are interested in ________（节气名称）. Now Im writing to tell you the details of this solar term.

This solar term falls on ______（时间）. There are a variety of activities held duringthe solar term. First， it is a tradition that______ . Second， people like to______ . Last，we Chinese people ______（节气活动）in memory of ______（节气意义）. It is a day full of pleasure and laughter.

I sincerely hope， if possible， that you can come to China to have a real experience ofit.

Yours，

Li Hua

四、语篇过手

根据以上提供的主题、主题表达和语篇结构，写出书信的第一、二段。第一段告知节气，第二段介绍节气的具体内容，第三段以客套语结束正文。总词数控制在80左右。

同时，学习运用前文阅读中出现的定语从句或者it作形式主语的结构等高级句型。尤其要注意表达的内在逻辑关系，段落内部是演绎关系、对比关系还是递进关系，需要注意使用恰当的连词。