Section_ⅠWarming Up & Reading - Pre­reading

　　FESTIVALS AND CELEBRATIONS

　　Festivals and celebrations of all kinds① 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 hunters② had caught animals.At that time people would starve③ if food was difficult to find④， especially during the cold winter months.Today's festivals have many origins⑤， some religious⑥， some seasonal⑦， and some for special people or events.

　　Festivals of the Dead

　　Some festivals are held to honour⑧ the dead or to satisfy⑨ the ancestors⑩， who might return either to help or to do harm⑪.For the Japanese festival Obon⑫， people should go to clean graves⑬ and light incense⑭ in memory of⑮ their ancestors. They also light lamps and play music because they think that this will lead the ancestors back to earth.In Mexico⑯， people celebrate the Day of the Dead in early November.On this important feast⑰ day, people eat food in the shape of skulls⑱ and cakes with "bones"⑲ on them.They offer food, flowers and gifts to the dead.The Western holiday Halloween⑳ also had its origin in old beliefs\s\up1(21(21) about the return of the spirits of dead people.It is now a children's festival, when they can dress up\s\up1(22(22) 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\s\up1(23(23) them.

　　①of all kinds"各种各样的"，作后置定语，相当于all kinds of(作前置定语)。

　　②hunter/'hʌntə/n.狩猎者；猎人

　　③starve/stɑːv/vi.& vt.(使)饿死；饿得要死

　　starve to death 饿死

　　④if food was difficult to find是if引导的条件状语从句。

　　⑤origin/'ɒrIdʒIn/n.起源；由来；起因

　　original adj.原始的；最初的

⑥religious/rI'lIdʒəs/adj.宗教上的；信奉宗教的；虔诚的