A Festival Invitation
听力文本
Tony: Hi, Hugo. Are you free next Thursday evening?
Hugo: Yes, Tony. Why?
Tony: Would you like to come over to my apartment? We're celebrating Thanksgiving.
Hugo: I'd love to. It'll be the fourth Thursday in November, right?
Tony: That's right. It's the time to give thanks to our family and friends. We'll get together to celebrate with a traditional dinner.
Hugo: What's a traditional dinner like?
Tony: There'll be a big turkey with all the side dishes - potatoes, vegetables, some fruit - and homemade apple pie. My dad is known for his special apple pie-he learned how to make it from my grandma.
Hugo: Wow! Sounds great! What else will we do? Will we go out and watch the parade?
Tony: My home is a bit far from the city center, so unfortunately we won't be able to do that. But there's a football game in the evening. We can watch it on TV after dinner.
Hugo: American football? It sounds great!
Tony: All right! Come to my apartment at half past five.
Hugo: OK. Should I bring anything with me?
Tony: No, there'll be plenty of food and drink. But if you'd like to bring some flowers or candies, my mom would be pleased.
Hugo: Do I need to wear a jacket and tie?
Tony: No, you don't have to.It is just a gathering for family and friends.You can wear anything you like. But it might be a bit cold at night when you go home, so remember to bring something warm to wear. Oh, by the way, you can bring a friend with you if you like. The more, the merrier!
Hugo: Awesome! See you then!
Communication bank
Work in pairs. Act out the conversation about extending and accepting an invitation.
Student A
You are inviting a teacher from overseas to celebrate a traditional festival. You need to give him/her the following information:
It's called the Double Ninth Festival.
It's on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month.
It's a traditional Chinese festival celebrating good health and a long life.
It's a good opportunity to visit elderly relatives.
People celebrate the festival by climbing mountains, appreciating chrysanthemum flowers and drinking chrysanthemum wine.
Remember to wear comfortable walking shoes.
He/She doesn't need to bring anything.
Useful expressions
Are you free ...?
Would you like to ...?
It's celebrated for ... on ...
You can wear ...
You can ... if you like.
Student B
You are a teacher from overseas working in China. One of your Chinese students invites you to celebrate a traditional festival. Accept the invitation, but ask for the following information:
what the festival is called
when the festival takes place
what it celebrates
what the customs are
what you need to bring
Useful expressions
Yes, I'd love to ...
When does ...?
What's the origin of ...?
Do I need to ...?
Should I bring ... with me?