You are required to prepare a short talk on a particular topic for oral English test. The topic you are given  is “ Changes in

My Life” ( the difference between the past and the present ) and you decide to talk about your childhood holidays and your

holidays today.

Suggested expressions:

1.       We didn’t have TV (fridge, washing machine, telephone, natural gas, air conditioner)a t that time.

2.       Festivals were exciting (colorful, joyful, wonderful, magical) for children particularly.

3.       Festivals brought me happiness (new clothes, shoes, delicious food, holidays gifts, good rest).

4.       But now we are longer excited over (interested in, attracted by ) new clothes and shoes.

5.       I really miss my childhood festivals ( my mother-cooked food, my childhood friends, my childhood happiness, my lost time).

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　  （２）

　　In my hometown, Spring festival is still a big event. People start preparing for the festival a month before. They prepare delicious food, clean and decorate their houses. On the eve of the festival, the whole family get together for a big dinner. People stay up to eat dumpling at midnight for good luck and health. On Spring festival, there is no sweeping because people think it will sweep away good luck. We have many other local customs. If you are interested in them, come to my hometown!

在我的家鄉，春節仍是件大事。人們提前一個月就開始為春節做準備了，做美味的食品，打掃和裝飾房間。在除夕夜，全家人要團聚一起吃一頓團圓飯。人們守歲到午夜，吃餃子，據說這能夠帶來好運與健康。在春節這一天，人們不掃地，擔心會把好運氣掃走。在我的家鄉還有很多地方性的風俗，如果您對這些風俗感興趣，您　就來我的家鄉看看吧！

Exercise   

You are talking with a foreign friend. He/She is interested in Spring Festival. You are going to tell him/ her the local customs

for Spring festival in your hometown ( Beijing, Shanghai, Dalian and so on ).

Suggested expressions 

1.       Spring festival is still a big (the most important, exciting, colorful ) event.

2.       People eat dumpling for good luck (fish for wealth, sweet rice dumpling for happiness ).

3.       We have many local customs in Beijing ( Shanghai, Dalian, Tianjin ).