资源简介

(共21张PPT)
Unit 6 Crossing Cultures
Reading Plus
Learning Objectives
In this lesson you will:
1. learn about three typical Chinese cultural symbols and their
meanings.
2. compare the different meanings of the same symbol in Chinese and
Western cultures.
Free Talk
What comes to your mind when Chinese culture is mentioned
famous landmarks
traditional opera
paper cutting
traditional food
festivals
These things that carry special meanings within a particular culture are called cultural symbols.
Can you list more symbols of Chinese culture And what do they symbolize
Chinese Knots:
Symbolize unity, good luck, and happiness.
Chinese Tea:
Represents elegance, hospitality, and a peaceful lifestyle.
Chinese Kung Fu:
Represents strength, discipline, and Chinese martial arts philosophy.
Chinese Dragons:
Symbolize power, good fortune, and nobility.
Giant Panda:
Symbolizes peace and friendship.
Bamboo:
Symbolizes strength, flexibility, and integrity.
Chinese culture is one of the oldest in the world, and it is rich in traditions and beliefs. Many of the things you see, hear, or even taste in China may be symbols with special meanings!
Symbols of Chinese Culture
Dragons
In many Western stories, dragons are frightening monsters. However, people in China are not frightened of them! Instead, they think dragons are a symbol of power and good fortune. Chinese dragons are so popular in China that you can see them in many places, such as vases, buildings, money, clothes, paintings, and
jewellery! The word for “dragon" even appears in names and idioms. For example, “to hope that one's children become dragons" means that parents hope their children will do well in life. In China, people think dragons are so powerful that they call themselves the descendants of the dragon!
The colour red
In China, red is a powerful colour with special meaning. Many
people think it brings good luck and wealth, so you will see red decorations such as paper-cuts, couplets, and lanterns during festivals like the Chinese New Year. People think red is so lucky
that they wear it during celebrations. At traditional Chinese weddings, both the bride and groom wear red. Red also has positive meanings in other cultures. For example, a red carpet shows importance, and red roses symbolize love. However, in Western culture, red could sometimes mean loss. If a company has “red ink" or is "in the red", it means that they are losing more money than they are earning.
Lucky numbers
Certain numbers are lucky in China because they sound like other Chinese words with positive meanings. “Six", for example, sounds like “flow". It symbolizes things going well. The number “two" is also lucky, because the Chinese believe that good things come in pairs. "Eight”sounds like a word which means “to make a fortune",
and it symbolizes wealth. Lastly, “nine" has the same pronunciation
as the character “久”, which means “long lasting”. So“nine” has come to symbolize a long life. On the other hand, “four" sounds like “death". Some people find this number so unlucky that they avoid using it in their phone numbers. But China is not the only place with special numbers. In America, for example, “seven” is a lucky number
while “thirteen” is an unlucky number.
Read the text and complete the table.
good fortune
power
places
names
idioms
monsters
wealth
good luck
festivals
celebrations
importance
love
loss
going well
pairs
wealth
a long life
death
7
13
Further Thinking
Why do you think different cultures have different meanings for the same symbol (like dragons or red)
History & Stories: Different past events and old stories shape our
ideas.
Religion & Beliefs: Different spiritual beliefs give symbols different
meanings.
Environment & Life: People's surroundings and jobs can change a
symbol's meaning.
Language: Words that sound alike can create new meanings.
2 Imagine that you are a tour guide in China. What additional
information can you give tourists on Chinese cultural symbols
The colour red
Look around! You see red everywhere. In China, red is not just a color; it means good luck and happiness. For example, during Chinese New Year, parents give children money in red envelopes. We call this 'hongbao'. It's a wish for their good luck and safety in the new year. So, when you see red, think of joy and good fortune!
Lucky numbers
Numbers in China are very interesting! Let's talk about the number 8. Its sound in Chinese is like the word for 'wealth'. So, people love it! The Beijing Olympics started on August 8th, 2008 (8/8/08) at 8 PM! It was a very lucky moment. If you see a phone number or a license plate with many 8s, that person probably paid a lot of money for it.
Dragons
You might think dragons are scary, but not in China! Here, the dragon is a symbol of power and good luck, especially for men. In the past, only the emperor could use the dragon symbol. His chair and clothes had dragons on them. That's why we call ourselves 'descendants of the dragon'. It means we are strong and proud!
Language Points
1. However, people in China are not frightened of them!
frightened 描述人 / 动物 “感到害怕的”
常用搭配：be frightened of sth（害怕某物）
be frightened by sth（被某物吓到）
e.g. He was frightened by the thunder.（他被雷声吓到了。)
frightening 描述 事物 / 场景 “令人害怕的”
e.g. That dark room is frightening.（那个黑暗的房间很吓人。）
2. Instead, they think dragons are a symbol of power and good fortune.
fortune在此处为名词，意为“运气；机遇”
good fortune（好运） by fortune（偶然地）
e.g. She had the good fortune to win the scholarship.（她有幸获得了奖学金。）
fortune还可以指“财富；巨款” make a fortune（发财）
e.g. His father made a fortune in the tech industry.（他父亲在科技行业发了财。）
3. In China, people think dragons are so powerful that they call themselves the descendants of the dragon!
descendant 是可数名词，核心含义为 “后代；后裔；子孙”
descendants of sb/sth（某人 / 某物的后代）
direct descendant（直系后代）
e.g. He is a direct descendant of the ancient king.
（他是那位古代国王的直系后代。）
4. At traditional Chinese weddings, both the bride and groom wear red.
bride 指 “新娘”，groom 指 “新郎”，二者常搭配使用（bride and groom）
e.g. The bride and groom danced together after the ceremony.
（仪式结束后，新娘和新郎一起跳舞。）
Everyone wished the bride and groom a happy life.
（所有人都祝愿新娘和新郎生活幸福。）

展开更多......

收起↑