Page 4 - Book III Unit 1

Festivals are becoming more and more
commercial, with businesses taking
advantage of the celebrations. Online
shopping websites and social media
apps have made it much easier for the
public to spend more on gifts for their
loved ones. Although some believe

festivals should not be commercialised,
others believe the increase in spending
is good for the economy and public happiness.

Festivals are an important part of society. They reflect people’s wishes, beliefs, faiths,
and attitudes towards life. They are occasions that allow us to relax and enjoy life, and
forget about our work for a little while. They help us understand where we came from,
who we are, and what to appreciate. And if you study festivals carefully, you may be
surprised to find that different cultures actually have a lot in common after all.

Identify the main idea of a
paragraph

Identifying the main ideas of paragraphs
is necessary when analysing a text.
3 Read the text again and underline the Most paragraphs will have a “topic
topic sentence of each paragraph that sentence” that tells you the paragraph’s
main idea. It is often the first sentence,
gives the main idea. but sometimes it is found elsewhere in
the paragraph.

4 In pairs, discuss the following questions.

1 What do most festivals seem to have in common? Why do you think people around the
world find these things important?
2 How do you feel about festival customs that have already faded away?
3 What is the writer’s attitude towards the commercialisation of festivals?

5 Complete the following passage using suitable words from the text. Be sure
to use the correct forms.

Today’s festivals have a wide of origins, including the seasons of the year, famous
, important events, and religions. The festival is one of the most popular
festivals and is celebrated in many cultures. Customs play a role in festivals, but
they can change over time. For example, some Chinese cities no longer allow firecrackers

during the Spring Festival, as they can increase air pollution. These days, festivals are becoming
more , with people spending more money on gifts. Festivals people’s
wishes, beliefs, faiths, and attitudes towards life. They are to spend time with family,
and to relax and enjoy life.

UNIT 1 FESTIVALS AND CELEBRATIONS 5