解讀雅思口語話題之 “A Cultural Event in China”

　　研究中心分析認為，在雅思口語考試中，關(guān)于文化、傳統(tǒng)的話題一直以來都是考官常問的題目，而面對這樣的問題，考生往往都懷有既愛又恨的感情。愛是因為，中國的傳統(tǒng)文化本來就博大精深，理所當然有很多可以在外國考官面前炫耀一番的精彩內(nèi)容;但是，又痛恨自己在知識經(jīng)驗上的匱乏，所以能夠說道關(guān)于文化的也就是現(xiàn)在考生嘴邊常掛的那些，如：Chinese New Year, Dragon-boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Day, Tomb-sweeping Festival等等。

　　不僅如此，對于回答的具體內(nèi)容更是干澀乏味，比如描述Chinese New Year時，常聽到考生眾多且雷同的回答：We usually have a good time during the festival. The whole family members have a delicious dinner, and friends and relatives come together to have fun. Parents usually give money to children, so they can buy many things they want. 又或者是：On that day, we usually eat moon cakes and watch the round moon in the sky. It is very beautiful, and the story behind it is more beautiful. 我想任何一個來中國呆過兩年的老外都應(yīng)該早已熟悉了這樣的模式，對文化背后的故事可能比我們自己的學(xué)生還要清楚;而且，在這樣的內(nèi)容中，其實根本沒有體現(xiàn)出中國的春節(jié)文化到底是如何表現(xiàn)的。那可想而知，最后的結(jié)果輕則無新穎內(nèi)容，重則沒有回答題目的核心內(nèi)容。

　　如果調(diào)整一下回答關(guān)于Chinese New Year的內(nèi)容，也許會讓考官有耳目一新的感覺。

　　The Chinese are very superstitious and that means they take symbolism seriously. Locals come to market to buy good luck charms. Customers at snack are scooping up all sorts of New Years treats. 這段話總述了中國人過年的表現(xiàn)，在后面的內(nèi)容中將具體講述如何過年和特殊的習(xí)俗。

　　Its a tradition for all of us Chinese to get these sesame balls during Chinese New Year. We use them to worship our ancestors and we say if we have more sesame balls at home then more gold and silver will come into our house. Its really to bring us more wealth in the New Year. Roasted melon seeds symbolize coins, so this means scooping up lots of money. Rice cakes in the shape of fish are big sellers too. In Cantonese the word for fish sounds the same as the word for savings. 這段話從傳統(tǒng)的飲食細節(jié)上進行描述，這一點是很多同學(xué)所忽視的。朗閣海外考試研究中心分析發(fā)現(xiàn)，大部分同學(xué)僅僅告訴考官我們有delicious food，但忽視了和文化有關(guān)的飲食習(xí)慣;換句話說delicious food可以放在任何一個場合，而非是針對該題目的描述。

　　Another item that locals want to buy for the New Year for good luck is red underwear. Red symbolizes wealth and prosperity and the Chinese want new clothes for the New Year from head to toe and underneath. My aunt buys three lingerie sets every New Year, believing red will bring her good luck. Lunar New Year is the most profitable time of year for this lingerie store.

　　The banks are also very busy with customers ordering brand-new bills to give away as New Years gifts to younger relatives or junior colleagues. Its considered good luck for the giver and recipient. 除了飲食習(xí)俗外，春節(jié)中還有很多其他的風俗，所以這個部分的內(nèi)容最好要比飲食多一些，來突出更多新穎的內(nèi)容，如傳統(tǒng)的紅色和壓歲錢。這樣做的目的也是為了增加回答內(nèi)容的豐富性和多樣性。

　　除了描述春節(jié)之外，其實還有很多其他的cultural event值得一說，相對大眾的文化傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日如中國傳統(tǒng)的鬼節(jié)the Ghost Festival，重陽節(jié)the Double Ninth Festival;具有地方特色的文化活動可以選擇成都的麻將節(jié)the Mahjong Festival，重慶的火鍋節(jié)the Hotpot Festival in Chongqing等。這里我們選擇中國傳統(tǒng)的鬼節(jié)作為例子，相信考官一定沒有在考場中聽過考生描述這類的主題。

　　The seventh lunar month in the traditional Chinese calendar is called Ghost Month. On the first day of the month, the Gates of Hell are open to allow ghosts and spirits access to the world of the living. The spirits spend the month visiting their families, feasting and looking for victims. 總體介紹該文化活動的情況，初步解釋。

　　There are three important days during Ghost Month. On the first day of the month, ancestors are honored with offerings of food, incense, and ghost money - paper money which is burned so the spirits can use it. These offerings are done at makeshift altars set up on sidewalks outside the house. 進一步詳細解釋該文化的表現(xiàn)。

　　Almost as important as honoring ancestors, offerings to ghosts without families must be made, so that they will not cause you any harm. Ghost month is the most dangerous time of the year, and malevolent spirits are on the look out to capture souls. This makes ghost month a bad time to do activities such as evening walk, traveling, moving house, or starting a new business. Many people avoid swimming during ghost month, since there are many spirits in the water which can try to drown you. 用適當?shù)睦觼碚f明該文化的特征。

　　The last day of the month is when the Gates of Hell are closed up again. The chants of Taoist priests inform the spirits that its time to return, and as they are confined once again to the underworld.

　　針對這樣的話題，若希望增加其自然度和真實感，可以在回答正題之前先給考官打一個預(yù)防針：The cultural event Im going to talk about may sound a little bit superstitious and scary, but it is one of our traditional and cultural events in most areas.

　　對于Cultural event的話題，回答思路大多情況下都是介紹文化活動或事件的主題+具體文化習(xí)俗和傳統(tǒng)活動的表現(xiàn);所以，建議希望得高分的考生可以更換老主題的具體內(nèi)容，也可以更換一個新的主題，否則考官將會始終以茫然的表情面對你。

　　研究中心分析認為，在雅思口語考試中，關(guān)于文化、傳統(tǒng)的話題一直以來都是考官常問的題目，而面對這樣的問題，考生往往都懷有既愛又恨的感情。愛是因為，中國的傳統(tǒng)文化本來就博大精深，理所當然有很多可以在外國考官面前炫耀一番的精彩內(nèi)容;但是，又痛恨自己在知識經(jīng)驗上的匱乏，所以能夠說道關(guān)于文化的也就是現(xiàn)在考生嘴邊常掛的那些，如：Chinese New Year, Dragon-boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Day, Tomb-sweeping Festival等等。

　　不僅如此，對于回答的具體內(nèi)容更是干澀乏味，比如描述Chinese New Year時，常聽到考生眾多且雷同的回答：We usually have a good time during the festival. The whole family members have a delicious dinner, and friends and relatives come together to have fun. Parents usually give money to children, so they can buy many things they want. 又或者是：On that day, we usually eat moon cakes and watch the round moon in the sky. It is very beautiful, and the story behind it is more beautiful. 我想任何一個來中國呆過兩年的老外都應(yīng)該早已熟悉了這樣的模式，對文化背后的故事可能比我們自己的學(xué)生還要清楚;而且，在這樣的內(nèi)容中，其實根本沒有體現(xiàn)出中國的春節(jié)文化到底是如何表現(xiàn)的。那可想而知，最后的結(jié)果輕則無新穎內(nèi)容，重則沒有回答題目的核心內(nèi)容。

　　如果調(diào)整一下回答關(guān)于Chinese New Year的內(nèi)容，也許會讓考官有耳目一新的感覺。

　　The Chinese are very superstitious and that means they take symbolism seriously. Locals come to market to buy good luck charms. Customers at snack are scooping up all sorts of New Years treats. 這段話總述了中國人過年的表現(xiàn)，在后面的內(nèi)容中將具體講述如何過年和特殊的習(xí)俗。

　　Its a tradition for all of us Chinese to get these sesame balls during Chinese New Year. We use them to worship our ancestors and we say if we have more sesame balls at home then more gold and silver will come into our house. Its really to bring us more wealth in the New Year. Roasted melon seeds symbolize coins, so this means scooping up lots of money. Rice cakes in the shape of fish are big sellers too. In Cantonese the word for fish sounds the same as the word for savings. 這段話從傳統(tǒng)的飲食細節(jié)上進行描述，這一點是很多同學(xué)所忽視的。朗閣海外考試研究中心分析發(fā)現(xiàn)，大部分同學(xué)僅僅告訴考官我們有delicious food，但忽視了和文化有關(guān)的飲食習(xí)慣;換句話說delicious food可以放在任何一個場合，而非是針對該題目的描述。

　　Another item that locals want to buy for the New Year for good luck is red underwear. Red symbolizes wealth and prosperity and the Chinese want new clothes for the New Year from head to toe and underneath. My aunt buys three lingerie sets every New Year, believing red will bring her good luck. Lunar New Year is the most profitable time of year for this lingerie store.

　　The banks are also very busy with customers ordering brand-new bills to give away as New Years gifts to younger relatives or junior colleagues. Its considered good luck for the giver and recipient. 除了飲食習(xí)俗外，春節(jié)中還有很多其他的風俗，所以這個部分的內(nèi)容最好要比飲食多一些，來突出更多新穎的內(nèi)容，如傳統(tǒng)的紅色和壓歲錢。這樣做的目的也是為了增加回答內(nèi)容的豐富性和多樣性。

　　除了描述春節(jié)之外，其實還有很多其他的cultural event值得一說，相對大眾的文化傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日如中國傳統(tǒng)的鬼節(jié)the Ghost Festival，重陽節(jié)the Double Ninth Festival;具有地方特色的文化活動可以選擇成都的麻將節(jié)the Mahjong Festival，重慶的火鍋節(jié)the Hotpot Festival in Chongqing等。這里我們選擇中國傳統(tǒng)的鬼節(jié)作為例子，相信考官一定沒有在考場中聽過考生描述這類的主題。

　　The seventh lunar month in the traditional Chinese calendar is called Ghost Month. On the first day of the month, the Gates of Hell are open to allow ghosts and spirits access to the world of the living. The spirits spend the month visiting their families, feasting and looking for victims. 總體介紹該文化活動的情況，初步解釋。

　　There are three important days during Ghost Month. On the first day of the month, ancestors are honored with offerings of food, incense, and ghost money - paper money which is burned so the spirits can use it. These offerings are done at makeshift altars set up on sidewalks outside the house. 進一步詳細解釋該文化的表現(xiàn)。

　　Almost as important as honoring ancestors, offerings to ghosts without families must be made, so that they will not cause you any harm. Ghost month is the most dangerous time of the year, and malevolent spirits are on the look out to capture souls. This makes ghost month a bad time to do activities such as evening walk, traveling, moving house, or starting a new business. Many people avoid swimming during ghost month, since there are many spirits in the water which can try to drown you. 用適當?shù)睦觼碚f明該文化的特征。

　　The last day of the month is when the Gates of Hell are closed up again. The chants of Taoist priests inform the spirits that its time to return, and as they are confined once again to the underworld.

　　針對這樣的話題，若希望增加其自然度和真實感，可以在回答正題之前先給考官打一個預(yù)防針：The cultural event Im going to talk about may sound a little bit superstitious and scary, but it is one of our traditional and cultural events in most areas.

　　對于Cultural event的話題，回答思路大多情況下都是介紹文化活動或事件的主題+具體文化習(xí)俗和傳統(tǒng)活動的表現(xiàn);所以，建議希望得高分的考生可以更換老主題的具體內(nèi)容，也可以更換一個新的主題，否則考官將會始終以茫然的表情面對你。