Unit 9,Text A How Do Americans Celebrate the New Year,Text B April Fools Day,Text A: How Do Americans Celebrate the New Year,The New Year is the time we reflect on the past and prepare for the future. In America, the celebration of this holiday begins the night before, when people gather to wish each other a happy and prosperous coming year. Since the 1900s, the night between December 31 and January 1 called New Years Eve has become an occasion for celebration and is now a major social holiday. On New Years Eve, many Americans will go out somewhere special for dinner and partying while others watch television as part of the celebration. In New York City, there is a world famous Waterford crystal ball, located high above Times Square. At about six oclock, after the sun has set, the ball is raised to its highest position. By this time, thousands of people have gathered for the celebration ahead. People who have never met, talk as if they have known each other all their lives. Visitors from around the world are excited to experience this New York moment. The ball is lowered at 11:59:00 PM and reaches the bottom of its tower at the stroke of midnight on December the 31st.,课文,This event is broadcast around the world as people gather together and count down at the same time as the ball drops. “Ten, nine, eight.” When the ball reaches the bottom, the New Year sign is lit and people hug and kiss, and wish each other, “Happy New Year!” More than a ton of little pieces of confetti paper rains down on the crowd. The crowd does its duty and tries to sing the old Scottish song, “Auld Lang Syne,” which is the traditional music played during the New Years celebration. The words “auld lang syne” mean “old long since” or “the good old days”. The songs message is to forget about the past and look with hope to the New Year. After the celebrations on New Years Eve, New Years Day is often a quiet day. Many people spend the first day of the New Year at home with some watching football games on television. Millions like to enjoy the Tournament of Roses parade that precedes the Rose Bowl football game in Pasadena, California.,Many Americans follow traditions that they hope will bring them good luck in the New Year. Among these traditions is the belief that what they did or ate on the first day of the year could affect their luck throughout the coming year. In some regions, rice is a lucky food to be eaten on New Years Day. Many parts of the U.S. celebrate the New Year by eating black-eyed peas, typically accompanied by ham. Black-eyed peas have been considered good luck in many cultures. The hog and thus its meat is considered lucky because it symbolizes prosperity. Cabbage is another “good luck” vegetable that is consumed on New Years Day by many. Cabbage leaves are considered a sign of prosperity or as representative of paper currency. Making resolutions is also a common New Year tradition. The most popular resolutions in the western world are to stop smoking and drinking, to lose weight, or to be more productive at work. Other people use New Years resolutions to make major changes in their lives. One such resolution might be to “stop and smell the flowers”, which means to take time and enjoy simple pleasures instead of always being too busy and in too much of a hurry. Whatever the custom, most of people feel the same sentiment. With a new year, everyone expects a new life. Lets wish each other good luck and promise ourselves to do better in the following year. (609 words),New Words celebration n. 庆祝, 庆典 gather v.聚集, 聚合 prosperous a.繁荣的 eve n.前夕, 前日 major a.主要的, 重要的 partying n.(口语) 参加社交聚会, 赴宴 locate vt.坐落于, 位于 experience vt.体验, 经历 lower vt.放低, 降低 bottom n.底部, 末端 *confetti n.五彩纸屑 crowd n.人群, 群众 *tournament n.锦标赛, 联赛 parade n.游行 affect vt.影响, 感动,生词,region n.区域 pea n.豌豆 typically ad.代表性地, 作为特色地 ham n.火腿 hog n.(公)猪 symbolize vt.象征 prosperity n.繁荣 cabbage n.卷心菜 consume v.消耗，消费 currency n.通货 *resolution n.决心 productive a.多产的 *sentiment n.情感, 情绪 Phrases and Expressions reflect on 思考 prepare for 准备,as if 仿佛 do ones duty 尽己任 paper currency 纸币 at work 在工作，起作用 take time 从容进行 in a hurry 匆忙 promise to do sth. 允诺；预示 Names Times Square 时代广场 Scottish 苏格兰的 Auld Lang Syne (歌曲)友谊地久天长 Tournament of Roses parade 玫瑰花车游行 Pasadena 帕萨迪纳市（位于洛杉矶东郊）,1American New Year 美国新年 美国这个移民国家的