雅思口语话题：A Cultural Event in China

在雅思口语考试中，关于文化、传统的话题一直以来都是考官常问的题目，而面对这样的问题，考生往往都怀有“既爱又恨”的感情。“爱”是因为，中国的传统文化本来就博大精深，理所当然有很多可以在外国考官面前炫耀一番的精彩内容；但是，又“痛恨”自己在知识经验上的匮乏，所以能够说道关于文化的也就是现在考生嘴边常挂的那些，如：Chinese New Year, Dragon-boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Day, Tomb-sweeping Festival等等。

不仅如此，对于回答的具体内容更是干涩乏味，比如描述Chinese New Year时，常听到考生众多且雷同的回答：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. 我想任何一个来中国呆过两年的老外都应该早已熟悉了这样的模式，对文化背后的故事可能比我们自己的学生还要清楚；而且，在这样的内容中，其实根本没有体现出中国的春节文化到底是如何表现的。那可想而知，最后的结果轻则无新颖内容，重则没有回答题目的核心内容。

如果调整一下回答关于“Chinese New Year”的内容，也许会让考官有“耳目一新”的感觉。

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 Year's treats. 这段话总述了中国人过年的表现，在后面的内容中将具体讲述如何过年和特殊的习俗。

It's 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. It's 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. 这段话从传统的饮食细节上进行描述，这一点是很多同学所忽视的。大部分同学仅仅告诉考官我们有delicious food，但忽视了和文化有关的饮食习惯；换句话说delicious food可以放在任何一个场合，而非是针对该题目的描述。

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 Year's gifts to younger relatives or junior colleagues. It's considered good luck for the giver and recipient. 除了饮食习俗外，春节中还有很多其他的风俗，所以这个部分的内容最好要比饮食多一些，来突出更多新颖的内容，如传统的红色和压岁钱。这样做的目的也是为了增加回答内容的丰富性和多样性。

除了描述春节之外，其实还有很多其他的cultural event值得一说，相对大众的文化传统节日如中国传统的“鬼节”the Ghost Festival，重阳节the Double Ninth Festival；具有地方特色的文化活动可以选择“成都的麻将节the Mahjong Festival，重庆的火锅节the Hotpot Festival in Chongqing”等。这里我们选择中国传统的“鬼节”作为例子，相信考官一定没有在考场中听过考生描述这类的主题。

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. 总体介绍该文化活动的情况，初步解释。

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. 进一步详细解释该文化的表现。

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. 用适当的例子来说明该文化的特征。

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 it’s time to return, and as they are confined once again to the underworld.

针对这样的话题，若希望增加其自然度和真实感，可以在回答正题之前先给考官打一个预防针：“The cultural event I’m 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.”

对于Cultural event的话题，回答思路大多情况下都是介绍文化活动或事件的主题+具体文化习俗和传统活动的表现；所以，建议希望得高分的考生可以更换老主题的具体内容，也可以更换一个新的主题，否则考官将会始终以茫然的表情面对你。