6. Never too busy for social mannersSo you forgot to answer that party invitation you received. Now, the day has come and gone, and you’re feeling guilty because you never told the host you couldn’t attend.“Don’t allow this oversight(疏忽) to ruin your relationship,” says R. Thomas Boone, a US social psychologist. “I would show up with a bottle of wine and say, ‘I owe(感激,亏欠) you one. I’m really sorry’,” Boone says.. @Send an e-mail, make a phone call or reach out to the host another way. Whatever the method, do it as soon as possible.If guests don’t answer the invitations on time, the host cannot possibly plan for the correct amount of food and drink. . @This may lead to hundreds or even thousands of dollars of waste.“Everybody has a busy schedule now,” B oone says. If you know you are forgetful when it comes to making phone calls, try emailing your RSVPs as soon as the invitation arrives. RSVP is the short form of the French phrase “répondez s’il vous plaît”, meaning “Reply, if you please”.The following are some commonly used terms in invitation letters and their meanings. . @Be sure to know these and answer invitations properly.RSVP, REGRETS ONLY Only guests who can’t attend need reply. You need to give a proper reason why you can’t attend.RSVP BY… Gue sts should respond with yes or no by the date indicated on the invitation. Setting a date gives guests a deadline. It is also a deadline for the host to connect guests who haven’t reply.RSVP BY E-MAIL . @Guests can respond by e-mail. Unlike phone calls, e-mails can be sent without regard to time of day or location.7. Holidays and festivals in the United Kingdom. @There are many national holidays in the United Kingdom. Among them, Easter, and Christmas are two of the most famous.EASTER The date of Easter varies each year. It usually falls in March or April. During the Easter holiday, people give each other chocolate Easter eggs. The eggs are opened and eaten on Easter Sunday. On Good Friday (the day before Easter, when Christians observe the day on which Christ died), hot cross buns(复活节前一个星期五吃的十字面包) are sold. They are toasted and eaten with butter. Easter Monday (the day after Easter) is a Bank Holiday. On that day, banks and other major businesses are closed; people may enjoy a trip to the seaside or watch an exciting sports game, such as football, or horse-racing.CHRISTMAS For most British families, Christmas is certainly the most important holiday of the year. Families decorate their houses in bright colours. Usually a Christmas tree is placed in the front room,shining with coloured lights and interesting decorations.On the morning of Christmas Day (December 25), many people go to church to celebrate the birth of Christ(耶稣基督). . @In the afternoon, they stay at home and open the gifts that were gathered around the tree. Later, they may watch the Queen appear on television to deliver her traditional Christmas message to the whole country.. @In the evening, the families sit down to a big goose (sometimes turkey) dinner. They round off the meal with pudding, a Christmas specialty.Many traditions are connected with Christmas. For children, the most important one is that of receiving gifts. On Christmas Eve (December 24), they usually leave a long stocking hanging by the bed or by the fireplace. They hope that Father Christmas willcome down the chimney during the night and bring them small presents. They are usually not disappointed!December 26, Boxing Day, is also a public holiday. . @This is the time to v isit friends or watch football. Students have several weeks off school for Christmas.Word study:P1 1. throughout +时间/ 事情/ 区域eg. throughout the day/ his illness/ the worldP2 2. vary vi. 改变(pt.pp. varied) vary in sth. 在…方面不同eg. People vary in intelligence.vary with sth. 随…而改变eg. The menu varies with the season.3. fall on 天/in 月,年: 恰逢…, 在….fall vi. (fell, fallen), n. 下降,跌落, 摔倒fall asleep / fall over摔倒/ fall behind落后P2 4. major adj. 主要的(作定语) 反义: minoreg. a major road 干路/ major achievements 主要的成就major n. 主修科目**majority n. most大多数,大半, Cf. main adj. 最主要的,首要的(无比较级,最高级)eg. The main thing to remember 要记住的主要内容The main course of a meal 一餐的主菜mainly adv. 主要地P2 5. trip n. 旅行(会回到出发地) eg. take a trip to Shanghaitravel (泛指“旅游”,指具体旅行时用复数形式) eg. journey (一般指长途旅行, 旅途)eg.. an uncomfortable journey in a crowed trainvoyage 和journey 相似,通常海上,航空旅行trip 一般指往返的短途旅行tour周游,视察,巡演exercise:•We made a long ___ to Hainan this summer vacation.•They are planning to have a weekend_____to Suzhou.•Her wish is to have a round-the-world_______.•He is fond of_______.•Did you enjoy the _______on sea?P3 6. celebrate vt. 庆祝eg. celebrate the birth of Christbe celebrated with 以…来庆祝7. encourage sb. to do 鼓励某人做某事discourage vt. 使人泄气courage n. 勇气8. drive away躯走,赶走eg.The bad weather has driven the tourists away.They smoked all night to drive away the mosquitoes.9.decorate vt.装饰decorate spl. with sth. decoration n. 装饰(不可数),装饰物(可数)10. gather vt.&vi. 聚集(人或事物聚集起来)Cf.collect vt. 收集(事物)gather books 把书集中在一起gather stampscollect books 收集图书collect stamps11. sit down to (prep.)in addition to pay attention todevote oneself to be used to doinglead to turn to sb. for helplook forward to get down to business 开始做正事12.follow vt. 跟随,遵照,听懂eg. A big goose dinner is followed by Christmas pudding.He followed the directions. 他遵照了指示.I can’t follow you. Please read it slowly.as follows 如下following adj.以下的13.deliver a message/lecture /speech/talk to sb. 发表讲话deliver vt. 递送deliver sth. to sb.delivery n. 递送,投递,交付(货物,信件)14. be connected with 与…有关,有联系eg. There are many traditions that are connected with Christmas.are related toThe fall in the cost of living is connected with the drop in the oil price.He has been connected with the publishing house since 1990..15.leave vi&vt. 让…继续处于某种状态leave sb./sth. + 现在分词: eg. They leave a stocking hanging by the fireplace.leave sb./sth. + 过去分词: eg. Don’t leave the door unlocked. 别不锁门.leave sb./sth. + 形容词: eg. you’d better leave the window open / closed.leave sb./sth. + 介词: eg. They leave a stocking by the bed.16.hope that 从句eg.They hope that Father Christmas will come down the chimney during the night and bring them small presents.hope to do ( 错: hope sb. to do ) eg.hope for sth. 希望得到eg.17.This is the time to do 是做…的时间It’s time to do / for sth.18. off adv.&prep. (因病,假日等原因)不工作/学习(adv.): have …(some time) off eg. have a month off(prep.): off work/ schooleg. several weeks off school for Christmas.He is off work now. 他现在不工作.Translation1.有些物品的价格随季节变化而浮动.( vary with)2.中华美食有四大菜系.(major)3.2011年的春节将出现在1月16日。