The Fun of Dragon Boat Festival
Reading (閱讀)
Dragon Boat Festival is a happy holiday that many people look forward to. It's a special time for family, delicious food, and exciting games on the water.
One of the best things about this festival is the food called zongzi. Zongzi are made of sticky rice wrapped in green bamboo leaves, like a small present. Inside the zongzi, there can be yummy things like meat, egg yolk, or sweet red beans.
The most exciting part for many people is watching the dragon boat races! Dragon boats are very long and are painted in bright colors. They have a dragon head at the front and a tail at the back. Many people inside the boat use paddles to row together. A drum beats loudly – boom, boom, boom – to help the rowers keep a good rhythm. Everyone tries to row very fast to win the race. It’s a big, splashy game on the river!
Some families also hang special green plants, like mugwort, on their doors. They believe these plants can bring good luck and keep bad things away. People celebrate this festival to have fun, eat good food, and remember an important story about a brave man from long ago.
Vocabulary (字彙)
festival n. [ˋfɛstəv!] 節日
A special time or event when people gather to celebrate something.
Ex: One of the best things about this festival is the food called zongzi. (這個節日最棒的事情之一就是一種叫做「粽子」的食物。)
celebrate v. [ˋsɛlə͵bret] 慶祝
To do something special or enjoyable for an important event, occasion, or holiday.
Ex: People celebrate this festival to have fun... (人們慶祝這個節日是為了好玩...)
race n. [res] 比賽；競賽
A competition in which people try to be the fastest and finish first.
Ex: Everyone tries to row very fast to win the race. (每個人都試著划得很快來贏得比賽。)
boat n. [bot] 船
A vehicle for traveling on water.
Ex: Dragon boats are very long and are painted in bright colors. (龍舟非常長，並漆上了鮮豔的顏色。)
drum n. [drʌm] 鼓
A musical instrument that you hit with your hands or with sticks.
Ex: A drum beats loudly... to help the rowers keep a good rhythm. (大聲的鼓聲...幫助槳手們保持好的節奏。)
paddle n. [ˋpædl] 船槳
A short pole with a wide, flat part at one end, used for moving a small boat through the water.
Ex: Many people inside the boat use paddles to row together. (船上的許多人一起用槳划船。)
believe v. [bɪˋliv] 相信
To think that something is true, correct, or real.
Ex: They believe these plants can bring good luck. (他們相信這些植物可以帶來好運。)
mugwort n. [ˋmʌg͵wɝt] 艾草
An aromatic plant with deeply divided leaves.
Ex: Some families also hang special green plants, like mugwort, on their doors. (有些家庭也會在門上掛像艾草這類特別的綠色植物。)
splashy a. [ˋsplæʃɪ] 濺水的；引人注目的
Causing water to splash; very noticeable or lively.
Ex: It’s a big, splashy game on the river! (這是在河上的一場盛大又熱鬧（水花四濺）的遊戲！)
rower n. [ˋroɚ] 槳手；划船者
A person who rows a boat, especially as part of a team.
Ex: A drum beats loudly... to help the rowers keep a good rhythm. (大聲的鼓聲...幫助槳手們保持好的節奏。)
Sentence (句型)
1. one of the + 最高級形容詞 + 複數名詞 (其中最...之一)
這是一個非常常見的句型，用來強調「在眾多...之中，最...的一個」。重點是 one of 後面的名詞必須是複數。
One of the best things about this festival is the food...
2. S + is made of + N (由...製成)
用來描述某樣東西是由什麼材料製成的。
Zongzi are made of sticky rice...
3. S + V + to + V (動詞不定詞表目的)
使用不定詞 to + V 來表達做某個動作的目的。
A drum beats loudly... to help the rowers keep a good rhythm.
Everyone tries to row very fast to win the race.
4. There is / There are (有...)
用來表示「某處有某物」。
...there can be yummy things like meat, egg yolk, or sweet red beans.
Grammar (文法)
1. 限定用法 (分詞作形容詞 V-ing / V-ed)
這是將動詞變為形容詞的常見文法。
V-ing (現在分詞): 用來形容事物的「性質」，帶有「令人感到...」的主動意味。
exciting games (令人興奮的遊戲)
The story is interesting. (這個故事很有趣。)
V-ed (過去分詞): 用來形容人或動物的「感受」，帶有「感覺到...」的被動意味。
an excited child (一個感到興奮的小孩)
I am interested in the story. (我對這個故事感興趣。)
2. 簡化關係子句 (Reduced Relative Clause)
原句: ...the food which is called zongzi.
簡化後: ...the food called zongzi.
當關係子句中的動詞是「被動語態」(be + V-ed) 時，可以省略 which is 或 that is，直接用過去分詞 V-ed 來修飾前面的名詞。
3. 現在簡單式 (Simple Present Tense)
如同描述其他節慶傳統，本文主要使用現在簡單式來描述端午節的活動和習俗，因為這些是每年都會發生的事。
Dragon Boat Festival is a happy holiday...
Some families also hang special green plants...
Phrase (片語)
look forward to (期待): ...many people look forward to.
made of (由...製成): Zongzi are made of sticky rice...
keep away (使...遠離；避開): ...keep bad things away.
Countable & Uncountable Nouns
[C] (可數名詞): holiday, people, games, leaves, presents, things, beans, races, boats, colors, heads, tails, paddles, rowers, drums, families, plants, doors, stories
[U] (不可數名詞): food, rice, meat, water, rhythm, luck
