At Christmas Time

                                           Lesson 24

                                             Text A

    Many people like to decorate their houses at Christmas time. They decorate the inside of the house and the outside too. Inside they usually decorate a Christmas tree and the fireplace¹, if there is one. Outside they place wreaths², ribbons,and coloured lightson the door and windows. If there is a tree in front of their house, they place olored lights on it too.

    In New York City, there is a very tall, beautifully decorated Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center at Christmas time. In Washington, there is also a big decorated tree in front of the White House. People come from many cities to admir the trees and the gaily³ decorated store windows on the principal⁴ avenues of large cities.

　
 

                                             Text B

What Do You Do After Work? 
 

　　PETER:   Hello, Jim. Where are you going?
JIM:   To the cinema. What about coming with me?
PETER:   No, thanks. I'm going home. My wife's expecting me.
JIM:   What a pity. I believe it's a very good film.
PETER:   Do you go to the cinema a lot?
JIM:   Once a week. Most nights I sit at home and watch tellyPETER:   Do you know what's on tonight by any chance?
JtM:   No, I'm sorry I don't. I never read  the papers till I get home.
PETER:   Oh, I see. By the way, where are you going for your holidays this year?
JIM:   I don't know yet. My wife's going to her mother's for a couple of weeks. She livesby the sea, you know.
PETER:   Oh , does she? That's convenient.
JIM:   Yes, but I want to go to the country.
PETER:   Don't you like the sea?
JIM:   Yes , very much. But I need peace and quiet when I'm on holiday. What are yougoing to do?
PETER:   I'm going to stay at home.
J1M:   Aren't you going to have a holiday abroad this year?
PETER:   No , I want to buy a car , and that's going to take every penny I've got.　
 

Question on Text B

7. Read the following passage once. Underline the key words while reading and retell the story to your partner.

                                 Going to the Theater
    If you want to be certain of seeing a play in London, you have to book your seat in advance. You can buy your tickets either at a Theatre Ticket Agency⁵ or at the Box Office in the theatre itself. tt is very rarely that you will be lucky enough to get a ticket five minutes before the play begins. 

If you go in a large party it is not always possible for all of you to sit in the same part of the theatre. Some will have to sit in the Stalls⁶, others in the Dress Circle and some in the Upper Circie. These seats are the least expensive of the three. Seats in a Box or the Front Stalls are the most expensive.

 

1 fireplace   

n.壁炉，炉灶

参考例句：

• The fireplace smokes badly.这壁炉冒烟太多。
• I think we should wall up the fireplace.我想应该封住壁炉。

2 wreaths   

n.花环( wreath的名词复数 )；花圈；（烟、云等的）圈状物；环状物

参考例句：

• Wreaths were laid at the martyr's tomb. 烈士墓前安放着花圈。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Wreaths are woven of wool, feathers, or even human hair. 还有人将羊毛、羽毛、甚至头发编织成花环。 来自英汉非文学 - 民俗

3 gaily   

adv.欢乐地，高兴地

参考例句：

• The children sing gaily.孩子们欢唱着。
• She waved goodbye very gaily.她欢快地挥手告别。

4 principal   

adj.主要的；n.负责人，校长，资本

参考例句：

• When he saw the principal,he raised his hand in salutation.他看到校长时举手敬礼。
• Their school gave a reception to their new principal.他们学校为新校长举办了一个招待会。

5 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

6 stalls   

n.戏院正厅前排座位，前座观众；摊( stall的名词复数 )；熄火；厩；（房间内的）小隔间

参考例句：

• market stalls selling cheap bric-a-brac 集市上出售廉价小摆设的货摊
• the front row of the stalls 正厅第一排