2021年1-4月 雅思口语 Part 3 Topic 22 国家传统

How do people value traditional festivals?

They are a highly important part of our cultural heritage, and are therefore of high value. But I think we need to emphasize the cultural part of traditional festivals. For a lot of young people nowadays, they mean vacations and nothing more. But traditional festivals are not only festivals. They have tradition in them, which means we have to make the effort to preserve them, otherwise the tradition would be lost forever.

What’s the difference between festivals now and those in the post?

Festivals now are too much similar, and focused on making people buy stuff instead of actually valuing the traditions. For instance, the Taobao Double Eleven shopping fiesta probably engages more people than any other festival in China aside from the Spring Festival. Festivals in the past were really thought out to commemorate certain things. They have cultural connotations, and they leave legacies for us to carry on. I hope we don ^‘ t lose the festivals and traditions that were celeberated in the past.

Do you think western festivals like Christmas are replacing traditional festivals in your country?

I think they may have posed a challenge, and that’s why we are making more efforts to emphasize the importance of traditional Chinese festivals. To many people, every festival is about buying gifts for your partner. You need to buy things during both Valentine’s Day in February, and Chinese Valentine’s Day usually in August. I hope the younger generation realize more of the traditional festivals cultural connotation.

Do you think it is wrong for children not to celebrate traditional festivals?

Yes, it is. Children are the future of our country, and if they forget the traditions, no one will be able to carry them forward. They must be well informed of our ancestors ^‘ legacies. I think that’s why our country has started putting more emphasis on traditional festivals. Several years ago, we didn ^‘ t have holidays for Qingming Festival or Mid-Autumn Festival, I think. But now we do, and I hope that helps children of today remember these festivals better.