issue207 【勇往直前小组】第四春

nornsUID：2325187

To what extent can ritual and ceremonies contribute to our lives, culture and sprites, as time paces and culture itself varies? I fundamentally agree that they help define a culture; as for the second statement however, the author overstated their influence; although they do strengthen the sense of belonging, they are only one factor to the sense of belonging.

  To begin with, from the broad view, rituals and ceremonies bring us basic understands of a particular culture, and therefore help define the culture. For example, by comparison of the most important festival of China and that of the USA-Spring Festival and the Christmas, we will find Spring Festival mainly emphasis the celebrating of the gathering of the relatives and best wishes for the next year, while the Christmas has much more of religious concerns. Then by simply analysis the ceremonies and rituals of a culture, one can receive a broad understanding of what the culture like, this is the way that they help define a culture.
Furthermore, viewing from the genesis of the ceremonies and rituals, we’ll know much that can help us define a culture. Through the history of a nation, it's the uniqueness lying in a nation's culture that gestates ceremonies and rituals. So if we grope through this clue, the origin of ceremonies and rituals will reveal the essence of a culture. To witness, for showing respects, the first step of a wedding ceremony in ancient China, is bowing to parents of the bride and the groom; which, is relevant to the ethos of that time that parents are showing high respects to. And this, is one of the core propositions of Confucianism. If we dig one step further, we will through this clue find Confucius, and by knowing how he and his doctrines affect the Chinese society afterwards, we will better define the Chinese culture in our own impression. An interesting comparison of this is, in western countries, for religious concern, the indispensable step of a wedding is vowing to the preacher. Similarly, if we explore its genesis, we will find how religion affects the western society. In such a way, rituals and ceremonies help us better understand and define a culture.   
   To the second statement, I partly agree with it. Admittedly, rituals and ceremonies, in the means of arousing the emotions hidden in one's heart, have an active influence on strengthening the sense of belonging. In battlefield, ceremonies such as raising the national flag can greatly bring courage and strength to a soldier, especially in time of desperation. Analogically， as for a nation, the rituals and ceremonies serve a similar function. No matter how simple the ceremony is, by conveying unique messages of a nation, it can remind a person of those precious memories on his nation and the culture, which will finally strengthen the sense of who they are－just like the flag to the soldier.
  However, the extent to which rituals and ceremonies mirror our culture doesn't necessarily mean that without it, sense of belonging would be diminished. in an era of globalization and modern technology connecting the world more tightly, the modification of ceremonies has never cease its steps. Nowadays Chinese have started to enjoy Christmas and American have tried to introduce the Chinese Spring Festival. But no indication in such a progress shows that both the two nations are loosing the sense of who they are, in fact, Americans are still proud of their country, Chinese also value highly of their rapid progress. Therefore, sometimes the change and lost of certain ceremony or ritual may not result in the diminish of sense of belonging.

  To sum up,through the overall look and detailed study of ceremonies and rituals, we will definitely find the part that they played in defining a culture. As to the second statements, however, rituals and ceremonies have no decisive influence on the sense of belonging.

woodmanUID：161906

To what extent can ritual and ceremoniescontribute to our lives, culture and sprites（小妖精？什么意思？）, as time paces and culture itself varies?（第一句话我没看明白） I fundamentally agree that they help define a culture; asfor the second statement however, the author overstated their influence;although they do strengthen the sense of belonging, they are only one factor tothe sense of belonging.

  To begin with, from the broad view, rituals and ceremonies bring usbasic understands of a particular culture, and therefore help define theculture. For example, by comparison of the most important festival of China andthat of the USA-Spring Festival and the Christmas, we will find Spring Festivalmainly emphasis the celebrating of the gathering of the relatives and bestwishes for the next year, while the Christmas has much more of religiousconcerns.（具体点，怎么有助于定义这两国的文化的） Then by simply analysis the ceremonies andrituals of a culture, one can receive a broad understanding of what the culturelike, this is the way that they help define a culture.

Furthermore, viewing from the genesis of the ceremonies and rituals, we’ll knowmuch that can help us define a culture. Through the history of a nation, it'sthe uniqueness lying in a nation's culture that gestates ceremonies andrituals. So if we grope through this clue, the origin of ceremonies and ritualswill reveal the essence of a culture. To witness, for showing respects, thefirst step of a wedding ceremony in ancient China, is bowing to parents of thebride and the groom; which, is relevant to the ethos of that time that parentsare showing high respects to. And this, is one of the core propositions ofConfucianism. If we dig one step further, we will through this clue findConfucius, and by knowing how he and his doctrines affect the Chinese societyafterwards, we will better define the Chinese culture in our own impression. Aninteresting comparison of this is, in western countries, for religious concern,the indispensable step of a wedding is vowing to the preacher. Similarly, if weexplore its genesis, we will find how religion affects the western society. Insuch a way, rituals and ceremonies help us better understand and define aculture.   

   To the second statement, I partly agree with it. Admittedly,rituals and ceremonies, in the means of arousing the emotions hidden in one'sheart, have an active influence on strengthening the sense of belonging. Inbattlefield, ceremonies such as raising the national flag can greatly bringcourage and strength to a soldier, especially in time of desperation. Analogically， asfor a nation, the rituals and ceremonies serve a similar function. No matterhow simple the ceremony is, by conveying unique messages of a nation, it canremind a person of those precious memories on his nation and the culture, whichwill finally strengthen the sense of who they are－just like the flag tothe soldier.

  However, the extent to which rituals and ceremonies mirror ourculture doesn't necessarily mean that without it, sense of belonging would bediminished. in an era of globalization and modern technology connecting theworld more tightly, the modification of ceremonies has never cease its steps.Nowadays Chinese have started to enjoy Christmas and American have tried tointroduce the Chinese Spring Festival. But no indication in such a progressshows that both the two nations are loosing the sense of who they are, in fact,Americans are still proud of their country, Chinese also value highly of theirrapid progress. Therefore, sometimes the change and lost of certain ceremony orritual may not result in the diminish of sense of belonging. 题目后半句里对自己的了解，不只是一种归属感吧，还包括对自己民族文化的了解与理解，呵呵
  To sum up, through the overall look and detailed study ofceremonies and rituals, we will definitely find the part that they played indefining a culture. As to the second statements, however, rituals andceremonies have no decisive influence on the sense of belonging.

写得很好，瑕疵就是开头写得很乱，文中例子差不多都是中国的。列入本次小组优秀习作，继续加油哦！