Language points
a.They would starve if food was difficult to find…
starve （v.） 饿死；挨饿
eg. Millions of people starved to death during the war.
Starve for sth 渴望…
Eg. The homeless children starve for love.
Starvation (n.) 饿死
Eg. Die of starvation
Starvation wages 不够维持基本生活的工资
b.The most ancient festivals would celebrate the end of the cold weather, planting in spring and harvest in autumn.
Celebrate (vt./vi.) 庆祝，赞颂，赞美，举行（仪式）
Eg.We celebrate the new year with a party.
Their courage was celebrated in all the newspaper.
Celebrated (adj.) = famous 著名的，驰名的
c. …because they thought these festivals would bring a year of plenty.
days/years/…of plenty :富裕（尤指事物和钱）的日子，年月，生活等。
Eg.You have a life of plenty, what would you be worried about ?
d.Some festivals are held to honour the dead, or satisfy and please the ancestors, who could return either to help or to do harm.