| () | Native Americans for teaching the pilgrims how to catch eels and grow |
| () | of the year for traveling. It is a four-day or five-day weekend vacation for most schools and |
| (1) | Thanksgiving is a very American holiday. It is also called Thanksgiving Day. It is celebrated on the |
| () | The main event of any Thanksgiving is the Thanksgiving dinner. It is traditional to have baked or roasted |
| () | fourth Thursday in November every year. It used to be a religious holiday to give thanks to God. There are two versions |
| () | 1619, a group of English pioneers arrived at a place called Berkeley Hundred, in Virginia. The group made a promise that the day |
| () | turkey. This is usually accompanied with mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, fall vegetables, cranberry sauce, and gravy. Pumpkin |
| () | pie is the most commonly eaten dessert. The Thanksgiving holiday weekend is one of the busiest times |
| () | colleges, and many businesses and government workers get three or four days off. Thanksgiving is also |
| () | corn in Plymouth, Massachusetts. In 1941, President Roosevelt made Thanksgiving a federal holiday. |
| () | the unofficial signal for Christmas preparations to begin. Once Thanksgiving |
| () | finishes, stores fill their shelves with Christmas goods. It is also a bad time to be a turkey. |
| () | of the origins of this holiday. One is thanks for the early settlers arriving in America safely. On December the 4th, |
| () | of their arrival should be a "day of thanksgiving" to God. The second version is the thanks given to |
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
| 1. | American is very holiday Thanksgiving a. |
| 2. | a be to used It holiday religious. |
| 3. | of origins the of Versions holiday this. |
| 4. | The given Native thanks to Americans. |
| 5. | to How corn grow and eels catch. |
| 6. | traditional baked turkey is have roasted It to or. |
| 7. | potatoes mashed with accompanied usually is This. |
| 8. | the most Pumpkin commonly pie eaten is dessert. |
| 9. | get off three or Government four workers days. |
| 10. | Stores goods Christmas with shelves their fill. |
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
| STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B) | |
| 1. | ________________________________________________________ |
| 2. | ________________________________________________________ |
| 3. | ________________________________________________________ |
| 4. | ________________________________________________________ |
| 5. | ________________________________________________________ |
| 6. | ________________________________________________________ |
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
| STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A) | |
| 1. | ________________________________________________________ |
| 2. | ________________________________________________________ |
| 3. | ________________________________________________________ |
| 4. | ________________________________________________________ |
| 5. | ________________________________________________________ |
| 6. | ________________________________________________________ |
LISTENING
LISTENING GAP FILL
Christmas Eve is, of course, the day before Christmas Day. It’s quite a __________________ people who celebrate Christmas. There are so many things to do – usually last minute things. For example, you have to quickly send a Christmas card to people you forgot, especially when they sent you one. You also have __________________ Christmas shopping. I always find Christmas Eve afternoon is a good time to shop. Many people think this is a busy time, but the Christmas __________________ shops are quite empty. You just have to hope they haven’t run out of wrapping paper and sellotape. Then you have to go home __________________ your presents and put them under the Christmas tree in the living room. It’s such a lovely sight seeing a decorated tree with lots of wrapped boxes __________________.
Christmas Eve is __________________ all countries. In Denmark, for example, Christmas Eve is when people have Christmas dinner and open their presents. I think most people go to midnight mass on Christmas Eve. This is a special church __________________ midnight to remember the birth of Jesus. I think one of the oldest jokes in the world is: “What time is Midnight Mass?” It’s an easy joke to figure out. Of course, Christmas Eve is the busiest __________________ for Santa Claus. People in England call him Father Christmas. If you look really carefully, you’ll see him flying __________________ his sleigh full of presents. He used to climb down people’s chimneys to deliver his presents. __________________ he does nowadays because people don’t have chimneys.
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
| 1. | It’s quite a busy day for | a. | run out |
| There are so many | b. | most people | |
| 3. | You also have to do last | c. | quite empty |
| 4. | the shops are | d. | lovely sight |
| 5. | You just have to hope they haven’t | e. | things to do |
| 6. | It’s such a | f. | minute Christmas shopping |
Paragraph 2
| 1. | Christmas Eve is not the | a. | through the air |
| have Christmas dinner and open | b. | the year | |
| 3. | one of the oldest jokes | c. | nowadays |
| 4. | the busiest night of | d. | same in all countries |
| 5. | you’ll see him flying | e. | in the world |
| 6. | I’m not sure what he does | f. | their presents |
Writing: create your own holiday.
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Create your own holiday.
You should write at least 250 words.
SPEAKING
HOLIDAYS DISCUSSION
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1) Do you like holidays?
2) What holidays do you celebrate?
3) What holidays do you really look forward to?
4) Are there holidays in other countries or religions that you wish were
also celebrated in your country?
5) Are there enough holidays in your country for which workers get the
day or days off?
6) What do you think is the most overrated holiday?
7) Are there any special occasions or anniversaries you think deserve to
be a public holiday but are not?
8) Do you usually need a holiday after your holiday?
9) Is it better to stay at home on holidays or go somewhere?
10) Are holidays where the whole country is travelling stressful?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------HOLIDAYS DISCUSSION
STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1) How would you feel if there weren’t any holidays?
2) What holiday food do you like?
3) What are the pros and cons of spending holidays with your family, with
your friends, or alone?
4) Do you think holidays are too commercialized?
TASK FOR SELF-STUDY
Pre-reading task
• How many US national holidays can you name?
• In which month are they held?
• Which holiday do you think is the biggest?