Read the text and do exercises after it.
Holidays in Great Britain
There are many holidays in Great Britain. They are Christmas day, Boxing Day, New Year’s day, Easter, May Day, Spring bank holiday and Summer bank holiday. Public holidays in Great Britain are called bank holidays because the banks as well as most of the offices and shops are closed. The most popular holiday is Xmas. Every year the people of Norway make a present to the city of London. It is a big Xmas tree which is placed on Trufalger square. Central streets are beautifully decorated. During Xmas groups of singers go from house to house. They collect money for charity and sing carols, traditional Christmas songs. Many churches hold carol services on the Sunday before Xmas. The fun starts the night before, on the 24 of December. This is the day when people decorate their trees. Children hang stockings above their beds, hoping that Santa Claus will come at night and fill them with toys and sweets. Xmas is a family holiday. Relatives prepare for the big Xmas dinner of turkey and Xmas pudding and everyone makes and receives presents. The 26th of December, Boxing Day, is an extra holiday after Xmas. This is the time to meet friends or sit at home and watch TV. New Year’s day is less popular in Britain then Xmas. Besides public holidays there are some special holidays in Britain. One of them takes place on the 5th of November. On that day in 1605 Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the House of Parliament and to kill King James I. But he didn’t succeed. The King’s men found the bomb and took Guy Fawkes to the Tower. Since that day the British celebrate the 5th of November.
There are also some smaller and lesser known holidays in Great Britain.
Exercise 1. Match the beginning and the end of the holiday phrase.
decorate celebrate hang paint send pull sing i invite wear watch light | costumes carols a Christmas tree crackers Christmas stockings lamps friends parades Christmas cards pictures |
Exercise 2. Use the words in the box to complete the sentences
Historical, remember, independence, Christmas, celebrate, religious, work, dancing, national, official, during, food, drink
People in the United States (1) ____________ the Thanksgiving Day on the fourth Thursday in November. The fourth of July is also a (2) ____________ holiday. This is the day when Americans celebrate their (3) ____________ from Britain.
In Britain people don’t really celebrate (4) ____________ events in this way. Here, the main holidays are (5) ____________ holidays, (6) ____________ and Easter. There are several one-day holidays (7) ____________ the year. These are (8) ____________ public holidays when people don’t go to (9) ____________. There are days when people (10) ____________ the dead or their parents. On many holidays there is usually a lot of (11) ____________ and (12) ____________, and (13) ____________ often until the early hours in the morning.
Exercise 3. Match the names of the parties and their descriptions.
a tea party a garden party a music party a birthday party a welcome party a going-away party a holiday party a barbecue party a picnic party a fancy dress party a going places party a do-it-yourself party a when I grow-up party a skating party a pyjama party | a gathering at which tea is drunk people enjoy listening to music someone is new to your class or town to show that the day is very important everyone takes food to a nice place in the country people come dressed as film or book characters you go to the Zoo, a museum, a ball game everyone does a craft project at the party everyone is dressed in adult clothes for those who like sport children show their beautiful pajamas for people who enjoy flowers / a party outside the house we get presents we are sorry to say good-bye to somebody meat or fish is prepared over an open fire |
Exercise 4. Important months. Will you match the names and the dates of the holidays?
Our Christmas holidays are in ... The Mother’s Day is in ... Our May Day holiday is in ... Our New Year holiday is in ... The Victory Day holiday is in ... Our Easter holidays are in ... | March January May April January May |
Exercise 5. On what holidays do people usually do the following?
Parents put presents in stockings or shoes and put them under the fir-tree.
Children make presents to their mothers.
Children present flowers to war veterans.
Children with flowers are at the entrance of their school.
Children present flowers to their teachers.
Children sing carols.
Children and parents decorate a Christmas tree.
Exercise 6. Give short answers.
Do you paint eggs at Easter?
Was Easter in May last year?
Did you play any jokes on April 1 st?
Did you invite a lot of guests to your birthday party?
Does your mum decorate the house for New Year?
Do you like watching parades on TV?
Is your birthday in summer?
Do you wear funny costumes at Halloween?
Do you send cards on Valentine's Day?
Exercise 7. Write in on, in, at.
I get a lot of presents ____Christmas
My birthday is ____ autumn.
We celebrate Easter ____ April.
School begins ____ September 1 st.
I'm going to have a party ____ the weekend
Do you play jokes ____ April Fool's Day?
Exercise 8. Fill in the question words.
1._______did your mum make? — A cake.
2 ._____ did you decorate the Christmas tree? — With ornaments.
3 ._________do you play jokes? — On April 1st.
4 .__________ presents did you get? — Five.
5 .________do you celebrate New Year? — At home.
6 ._________do you like parties? — Because they're fun
7.______ were you on your last birthday? — Nine.
Exercise 9. Circle the correct sentence.
1. A) My favourite holiday is Easter. B) My favourite holiday is easter.
2. A) Last year Easter was in March. B) Last year Easter in March.
3. A) What cake does your mum make? B) What cake your mum makes?
4. A) Last year we had a party at Christmas. B) Last year we have a party at Christmas.
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