Christmas Quiz

Find out how much you know about English Christmas culture!

QUIZ 1. Choose the correct option:
 

1. Where does the word ‘Christmas’ come from?
a. It comes from the Old English name Christ’s Mass.
b. It comes from the Old Latin Christus Masium.
c. It comes from the Old Arabian Christham Mashibe.

2. The abbreviation for Christmas to Xmas is derived from…
a. The new language created by young people when they send sms.
b. The Greek alphabet.
c. The Roman numeral.

3. What new ideas were added to the Christmas’ celebrations in Victorian times?
a. Decorate homes with holly.
b. Pray to God on New Year’s Eve.
c. Father Christmas and Christmas cards.

4. What is the Boxing Day in England?
a. It is the day after Christmas day.
b. It is the day before Christmas day.
c. It is the day when people watch Boxing matches, ones of the national sports.

5. What is another name for Father Christmas?
a. Santa Claus.
b. Salsa Claus.
c. Santa Xmas.

6. Christmas carols were banned in England by:
a. Oliver Cromwell.
b. Queen Victoria.
c. They were never banned.

7. A Christmas cracker usually contains:
a. A paper hat, a joke, a gift and a small strip that makes the ‘crack’ noise.
b. Flour, water and salt.
c. A paper hat, a poem and a sweet.

8. What do people do on the Twelfth Night?
a. Prepare all the presents for the children.
b. Remove all Christmas decorations to avoid bad luck.
c. Burn all the Christmas decorations on a traditional bonfire.

9. When do people open their Christmas presents?
a. On Christmas Day.
b. On Boxing Day.
c. On Twelfth Day after Christmas day.

10. Who is Rudolph?
a. He is one of the Three Kings’ young assistants.
b. It is Father Christmas’ nickname.
c. He is Father Christmas’ Red-Nosed Reindeer.

11. Father Christmas is dressed in a red suit because …
a. he is warm despite the cold of the winter. Red keeps you warm even the cold weather.
b. this colour became the most popular after a Coca Cola advertisement during the 1930s.
c. he was bored with the green one.
Christmas Corner for Secondary Courses

QUIZ 2. What’s True? What’s False? At Christmas:

1. The first Christmas card was printed in 1843.

2. ‘To go caroling’ means ‘singing carols in the street at Christmas’.

3. ‘Santa Claus is coming down’ is a Christmas carol.

4. Christmas crackers were invented in 1846 and they were wrapped sweets.

5. Twelfth Night is the evening of the 6th January.

6. The Twelfth Night Cake is made of chocolate and milk.

7. At seven o’clock in the evening, the Queen gives her Christmas Message to the nation.

8. The Royal Channel on the website YouTube shows Queen’s Christmas message.

9. At Christmas, two people usually hold an end and pull the wishbone of the turkey. The one who achieve the larger piece of the bone will make a wish.

10. The Christmas tree became popular in England when Henry VIII put one in Windsor Castle.

Oscars 2016: Leonardo DiCaprio finally wins Academy Award

Leonardo DiCaprio has finally won his first Oscar for survival epic The Revenant, after six nominations.

He was named best actor at the 88th Academy Awards, with Brie Larson named best actress for Room.

Spotlight took home the best picture Oscar with Mad Max: Fury Road picking up the most awards of the night, with six accolades.

Mark Rylance won the best supporting actor Oscar, with fellow Briton Sam Smith winning best original song.

'Is Hollywood racist?'

The ceremony had been boycotted by some Hollywood figures protesting about the lack of ethnic diversity among this year's nominees, as all 20 nominees in the best acting or supporting acting categories are white.

Host Chris Rock addressed the controversy head on as he launched the ceremony, and it was a theme that was returned to several times during the night.

Rock commented he had "counted at least 15 black people" in the montage that opened the ceremony, before welcoming people to the "white People's Choice awards".

"You realise if they nominated hosts, I wouldn't even get this job," he quipped. "Y'all would be watching Neil Patrick Harris right now."

Rock added: "Everyone wants to know is Hollywood racist? You have to go at it the right way. Is it burning-cross racist? Fetch-me-some-lemonade racist? No.

"It's a different kind of racist. Is Hollywood racist? You're damn right it's racist but it's sorority racist. It's like: We like you Rhonda, but you're not a Kappa.''

Among the winners for Mad Max: Fury Road - nominated for 10 Oscars including best director for George Miller - was British designer Jenny Beavan, for best costume design.

The Revenant won three of the 12 awards for which it was nominated. Alejandro Inarritu also won best director and Emmanuel Lubezki won his third Oscar for cinematography in a row, having won in 2015 for Birdman and 2014 for Gravity.

Love expressions

How can you express your feelings about someone or something you love?

Here are some fun phrases you can use to describe the way you feel.

Match made in heaven

The phrase “a match made in heaven” refers to a relationship that is happy and successful.

“My parents have such good chemistry. They are a match made in heaven”.

“Phil and Laura are a match made in heaven. They are really well suited”.

A labour of love

“A labour of love” is a phrase used to describe work that you do for pleasure, not because you are paid for it.

“He is always working on his old car, it’s a labour of love”.

“My first book took almost two years to write. It was a labour of love”.

Head over heels

“Head over heels” means to be madly in love.

“I am head over heels with my new boyfriend”.

“It’s a great feeling to be head over heels in love”.

Lovey-dovey

“Lovey-dovey” is an informal phrase used to describe an excessive display of affection.

“As a young couple we were so lovey-dovey all the time”.

“Mark and Tanya are so lovey-dovey. They are holding hands and kissing whenever I see them!”

On the rocks

When a relationship is experiencing problems, we say it is “on the rocks.”

“My friend confided in me because her relationship with her partner was on the rocks.”

“Their relationship was on the rocks so they decided to get a divorce.”

Dating expressions

soulmate	someone who thinks and behaves like you, and loves you
chemistry	(in this context) physical attraction between people
flirting	behaving towards somebody in a way that shows that you are sexually or romantically attracted to them
casual sex	sexual relationship that will not develop into a romantic relationship

Valentine's Day

Did you know that in the UK we spend about £503m on cards, flowers, chocolates and other gifts for Valentine's Day? This lesson is designed to be used near the date of Valentine's Day (14 February) to talk about the topic of love and romance.

Students will brainstorm vocabulary related to the topic and then discuss some well-known quotes about love. They will speak about how people can find love and read about Valentine’s traditions in the UK. Students will then create a character for themselves and take part in a speed dating role play, as well as deciding how important love is in our lives.

Aims:

• To practise and develop vocabulary related to love and romance
• To practise speaking and reading skills
• To practise giving opinions

Introduction

Did you know that in the UK we spend about £503m on cards, flowers, chocolates and other gifts for Valentine's Day? Valentine's Day is big business! This lesson is designed to be used near the date of Valentine's Day (14 February) to talk about the topic of love and romance. If you are teaching teenagers you can expect this topic to cause a bit of excitement and silliness but usually it's a topic that teens want to talk about so can be a great opportunity to extend their vocabulary in an area they are interested in. Task 1 is a brainstorm of vocabulary for you to find out how much vocabulary your students have and to introduce some new words. Task 2 is a selection of well-known quotes about love for students to discuss. Task 3 gets students to think about how people usually meet each other in their country. Task 4 is a reading text from the British Council's Trend UK website which should introduce some ideas for students to discuss using the post reading activity. Task 5 is a role play based on speed dating and can be adapted for most levels. Task 6 is a ranking activity to decide how important love is in our lives.

Procedure

Task 1 - Valentine’s vocabulary	To get students thinking about the topic of Valentine's Day draw a big heart on the board and see if your students can fill it with words to do with love. Depending on the level make sure you try to stretch their vocabulary so everyone takes away a few useful words they didn't know before.
Task 2 - Love quotes	Pick and choose the quotes you use depending on the level of your students. If you have to spend ages trying to explain each one the activity will lose its fun. You could cut up the quotes and give them to pairs or small groups to decipher (translate into their own language if you feel it's appropriate and useful) and comment on, or get students to discuss the quotes in small groups and then share their ideas with the whole class.
Task 3 - Looking for love	UK info – Over 50% of British people are unmarried. You could use this statistic as an introduction to this discussion
Task 4 - I sent a letter to my love… Reading task	This is a reading task from the Trend UK website and should be suitable for intermediate levels and above. It should give you the basis for talking about Valentine's Day in the UK. The post reading questions can be used as a starting point for further discussion. Answers: 1) What is different about Valentine’s cards to cards for other occasions? They're usually anonymous. 2) Which is more popular in the UK? Sending cards by ‘snail mail’ or sending texts? Text messaging (six times more texts than cards are sent in the UK). 3) Do you think sending a text or instant message is a good way to declare your love? Why (not)? Students' opinions. 4) What are the most common gifts to give on Valentine’s Day? Flowers and chocolates. 5) Name two of the more interesting Valentine’s Day gifts mentioned in the article. Any two from helicopter ride, balloon flight, Ferrari test drive or visit to a health club.
Task 5 - Speed dating game	Speed dating is a popular way to meet people in the UK. It was designed in LA in the 90s for singles who don't have time to go out much to look for love! Speed dates are organised all over the UK and in many other countries too. The idea is people pay to attend (usually ₤15+) and all the participants meet in a bar or a club. An equal number of men and women attend. The men rotate and have three minutes (in some cases seven minutes) to speak to each woman. At the end all participants decide if they would like to meet anyone again and give the numbers of the people they were interested in to the organisers. If both the man and the women decided they would like to see each other again the phone numbers or e-mails are exchanged and it's up to the two people to follow it up. There are also gay speed dating events in the UK. This is a role play activity based on the idea of speed dating. It is suitable for a range of levels from pre-intermediate upwards. Questions can be very simple or more complex depending on the level of the students. Before you start do a quick brainstorm of possible jobs, hobbies, interests and personality types and make sure there are a few unusual ones to make for some comical encounters. If you think your class need to, you could also brainstorm some possible questions for them to ask each other on their ‘speed dates' so they don't get stuck once the three minutes begin. You could reduce the time to one minute for lower levels. If your students have never heard of speed dating, explain the idea to them and get their opinions. Warning: I would probably only do this role play with a reasonably mature group of students!
Task 6 - How important is love anyway?	This is a simple ranking activity. Put students into small groups to talk together and put the following in order of importance for them. Encourage them to justify their rankings. Then ask two groups to compare their answers.

Pancake

Makes around 8 pancakes

Ingredients

• 110g/4 oz plain flour
• 1 large egg
• ½ pint/280ml milk
• 2 tbsp melted butter

Method

Sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the middle. Break in the egg, add a pinch of salt and a splash of the milk.

Whisk the egg, gradually incorporating the flour, to make a smooth cream. Whisk in the rest of the milk and the melted butter.

Put all the ingredients in a blender jug with a pinch of salt. Whizz until smooth.

Brush a hot pan with oil before adding a ladleful of batter, tipping the pan so the mixture spreads evenly. Pour any excess back into the bowl.

When the pancake is browned on the bottom give the pan a shake to make sure the pancake is loose.
If it is sticking, use a spatula to loosen it. When it moves freely you are ready to toss it. The other side will only need a few seconds.

San Valentin

Chinese New Year

Dragon dances, acrobats, fireworks, a parade ... London is buzzing with excitement at Chinese New Year. Find out what you can do to join in the excitement!

The event
For London’s Chinese community (and everyone else who loves a party!), Chinese New Year is a huge event. Before Chinese New Year, people make sure their houses are clean and tidy, buy new clothes and have their hair cut, to bring good luck for the new year. London has the biggest celebrations outside of Asia. Hundreds of thousands of people go to watch the parade from the West End to Trafalgar Square, which includes Chinese acrobats, and traditional lion and dragon dances.

The date
In 2016, Chinese New Year is on 8th February. The exact date is calculated according to lunar and solar calendars, so it changes every year. This year will be the end of the Chinese year of the goat and the beginning of the year of the monkey. So, from 8th February, especially in Chinatown, listen out for people wishing each other a “Kung Hei Fat Choi” - Happy New Year!

The celebrations
In central London there are fireworks and stage performances with all kinds of acts and special guests. Previous celebrations have included fashion shows and Chinese hip hop acts, as well as more traditional performances with Chinese acrobats. Chinatown is buzzing with excitement. The streets are decorated with lucky red lanterns and full of craft and food stalls. If you’re thinking of eating in one of Chinatown’s excellent
Chinese restaurants, however, book a table early, because you won’t find one on the night!

Chinese people in Britain
For young Chinese people studying or working in the UK, video conferencing is a brilliant way of joining big family celebrations back home. Those missing home might also cook traditional Chinese dumplings for friends in Britain or organise an evening of karaoke, another popular way of celebrating. The festivities are not as noisy as back home, they say, where loud firecrackers are traditionally used to frighten away evil spirits, and the special red envelopes of money from relatives may have further to travel to the UK. But there is still plenty of excitement, happiness and good feeling, as people come together to enjoy the celebrations.

QUESTION
1. Chinese New Year is a big celebration in London.
    True          False

2. Improving your appearance and tidying your house are part of the preparations.
    True          False

3. Chinese New Year is always on 8th February.
    True          False

4. 2016 is the Chinese year of the snake.
    True          False

5. All of the Chinese New Year entertainment on offer in London is traditional.
    True          False

6. You can buy Chinese food in the streets of Chinatown.
    True          False

7. Modern technology helps to unite families who are living in different countries.
    True          False

8. Young Chinese people living in the UK won’t receive any red envelopes of money from their relatives.
    True          False

KEY

1. True  2. True  3. False  4. False  5. False  6. True  7. True  8. False

Party talk

With the party season in full swing (= at its busiest now), we consider the language ofsocializing (= enjoying yourself with other people). We’re looking especially at words and phrases which are used to describe the different ways that people behave at a party and the sort of conversations that party guests may have.

Some people are very sociable (= liking meeting people). For them, a party is an opportunity to meet and chat to many people. They may choose to mingle, moving around the room and talking to a lot of guests: I guess I’d better go and mingle with my guests.

Other guests may be meeting for the first time. They may just exchange pleasantries, meaning that they say things to each other which are polite andpleasant but not especially interesting or important: Sarah introduced us at her party and we exchanged pleasantries. Another way of saying this is to make small talk: He doesn’t especially enjoy making small talk with people he doesn’t know. The informal noun chit-chat is also used to refer to conversation about matters that are not important: I don’t even remember what we spoke about – I think it was just the usual party chit-chat.

Some people like to keep the conversation light-hearted (= happy and not serious). They may enjoy a bit of banter in which they make jokes with people and laugh at them: There was the usual banter between the guys. ‘Banter’ is also a verb: He stood around bantering with his colleagues for a while.

Not all conversation is fun and jokey, however. Two close friends may use the opportunity to have a heart-to-heart, talking seriously about their feelings on subjects that are important to them: Paul and Helen seemed to be having a heart-to-heart so I didn’t like to disturb them.

Elsewhere at the same party, a guest may see old friend that they have not seen for a while and may catch up (= hear that person’s news): It was so nice to see you at Nicole’s party and catch up. This phrase is also used as a noun: Let’s meet in the New Year and have a proper catch-up then.

If two people meet for the first time and immediately get on (= enjoy each other’s company), they may be said to (informal) hit it off: I introduced Zoe to your brother and they really hit it off. You might also say that they get on like a house on fire :I wasn’t expecting them to have much in common but they got on like a house on fire.

A short history of Christmas

With only a few weeks left until Christmas, our biggest winter festival is just around the corner! So, we all know why we celebrate Christmas; the birth of Jesus, Bethlehem, the three wise men ... but do we know why we celebrate in the way we do? The tree, the turkey, mistletoe, card-giving? Have you ever wondered where our best loved Christmas traditions come from?

Well actually, most of them can be attributed to the Victorians; Queen Victoria and her husband specifically. Take the Christmas tree which is arguably one of the most iconic symbols of Christmas. Although the symbolic tree dates back to pagan tree-worshiping traditions in Europe, the modern Christmas tree as we know it today was brought to England by German-born Prince Albert. In 1848 the Illustrated London News published a drawing of the royal family celebrating around a decorated fir tree, a tradition that was reminiscent of Prince Albert's childhood in Germany. Soon afterwards every home in Britain had a tree covered with homemade decorations, fruit, sweets and candles.

The Christmas feast has its roots from before the Middle Ages, but it's during the Victorian period that the dinner we now associate with Christmas began to take shape. Previously, meats such as beef and goose were the centrepiece of the Christmas dinner. Turkey however was favoured by the wealthier, middle class sections of 19th century society and before long it had became the fashionable choice; by the late 20th century it was the dominant meat in a traditional Christmas day feast!

The ‘official’ Christmas card didn’t come about until the 1840s. It all started with Henry Cole. He commissioned an artist to design a card for Christmas. The image was a joyous and festive one and promptly encouraged people to make their own. The advancement of colour printing technology and the halfpenny postage rate helped the Christmas card industry take off and in 1880 the Christmas card industry had produced 11.5 million cards in that year alone. The beginnings of a commercialised Christmas?

Christmas carolling today is a seasonal tradition to wish our neighbours a merry Christmas in song, but carolling originally had little to do with Christmas. Carols of the 12th and 13th centuries were liturgical songs reserved for church processions. Many of the more popular seasonal songs we associate with Christmas— "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing!," "The First Noel," and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" — were written during the 19th century.

Lastly,the elusive mistletoe. Celtic legend says the plant can bring good luck, heal wounds, increase fertility and ward off evil spirits. While the tradition of kissing underneath the mistletoe, unsurprisingly, began in the Victorian era. They believed that a kiss under the mistletoe would inevitably lead to marriage!

Christmas

Christmas in the UK is the biggest holiday of the year. Family gatherings, turkey, presents and parties are just some of the things that come to mind when we think about Christmas time.

Christmas can mean different things to different people. For many people it means eating a lot and spending time with family and visiting relatives and friends. For children it often means presents, presents and more presents!

The origins of Christmas

In ancient times people had mid-winter festivals when the days were short and the nights were very long. They believed that their ceremonies would help the sun’s power return. The Romans decorated their homes with green plants in December to remind Saturn, their harvest god, to return the following spring. In CE440 the Christian church decided that the birth of Christ should be celebrated every year on December 25th. Some of these ancient customs were adopted by early Christians as part of their celebrations of the birthday of Jesus Christ. Green plants are still used to decorate many British homes in December. At Christmas we cover trees (real ones or reusable synthetic trees) with shiny balls and flashing lights!

Cards and presents

It’s very common to send Christmas cards to friends, family, colleagues, classmates and neighbours in the weeks leading up to December 25th. Christmas is traditionally a time for helping other people and giving money to charities. Many people send charity cards; where a percentage of the cost of each card goes to charity. People send fewer cards than in the past as they now send Christmas greetings by email or via Facebook. Christmas presents are reserved for close friends and family. Traditionally the giving of a gift is symbolic of the Three Wise Men giving their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus. Popular presents for young people in the UK in recent years include a Smart phone, a Playstation Move and 80s retro fashion.

Party vocabulary

Let’s celebrate! (words and phrases for parties)

With Christmas and New Year almost upon us, we thought it a good time to look at the language of parties and celebrations. First, let’s start with the word ‘party’ itself. To have or throw a party or, less commonly, to give a party is to arrange a party: We’rehaving a party to celebrate the end of the exams. If you provide the place where the party happens, often your home, you may be said to host the party: Rosie has offered to host the party at her place. A party for someone who is leaving a place or a company is often called a farewell party or a leaving party: We’re having afarewell party for a member of staff. An office party is a party for a company’s colleagues. Meanwhile, a party that you throw for a person who knows nothing about it in advance is a surprise party: It’s a surprise party so it’s all top secret.

A celebration is a party or other social event on a special day or occasion: There were lively New Year celebrations all over town. The verb celebrate is also used, meaning ‘to take part in a special social event’: We always celebrate our weddinganniversary by going out to dinner. If you celebrate in style, you celebrate in a place that is expensive and attractive: For those who like to celebrate in style, there are the castle function rooms. To mark the occasion means ‘to celebrate a particular event or day’: It’s not every day you turn twentyone.

I think we need tomark the occasion!

A short word meaning ‘party’ that is used a lot is do. You have a do: We usuallyhave a Christmas do at work. Often, the phrase a bit of a comes before ‘do’. (It has no extra meaning.): We’re having a bit of a do for Colin’s 50th and we’d like to invite you. The word gathering is also used to mean ‘party’, the verb ‘gather’ in this sense meaning ‘to come together in a group’. Family often comes beforegathering: There’s usually some sort of family gathering at Easter. A small party or other occasion when friends meet each other is sometimes called a get-together: We were thinking it would be nice to have a little gettogether over a Christmas drink or two. The phrasal verb get together is also used, though often it means simply ‘to meet in order to spend time together’: It’s that time of year when families are getting together for the holidays.

When there are a number of parties or other social activities to celebrate a special occasion,

you might call these festivities: If you become involved in these activities, you might be said to join in the festivities: Come and join in thefestivities, Tom!

April Fool's Day

Is there a special day for jokes and tricks in your country? Do you like playing tricks on people? If you're ever in the UK on April 1st, you'd better watch out!

When and what is April Fool’s Day?

April Fool’s Day is on April 1st. It‘s the custom in the UK to play a trick or a joke on someone on this day. If the person falls for the joke then they are called an ‘April Fool’. In fact it’s only half a day because April Fool’s Day finishes at midday. No more jokes after lunchtime, please!

What kind of tricks do people play?

Here are some April Fool’s tricks from around the world:

• In the 90s Burger King published an advert in the magazine USA Today offering new ‘Left-handed Whoppas’ for the 32 million left-handed Americans! Thousands of customers ordered the new burger in the restaurants!
• A zoo in Japan said that they had a giant penguin that was 165cm tall and weighed 80 kilograms! In fact it was a man dressed up in a penguin suit.
• Last year in the UK a children’s news programme said that scientists had invented a ‘Brain Band’. It was a coloured head band that you put on your head and it helped to make you more intelligent! In an on-line poll, 47% of the children who heard the news wanted to buy a ‘brain band’!
• In 1949 a radio presenter in New Zealand told listeners that there were millions of wasps coming to invade. He told viewers to wear their socks over their trousers and to put honey on their doors. Millions of listeners believed him!
• In 1976 a very famous British astronomer told radio listeners that at 9.47am the earth was going to experience a feeling of less gravity. He said that Jupiter and Pluto would cross and if listeners jumped in the air at exactly 9.47am they would feel the sensation of having no gravity! Hundreds of listeners phoned the radio to say they had jumped and floated in the air!
• Ikea announced that the shop had launched a dog highchair (highchairs are usually for babies!) named 'HUNDSTOL' (Swedish for dog chair). Google 'IKEA dog high chair' for more details.
• The free London newspaper, The Metro, came up with a novel idea to deal with the problem of litter on the underground (unfortunately it was only a joke). They said that the newspaper was now edible – ‘the only paper that you can eat after reading’.
• A British newspaper announced that Portugal had 'sold' Cristiano Ronaldo, the footballer, to Spain for €160million. Why? To try to clear its national debt. It was a joke of course.

Do people actually like April Fool’s Day?

We asked some Brits this question. This is what they said:

I love April Fool’s Day. It can be really good fun. I love playing tricks on people and I don’t mind if people play tricks on me. It’s one day of the year you can be really silly and have a laugh and it’s okay. You have to be quite sensible for the other 364 days of the year, so I look forward to April 1st.

Malisa

I don’t like April Fool’s Day. It makes me a bit nervous. I keep thinking someone is about to play a trick on me. When twelve o’clock passes I feel quite relieved that it’s finished for another year!

Johnny

When I was at school April Fool’s Day was always good fun. We played tricks on each other and sometimes on the teacher. In fact, one year one of the boys at school put a bucket of water on top of the door and when the chemistry teacher came in he got very wet! It was funny, but the boy got in big trouble!

Phil

April Fool’s Day is a great idea. It’s easy to forget the actual date and I always believe everything I read in the newspapers or watch on the TV news. I usually believe the big national hoaxes and it always makes me laugh afterwards. It’s good to remind us that maybe we shouldn’t always believe everything we hear in the news.

Louise

April Fool’s Day is fun when you’re young. I remember putting a plastic fried egg on my dad’s plate for breakfast as a trick. He decided to cut it up and pretend to eat it! Now I think some of the tricks are a bit silly and people can be a bit cruel playing tricks on their ‘friends’!

Clare

I hate April Fool’s Day. Last year people at work changed the sugar for salt so we all put salt in our coffee! Then some joker in the office decided he wanted a day off and he did something to the computers so they wouldn’t work. It just wasn’t funny! I had lots to do and we all had to stop working and solve the problem.

Mark

So watch out this year on April 1st!

Read the text about April Fool’s Day then do these exercises to check your understanding. 

1. Check your understanding: true or false 

Circle True or False for these sentences. 

1. April Fool’s Day is on April 13.                                          True          False 
2. You can play tricks on people all day on April Fool’s Day.   True          False 
3. An April Fool is a person who plays a joke on someone after midday.    True          False 
4. The media (TV, radio, newspapers, etc.) and international companies invent stories to trick people on April Fool’s Day.                                                True          False 
5. People play tricks on their friends and family on April 1st.     True          False 
6. Most people don’t like April Fool’s Day.                              True          False 

2. Check your understanding: gap fill 

Complete the gaps with a word from the box. 

planets burgers insects paper 

penguin invention sports person dogs 

1. A fast-food chain advertised _______________ for left-handed people. 
2. A man pretended to be an extra large _______________ at a Japanese zoo. 
3. A TV programme told children about an _______________ which can make you more intelligent. 
4. Radio listeners were worried about _______________ in New Zealand. 
5. An astronomer said that the position of the _______________ would change gravity. 
6. A shop told customers about a special piece of furniture for _______________. 
7. A London newspaper told readers that their news was printed on edible _______________. 
8. The British media said that Portugal sold a top _______________ to solve the country’s financial problems.

3. Check your understanding: matching 

Match the expressions (1-8) with the correct definition (a-h) and write a – h next to the number 1 – 8. 

1…….. really good fun                                                a. have a lot of problems 

2…….. I don’t mind                                                    b. to not go to work 

3…….. have a laugh                                                    c. not be serious 

4…….. I keep thinking                                                d. very entertaining 

5…….. get in big trouble                                             e. it’s not a problem for me 

6…….. national hoax                                                   f. not very intelligent 

7…….. a bit silly                                                         g. a joke or trick on the entire country 

8…….. a day off                                                         h. I worry 

Do you have a day similar to April Fool’s Day in your country? 

When is it? Is it on the same day as April Fool’s Day? 

What kind of tricks and jokes do people like to play on each other? 

Can you remember any funny jokes or tricks from the past? 

Can you think of a good trick or joke to play on someone next year? 

Answers to April Fool’s Day exercises. 

1. Check your understanding: true or false

1. False 
2. False 
3. False 
4. True 
5. True 
6. False 

2. Check your understanding: gap fill 

1. burgers 
2. penguin 
3. invention 
4. insects 
5. planets 
6. dogs 
7. paper 
8. sports person 

3. Check your understanding: matching 

1. d 
2. e 
3. c 
4. h 
5. a 
6. g 
7. f 
8. b 

Saint Patrick´s Day

Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick's Day - also referred to as "Saint Paddy's Day" - appears to have become a worldwide phenomenon. Whilst Saint David's Day is almost exclusively celebrated in Wales and many English people probably couldn't even tell you when Saint George's Day is (April 23rd, if you're interested), celebrations take place across the world for Saint Patrick's Day. It is celebrated on the 17th March - that's just under a week away!

A few days ago, I received an email which informed me that numerous buildings, statues and natural wonders around the world would be green for Saint Patrick's Day. In the UK the London Eye will glow green for the night, as will Nelson's Column. Across the -Coe C R to name a few. Even Niagara Falls will be illuminated for the night! An American friend also told me that the Chicago River is dyed green for the event. I had never heard of this before - but next year I will definitely try to see some of the participating landmarks in the UK!

For a lot of people, Saint Patrick's Day is simply a day to have a drink with family and friends. However, for some people the day is an important cultural event. Dublin - the capital of the Republic of Ireland - hosts lots of events to celebrate the occasion. The Saint Patrick's Festival in Dublin is an event which is attended by locals and tourists alike. There is a huge parade and also some traditional Irish dancing - known as a 'ceili'. One day, I would love to experience this event. Across the UK, many pubs and bars are decorated with shamrocks and will host quizzes or events for Saint Patrick's Day. It has become a hugely popular day in the British calendar - and it looks like its popularity will only continue to grow.

Chinese New Year

Dragon dances, acrobats, fireworks, a parade ... London is buzzing with excitement at Chinese New Year. Find out what you can do to join in the excitement!

Preparation

The event

For London’s Chinese community (and everyone else who loves a party!), Chinese New Year is a huge event. Before Chinese New Year, people make sure their houses are clean and tidy, buy new clothes and have their hair cut, to bring good luck for the new year. London has the biggest celebrations outside of Asia. Hundreds of thousands of people go to watch the parade from the West End to Trafalgar Square, which includes Chinese acrobats, and traditional lion and dragon dances. 

Pancake Day

Mmm ... did someone say pancakes?! Read about Pancake Day and learn how to make this delicious treat for yourself.

Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday is a special day celebrated in many countries around the world. It is celebrated in English-speaking countries like the UK, Ireland, Australia and Canada. In some countries, like France and the USA, it is called 'Mardi Gras' or 'Fat Tuesday'. In other countries, like Spain, Italy or Brazil, Shrove Tuesday is at the end of Carnival. On this day many people eat pancakes, a thin, flat cake made in a pan.

Pancake Day is always on a Tuesday in February or March. It is the day before Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. Lent is a period of 40 days before Easter when people often give up or stop eating things that are bad for them like chocolate or fast food. At the end of Lent is Easter. Easter takes place on a different date each year because it depends on the moon. Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring. Traditionally, during Lent, people didn’t eat rich foods like butter and eggs, so they made pancakes from these ingredients on Shrove Tuesday.

My Funny Valentine

It's panic time! If you have as bad a memory as I do they you will be shocked to learn that this Saturday is Valentine's Day.

Valentine's Day is the day dedicated to the person that we love. We buy them presents and a card to tell them that we love them. It is when we go for walks along the beach, eat a romantic dinner at a restaurant and a lot of people propose (a bit cheesy!). Valentine´s Day is also where we are brave and tell that person that we fancy the truth. If we have a crush on someone then Valentine´s Day is the perfect chance to tell that person how we feel and whether they feel the same. We have nothing to lose.

Of course, for people like me who are a bit forgetful the 13th February is a day of stress. We try to find any possible romantic card from a shop that might relate to our significant other or try to find a restaurant that isn't fully booked.

Hanukkah

What do you know about Hanukkah? Find out how the Jewish Festival of Lights is celebrated in the UK.

What is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah (or Chanuka) is the Jewish Festival of Lights. It lasts for eight days and is usually celebrated in November or December. Hanukkah traditions include lighting candles, giving presents, playing games and eating food fried in oil, like doughnuts or potato pancakes.

Special candles

The traditional Hanukkah candle holder is called a Hanukkah menorah or hanukkiah and it has been used as a Jewish symbol since ancient times. A Hanukkah menorah has nine candles which are lit at night-time during Hanukkah.

In London you can see a giant menorah lit up with candles for the Hanukkah London event, in celebration of the Jewish Festival of Lights. This huge menorah in Trafalgar Square is installed close to the Christmas tree for a truly multicultural winter celebration.

Playing dreidel

A dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with Hebrew letters on each one of its sides. Playing with the dreidel is a traditional Hanukkah game played in Jewish homes in Britain and all over the world, and rules may vary from family to family. There are various games you can play with the dreidel. The games involve spinning the top and placing bets (often using coins, raisins or matchsticks) on which letters shows when the top stops spinning and falls over.

Food

Fried food is traditional at Hanukkah. Latkes are fried pancakes made with potatoes, onions, eggs, flour and oil. Jam-filled doughnuts are another popular Hanukkah treat. Dairy food such as cheese and cheesecake are also traditionally eaten at this festival.

Presents and cards

It’s traditional to give presents or money to family and friends at Hanukkah. Hanukkah Gelt refers to money given as a gift at the festival.

Gelt is the Yiddish word for money. Children are often given chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil.

People also give Hanukkah greetings cards. The cards often show a picture of a menorah or dreidel.

One UK online greetings cards company even combines Christmas (December) and Hanukkah (November/December) to make a card with the greeting “Very Merry Chrismukkah wishes”!

Happy Hanukkah!

Thanksgiving

The Pilgrims Come to America
In 1620, the Pilgrims sailed on the Mayflower to America. Theywere warned that Indians may attack them. The voyage could be dangerous. There could be pirates or hurricanes. The Pilgrims risked their lives.

It all started with a king. The King of England said that everyone must belong to his church. The Pilgrims wanted to pray in their own church. They tried to meet in secret but the king had the Pilgrim leaders arrested.
The Pilgrims decided to leave England. They sailed on the Mayflower to find religious freedom. They gave up their houses.They said good-bye to their friends.
The ship was very crowded. There were 102 people on the Mayflower. There were 70 men and women and 32 children. The children could not bring any toys. They couldn’t run and play. There was no water for washing. They couldn’t change their clothes.
They became dirty and smelly. The food was not good. The Pilgrims ate the same thing every day.
Some of the food had worms.
The Mayflower carried supplies as well as passengers. It carried barrels of water and food, seeds to plant, tools for planting, tools for building houses and clothes, knives, and beads for trading with the Indians.

Halloween exercises

Read the text about Halloween, then do these exercises to check your understanding.

1. Check your understanding: true or false
Circle True or False for these sentences.
1. People celebrate Halloween on 31st October in Britain.                         True    False
2. Halloween is not a public holiday in the UK.                                       True    False
3. Halloween lanterns are usually made from potatoes.                          True    False
4. Apple bobbing is a game which involves apples, water and a bowl.        True    False
5. Only children dress up at Halloween.                                                True    False
6. Trick or treating is an American custom that is now popular in Britain. True    False
7. Fright Night is a big Halloween party in the north of England.               True    False
8. The film ‘Psycho’ is suitable for all ages.                                            True    False

2. Check your vocabulary: grouping

Write the words in the correct group.

apples     black     curry     vampire     ghost     soup        witch     zombie     red     pumpkins     orange     white

Colours	Food	Halloween characters

3. Check your vocabulary: gap fill – collocations
Complete the collocations with a verb from the box.

dress up     wear     go     go to     make     celebrate     play     watch

1. _______________ Halloween
2. _______________ a lantern
3. _______________ apple bobbing
4. _______________ as a witch
5. _______________ a costume
6. _______________ trick or treating
7. _______________ a party
8. _______________ a film

Discussion

Do you celebrate Halloween?      What Halloween character would you dress up as, and why?           Do you like watching horror films?      Why do you think Halloween is so popular?

Vocabulary Box     Write any new words you have learnt in this lesson here.

Keys

1. Check your understanding: true or false

1. True                              5. False

2. True                              6. True

3. False                             7. True

4. True                              8. False

2. Check your vocabulary: grouping

Colours	Food	Halloween characters
black red orange white	apples  curry  soup  pumpkins	vampire  ghost  witch  zombie

3. Check your vocabulary: gap fill – collocations

1. celebrate                       5. wear

2. make                           6. go

3. play                             7. go to

4. dress up                       8. watch