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CELEBRATIONS
Vocabulary
A. Put the words in the box in the columns below (use a dictionary if necessary).
pancake

festival

firework display

the month of May

food

Easter

lent

butter

baked potatoes

events

carnival
summer

parade

pancake race

stew

periods of time

B. Match the words and definitions.

1. Effigy
2. Refrain
3. Bank holiday
4. Origin

A. The point or place where something begins.

B. A sculpture or a model of a person.
C. A repeated line in a song or poem, also often a popular saying.
D. A day on which the schools, shops and offices are closed.

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Reading
A. Match these words and then read the headings of the article to check your
answers.
(i)
1. Pancake
2. May
3. Bonfire
4. Notting Hill

a. Carnival
b. Night
c. Day
d. Tuesday

(ii) Discuss these questions with a partner.

Do you know anything about these celebrations?
Can you imagine what people do on these days?

B. Read the text and complete the sentences below. Choose the best answer; A,
B or C.
January
Celebrations in Britain
What do people in Britain celebrate? Well, they celebrate birthdays, Christmas and Easter like
people in most Western countries, but there are some celebrations which are particularly British.
Here are a few:
Pancake Tuesday
Sometimes called Shrove Tuesday or simply Pancake Day, British people celebrate this day
by making and eating pancakes. There are also pancake races for children, which consists of
running and flipping a pancake in a frying pan at the same time. The origins of the celebration
are religious and it falls on the first day of lent. The idea was to eat as much fat, butter and eggs
as possible before lent began, because these foods were prohibited during that period.
May Day
The end of the cold weather and the beginning of the warm, sunny weather is celebrated on
the first day of May. The first Monday of May is a Bank Holiday, and lots of people take the
opportunity to have a trip to the beach or a weekend away. In some parts of the country,
especially in rural areas, people dance around a Maypole and a May Queen is elected.

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January
Bonfire Night
Remember, remember, the fifth of November goes the popular refrain. The 5th of November is
the celebration of the discovery of a conspiracy to blow up the English parliament almost 400
years ago. People all around Britain make bonfires and burn effigies of Guy Fawkes, the leader
of the conspiracy. There are always firework displays to accompany the bonfire, as well as baked
potatoes and warm soup or stew to eat.
Notting Hill Carnival
The Notting Hill Carnival is an outdoor festival with reggae music, colourful carnival parades and
typical food and drink from the Caribbean. It takes place in a small area in central London called
Notting Hill at the end of summer. Some people say that it is the best party in the world.

1. When it comes to celebrations

a) most Western countries are different to Britain.
b) most Western countries are the same as Britain.
c) most Western countries are similar to Britain.
2. In the period of lent
a) people ate as much fat, butter and eggs as they could.
b) people only ate fats, butter or eggs.
c) people didnt eat fats, butter or eggs.
3. The first Monday of May
a) is a national holiday.
b) is always sunny.
c) is a day when only the banks are closed.
4. Guy Fawkes
a) blew up the English Parliament 400 years ago.
b) tried to blow up the English Parliament 400 years ago.
c) was a member of the English Parliament 400 years ago.

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5. The Notting Hill Carnival takes place

a) in an area of London.
b) in and around London.
c) all over London.
6. According to the text, food is an important part of
a) all of these celebrations.
b) all of these celebrations except one.
c) two of these celebrations.

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Grammar
PRESENT PERFECT
A. Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first.
1. This is the first time Ive seen a May Queen.
Ive _______________________________ before.
2. Is this the first time youve been to a firework display?
Have _____________________________ before?
3. Its a long time since I had a pancake.
I ____________________________ a long time.
4. The last time I went to the beach was last summer.
I _________________________________ last summer.
5. They came back a few minutes ago.
They ________________________________ back.
6. They arrived at the party an hour ago.
They _____________________________ for an hour.
7. Sue finished her pancake a minute ago.
Sue _______________________________ pancake.
8. I came here at 3 oclock.
I ________________________ since 3 oclock.

B. Complete the sentence using the words in the box.

how

for

since

ever

never

just

already

yet

1. _______________ long have you been at the party?

2. Have you _______________ been to a firework display?
3. Id like to go to the Notting Hill Carnival this summer Ive _______________ been
to that part of London before.

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4. Theyve celebrated May Day _______________ hundreds of years.

5. Bonfire Night has been celebrated _______________ the conspiracy to blow up
Parliament.
6. Weve _______________ come back from the carnival we had a great time there!
7. Have you eaten your pancake _______________?
8. I dont want to see that film. Ive _______________ seen it three times on TV!

C. Write sentences using the present perfect. Use the prompts.

1. How long / you / live here?
2. They / ceebrate this day / hundreds of years
3. I / not see them / last Tuesday
4. We / just / see / the firework display
5. I / never / eat / pancakes
6. You / ever / hear / reggae music?
7. He / finish that book / yet?
8. I / already / make / some baked potatoes to eat

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Listening
A. You are going to watch a video of a man making American pancakes.
Complete the text below with numbers.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLDXOVWhw2E&feature=fvwrel

How to make pancakes

To make pancakes for (1) ____ person/people you
need:
(2) _______

cup/cups of flour (you can use (3)

_______ white and (4)

______ whole wheat), (5)

__________ teaspoon/teaspoons of sugar, (6)

_________ teaspoon/teaspoons of salt,(7) ________
egg/eggs, (8) ________ cup/cups of milk, (9) ________
tablespoon/tablespoons of oil.
You can also add (10) ________ teaspoon/teaspoons
of vanilla essence and (11) ________ teaspoon/
teaspoons of baking powder.
Cook the first side for (12) ___ - ___ minutes and
then cook the other side for a further (13) ______
minutes.
This cook eats pancakes (14) ______ time/times a
week but he plays squash (15) ________ or (16) _______
times a week so he doesnt get fat!

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Writing
You can begin and end your email like this:

Hi
Thanks for your last email it was good to hear from you again.
I hope you and your family are well
BODY OF THE LETTER
Im looking forward to hearing from

Plan your email

In the body of the letter:
1. Say why you are writing
2. Describe the celebration briefly
3. Say how to get there, when it takes place and arrange to meet
Useful phrases
The reason why I am writing is to
Id really like you to come because
Why dont we meet at
Linking words
As well as that
Apart from that
Not only.also.
There are activities for teenagers during the day. As well as that there are concerts in
the evening.
There are activities for teenagers during the day. Apart from that there are concerts in
the evening.
Not only are there activities for teenagers during the day, there are also concerts in the
evening.

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Speaking
A. Talk about these questions with a partner:
What do you usually do on your birthday?
How do your friends celebrate their birthdays?
How do your parents celebrate their birthdays?
What typical food and drink do you have during the Christmas period?
What customs does your family have at Christmas?
Who brings the Christmas presents - Father Christmas, the Three Kings, or someone else?
What local fiestas take place in your region?
Describe the last fiesta you went to. What is your favourite fiesta or festival?

B. Speak with a partner about these pictures.

1. What do you think these people are celebrating, and how are they celebrating?
2. How do you think the people are feeling in these different celebrations? Which one
looks like the people are having the most fun? Which one would you most like to be at?
3. Choose one of the pictures. Take turns to say what the people in the picture are doing
and what they are wearing. Your partner will try to guess which picture you are talking
about.

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ANSWERS
Vocabulary
A
Food: pancake, butter, baked potatoes, stew.
Events: carnival, parade, firework display, festival, pancake race.
Periods of time: Easter, lent, the month of May, summer.
B
1. B
2. C
3. D
4. A

Reading
A
(i)
Pancake Tuesday
May Day
Bonfire Night
Notting Hill Carnival
B
1. C
2. C
3. A
4. B

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5. A
6. B

Grammar
A
1. never seen a May Queen
2. you ever been to a firework display
3. havent had a pancake for
4. havent been to the ebach since
5. have just come
6. have been at the party
7. has just finished
8. have been here
B
1. How
2. ever
3. never
4. for
5. since
6. just
7. yet
8. already

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C
1. How long have you lived here?
2. They have celebrated this day for hundreds of years.
3. I havent seen them since last Tuesday.
4. We have just seen the firework display.
5. I have never eaten pancakes.
6. Have you ever heard reggae music?
7. Has he finished that book yet?
8. I have already made some baked potatoes to eat.

Writing
A
Students own answers.

Speaking
A
Students own answers
B
Students own answers

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LISTENING
A
1. 1
2. 3/4
3. 1/2
4. 1/2
5. 1 1/2
6. 1/4
7. 1
8. 1/2
9. 1
10. 1
11. 2
12. 3 5
13. 2
14. 1
15. 3
16. 4

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