Speaking Card 17: Holidays and festivities

zz What are public holidays? help from the Native Americans and they celebrated
Public holidays are days when you don’t have to go with / by eating a big meal together.
to school / work / shops are closed / people have
zz Can you describe what St Patrick’s Day is
a day off / we remember an event like the end of
and where it is celebrated?
a war or a religious day, such as a saint’s day. In the UK
and USA, a public holiday can also be called a ‘bank St Patrick’s Day / St Paddy’s Day is a big Irish holiday
holiday’ because all the banks and shops are shut. celebrated in Ireland / by Irish people around the world.
It is / takes place on March 17th. It is the national day
zz Can you name any festivals / holidays that of Ireland. They remember the patron saint of Ireland,
are specific to English-speaking countries? St Patrick. People wear green / dress up with the Irish
Halloween is celebrated in October in the USA and national symbol, a shamrock / a three-leaf clover /
the UK. Thanksgiving in Canada / America is drink Irish beer called Guinness / Irish whiskey / parade
a special family meal / celebration in October / around the streets / have a big party.
November. Bonfire Night / Guy Fawkes’ Night is on
zz Can you think of any Czech public holidays?
November 5th in the UK and people have big fires
and fireworks. Independence Day is celebrated Czechs have a public holiday on May 8th to
in the USA on the 4th of July with fireworks and remember the end of the Second World War /
barbecues. In Australia, Anzac day, on April 25th, is Liberation Day. On July 5th and 6th we have Cyril
a day to remember the soldiers who died in the wars. and Methodius Day, a religious holiday, and Jan Hus
Valentine’s Day is celebrated around the world on Day / we remember the day Jan Hus was burnt at the
February 14th, especially by people who are in love. stake. We have a holiday on September 28th called
Some countries celebrate Mother’s Day / Father’s Day St Wenceslas Day, to celebrate the patron saint of the
and people send cards and presents to their parents. Czech Republic. On October 28th we remember the
day Czechoslovakia was formed and on November
zz What do you know about Halloween? 17th we celebrate Freedom and Democracy Day,
It is celebrated on October 31st in the UK and the when the students demonstrated / protested against
USA. In the past, people believed that on that day the Communists and the regime ended.
the dead came back to Earth. Children dress up as
zz Can you tell me about how Easter
monsters / ghosts / witches and walk around their
is celebrated in your country or
neighbourhood / streets and say “trick or treat”. In
English-speaking countries?
return they are given sweets (BrE) / candy (AmE).
Some people decorate their houses to look scary. At Easter we decorate eggs and make ‘pomlázka’ /
People cut faces into pumpkins to make Jack special whips decorated with ribbons / we whip girls /
O’Lanterns / Halloween lanterns. the girls give the boys decorated eggs. In America /
the USA and the UK children get Easter baskets /
zz Where is Thanksgiving celebrated and chocolate eggs / decorate eggs for egg-rolling races /
what do they do? have Easter egg hunts / have a special family meal.
Thanksgiving is celebrated in the USA on the
zz What is your favourite holiday and why?
last Thursday in November and in Canada on
the second Monday of October. It is a big family I love / like Christmas because we get presents /
occasion / celebration. People spend time with their gifts / see family / I like the winter holiday best.
families and have a special meal with roast turkey / I enjoy / my favourite holiday is Easter because the
cranberry sauce / vegetables / mashed potatoes / weather is warmer / I like the tradition of decorating
gravy / pumpkin pie. They are thankful for being eggs. I love ‘masopust’ / carnival because it is a time
together / for the food on the table. The holiday when people dress up in carnival costumes and
started when the Pilgrims, the first English people celebrate before the start of Lent (= půst před
to move to America, survived the first winter with Velikonocemi).
*Christmas will be included in the next Speaking Card.

Underlined vocabulary is above the A2 CEFR level – to be explained. November 2014

03 04

05 06

07 08