Хлп соч Interesting Festivals around the World
Festivals have been organized for thousands of years. A festival is an event celebrated by a particular community, or the entire country, and it is centered on some particular tradition.
Most, but not all festivals serve to provide entertainment to the participants, so they tend to be complemented with music or dance. The majority of festivals are religious or based on folklore.
Holi, India
One of the oldest Indian festivals Holi is celebrated as a symbol of good over evil, the arrival of spring and the end of winter. Also known as the Festival of Colors, this event lasts for a night and a day, starting in the evening of a Full Moon Day, normally in February or March.
Holi celebrations begin with a performance of religious rituals in front of a big bonfire, hoping that the prayers will destroy the internal evil. In the morning, people smear each other with colors, using powder, water guns and water-filled balloons. Holi has become so popular that it is also celebrated in other Southeast Asian countries.
Rio de Janeiro Carnival, Brazil
The Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is the biggest carnival in the world, dating back to 1723. With more than 2 million people on the streets every single day, this carnival parade offers a real spectacle. Held just before Lent starts, the festival officially lasts from Friday night until Wednesday morning, but many Brazilians continue celebrating for a few days more.
A typical parade includes happy revelers, colorful floats, as well as performances by samba schools – groups of local people dancing. The most famous dance is, of course, samba, a traditional Brazilian dance influenced by African traditions. Each year, the Queen of the Carnival and up to two princesses are pronounced publicly.
La Tomatina, Spain
The biggest tomato fight you will ever see happens every year on the last Wednesday of August in Bunol near Valencia, Spain. Since 1945, La Tomatina participants have traditionally been throwing tomatoes at each other purely for entertainment purposes.
History suggests that the event started by accident – by youngsters attending the Gigantes y Cabezudos festival with enormous figures with big heads. They grabbed some tomatoes from a nearby stall and threw them at one of the giant figures who accidentally fell down.
The next year, these same young people came back with their own tomatoes and started a tomato fight. Today, La Tomatina is so popular that tomatoes are delivered in big trucks for thousands of people from all over the world.
1. Evaluating statements
1) Based on the information, which statement is true?
A. Officially, the Carnival in Rio lasts for a week.
B. Officially, the Carnival in Rio is less than a week long.
2) Based on the information, which statement is false?
A. The most famous dance is flamenco, a traditional Spanish dance that is danced to a special type of guitar music.
B. The most famous dance is samba, a traditional Brazilian dance influenced by African traditions.
2. Write whether the following statements are True or False:
3) "La Tomatina started when a group of youngsters had a plan to sell tomatoes."
4) "Although the Holi festival starts in the evening, people don't start smearing each other with colors until morning."
3. Choose the correct word:
5) The Queen of the Carnival is pronounced each year.
A. nationally
B. universally
C. publicly
6) People throw tomatoes at each other for purposes.
A. entertainment
B. comedy
C. pleasure
7) Holi celebrations begin with a performance of religious .
A. observances
B. rituals
C. manifestations
[7]
Task 2: Writing. Write an article about the Festival in Kazakhstan. Follow the plan.
Para 1: What is the name of the celebration? When/Where does it take place? What is the reason for it?
Para 2: What preparations do people make before the event?
Para 3: What happens during the actual event?
Para 4: How do people feel? What final thoughts/comments can you make?

natsvin2017    2   02.03.2021 17:25    1