1. Discuss the questions.

 Which of these cuisines have you tried? Do you like ‘foreign’ food? Japanese;
Mexican; Spanish; Caribbean; Moroccan; Australian; Indian; British
 Can you name any dishes from these cuisines?
 Which ingredients are common in these styles of cooking?
 Which other cuisines are popular where you live?

2. Imagine you are invited to an international food festival in the UK. What would
you expect to find at the festival? Make a list of six to eight things and then
compare your peers. You should all agree on a combined list of six to eight items.

3. Write in each gap the part of speech (e.g. adjective, verb, noun, etc.) required,
NOT words to complete the sentences.
a) She’d love to be able to__________.
b) You can buy __________ online these days.
c) There are lots of __________ in the town centre.
d) The concert is on __________ evening at __________.
e) It’s the __________ hotel I’ve ever stayed in.
f) Have you got any __________ in your pocket?

4. Check if the parts of speech below are correct. Make the necessary changes:
a) When I was younger, I used to VERB/GERUND.
b) Teenagers these days are COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVE than they used to be.
c) Most of the NOUN are ready.
d) He sings ADJECTIVE, don’t you think?
e) He decided to learn how to play NOUN.
f) Paul’s PLURAL NOUN or UNCOUNTABLE NOUN helped to make him a good teacher.

5. Now complete the gaps in your sentences with one, two or three words. When you have finished,
compare your ideas with other students.

6. Listen to a radio interview with a woman who has organised a food festival. Write a word or phrase in
each gap to complete the text.

Sarah works for a local charity organisation that gives poor children an opportunity to (1) __________. This year ‘Wish
you were here’ has organised a food festival to raise enough money to send (2) __________ children to Cornwall in the
summer. They are hoping to attract a lot of visitors and they have already decided that if the food festival is popular, it
will take place (3) __________ year.

There is plenty to do and see at the festival. You can buy food from many (4) __________ and you don’t need to break
the bank because meals are inexpensive. Children are welcome and their meals only cost (5) __________.

You can learn new skills at the festival too. A famous chef is going to teach festival-goers how to cook (6) __________.
Organisers are hoping this will attract a lot of would-be chefs.

Other events at the festival include face-painting and a (7) __________ competition which is open to participants from
all age groups. Families will be especially pleased to see an area where their children can (8) __________. The food
festival is on (9) __________ and it starts at 10 o’clock. There is parking space for around 200 cars and admission is (10)
__________.
7. Complete the following crossword puzzle with words used to describe festivals and then complete the
sentences below with one of the words from the crossword puzzle.

Across
1. Connected with events or people in the past (10)
4. One of the four periods of the year: spring, summer, autumn or winter (6)
7. A way of behaving which has been established for a long time (6)
8. Where something begins or comes from (6)
11. A party, dance, meeting, etc., that has been organised for a particular time (5)
12. A special social event, such as a party, organised because something special has happened or
is going to happen (11)
13. A line of people that moves through a public place on a special occasion (6)
14. A small object that explodes to produce a loud noise and bright colours (8)
17. Relating to religion (9)

Down
2. A formal event that is performed on important social or religious occasions (8)
3. Following the ways of behaving that have continued in a group of people or society for a long time (11)
5. A public celebration where people wear special clothes, and dance and play music in the streets (8)
6. The way of life of a group of people, including their language, beliefs, values, arts and symbols (7)
9. Something that you put on something to make it look attractive or special (10)
10. To join other people somewhere to make a group, or to bring people together into a group (6)
12. The set of clothes typical of a particular country or period of history (7)
15. To cover or surround something with paper, cloth or other material (4)
16. To organise an event (4)
1. Rio has the most famous __________ in the world.
2. When the festival starts, people __________ in the town square.
3. We have parties and other __________ throughout the festival.
4. Some of the religious __________ in our festivals are very old.
5. Our annual festival lets us show visitors our local __________.
6. You can learn about the __________ of the festival at the local museum.
7. In our summer festival it is a __________ to visit our friends.
8. In November I joined a course to learn how to make Christmas __________.
9. Over two thousand people took part in the __________.
10. When it gets dark, we set off the __________.
11. Our festivals help us to remember famous __________ events.
12. During the festival, we __________ a huge open-air concert.
13. There are many traditional __________ which people use to make special food.
14. The festival starts with an opening __________ where people walk through the streets.
15. Festivals with a __________ meaning are very important in our country.
16. We have four festivals, one in each of the four __________.
17. The dancers in the festival wore traditional __________.
18. She __________ the present and tied it with ribbon.

A Brief History of Festivals

Both ancient Greeks and Romans celebrated festivals, many of which were associated with political processes and social
organization. One such festival was Saturnalia, which Romans organized in honor of god Saturn. Saturnalia was
traditionally celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn, followed by a public banquet and a carnival.
Another early festival was established by an ancient Egyptian pharaoh (leader) in order to celebrate his victory over the
Libyans.
Considering the importance of food for every community, many festivals originate as agricultural ceremonies, initially
organized to either celebrate a good harvest, or hope for it. In the Alps, for instance, the return of the cattle from the
mountain is celebrated at the Almabtrieb festival.
Recently, the arts festivals took over all other kinds of festivals, as now every major city has at least one music festival,
in addition to theater, literary, science and film festivals.

Nearly all modern festivals are not contained to the local community anymore, but are open for guests and tourists,
who are expected to behave as the locals do and respect their traditions.

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.

Pingxi Lantern Festival, Taiwan

Having started in 1990, this is a relatively young festival, celebrated on the fifteenth day of
the first month of the lunar calendar, at the very end of the Chinese New Year. Inspired by
traditional folklore, this ceremony lasts whole night, when thousands of sky lanterns light
over the Pingxi District in Taiwan. The lanterns are released to ward off the evil and let
people know the town is safe.

The main lanterns are always over ten meters tall and they normally reflect Chinese zodiac signs. Each of them has its
own theme music, which makes the whole performances even more magical. In addition to the main lanterns, there are
also hundreds of smaller ones, usually carried by children . These lanterns portray images of historical figures or a
specific theme.

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.

8. Comprehension Exercises
8.1. Vocabulary Questions
1. What does "reveler" mean? 2. What does "Lent" mean?
A. person disapproving of the party A. period during which food is restricted
B. person passing by for religious purposes
C. person enjoying themselves in a lively B. delicious vegetable dish made with
way lentils
C. traditional carnival season in South
America

3. What does "stall" mean?

A. old house normally used as a
museum
 B. stand, compartment where goods are 4. What does "sacrifice" mean?
sold A. dancing by the fire to honor the gods
C. giant figure B. offering something to the gods, normally
killing an animal
C. religious ceremony held every year for
Christmas
5. What does "smear" mean?
A. carefully distribute
B. mark something messily with a substance
C. fire a weapon from a long distance

8.2. Collocation Questions

6. Thousands of sky lanterns _________ over the 11. Saturnalia was celebrated in _________ of god
Pingxi District. Saturn.
A. light A. glory
B. shine B. honor
C. glow C. merit

7. The Queen of the Carnival is _________ 12. Holi is a celebration of good _________ evil.
pronounced each year. A. above
A. nationally B. over
B. universally C. on top of
C. publicly
13. Festivals are not _________ to local
8. People throw tomatoes at each other for populations anymore.
_________ purposes. A. restrained
A. entertainment B. held
B. comedy C. contained
C. pleasure
14. The lanterns often portray images of
9. Holi celebrations begin with a performance of _________ figures.
religious _________. A. past
A. observances B. historical
B. rituals C. bygone
C. manifestations
15. A festival is an event _________ some
10. The lanterns are released to ward _________ particular tradition.
the evil. A. centered on
A. out B. circled around
B. away C. pointed to
C. off

8.3. Wh Questions

16. Where do the participants of La Tomatina get B. they wish for a prosperous year
their tomatoes? C. they hope it will destroy the evil
A. from local kiosks
B. from trucks 18. Who usually carries smaller lanterns at the
C. from home Pingxi Festival?
A. musicians
17. Why do people pray on the first night of the B. tourists
Holi festival? C. children
A. they have health problems
 19. When is the Rio Carnival held? 20. How was Saturnalia celebrated?
A. before Lent A. by walking on fire
B. on Christmas B. with fireworks
C. right after Brazilian Thanksgiving C. with a sacrifice and a banquet

8.4. Evaluating Statements

21. Based on the information in this lesson, 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.

22. Based on the information in this lesson, which statement is false?

A. The Pingxi Festival was inspired by a similar festival in the U.S.
B. The Pingxi Festival was inspired by Taiwanese folklore.

8.5. True or False?

23. Based on the information in this lesson, is the following statement true or false?
"La Tomatina started when a group of youngsters had a plan to sell tomatoes."
A. True
B. False

24. Based on the information in this lesson, is the following statement true or false?
"Although the Holi festival starts in the evening, people don't start smearing each other with colors until
morning."
A. True
B. False

9. Fill in the gaps with an article - the definite article the or the indefinite article a/an - when it is
required in this extract from the text. If no article is necessary, just leave the - marker
____ last weeks of ____ year are ____ festive time in ____ most countries; but while ____ Europeans just celebrate
____ Christmas and ____ New Year, Americans begin their festive season about ____ month earlier. ____ feast of ____
Thanksgiving, celebrated on ____ fourth Thursday in ____ November, is second only in ____ importance to ____
Christmas in ____ American calendar of ____ feast days.
Thanksgiving is ____ oldest non-Indian tradition in ____ United States, and was first celebrated in ____ year 1621. It
was in this year that ____ men and women in Plymouth, one of ____ first New England colonies, decided to establish
____ feast day to mark ____ end of ____ farming year.

10. Rephrase the following sentences in your own words, starting with the prompt given:
11. Thanksgiving is second only in importance to Christmas in the American calendar of feast days.
Christmas is…

12. Any failure to bring in an adequate supply of crops could be fatal for a new colony.
A new colony…

13. Turkey has always been the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving feast.
Americans…

14. Potatoes were unknown to Europeans before the discovery of North America.
Until North America… no-one…

There's only one São João

Matthew Hancock The Guardian

"Head to Porto for the Festa de São João - one of Europe's liveliest street festivals."
Inadequately armed with a half-eaten sardine and a wilting leek, I found myself confronted by an army of
hammer-wielding locals. It was the night of São João, the patron saint of lovers, and I hoped for a hit in the
knowledge that attractive people were the most likely victims of attacks by plastic hammers.
Porto's Festa de São João is one of Europe's liveliest street festivals, yet it is relatively unknown outside the
country. Nearly every Portuguese town and village adopts one of the santos populares, the popular saints of
António (Anthony), João (John) or Pedro (Peter), whose days all fall in June, probably a Christian adaptation of
pagan summer solstice celebrations. There remains a strong religious element to the festivals, but in an
increasingly secular country, the church services and religious processions are often overshadowed by the riotous
party element.
The festival for Santo António, the patron saint of marriages, kicks off in Lisbon today, showing the city at its most
animated. In 11 days time, the focus shifts north to Porto for the Festa de São João. Porto is Portugal's industrial
powerbase, and there's a Portuguese saying that Porto works while Lisbon plays. But known as tripeiros - tripe
eaters - after their local dish, the gritty residents of Porto claim that on the night of June 23, Portugal's second city
teaches the capital a thing or two about having fun.
Preparations for the party begin several days before, with each bairro (district) displaying ornate models
representing everything from religious figures to whole townscapes, with a prize given for the best one. The best
townscape of all, however, is Porto's old centre, now a Unesco world heritage site, an extraordinarily dense
amalgam of tiered houses and churches clinging to the river Douro valley. The scenery is even more impressive on
June 23, when virtually every household is draped with bunting.
As the evening progresses, there remains a healthy mix of all ages, from elderly couples to young children, a
combination that neatly tempers the behaviour of the chanting male youths in replica Porto football shirts.
And then the first hammers appear. No one seems to know the origins of hitting people on the head with a leek,
but when I was finally thwacked painfully around the ear, I realised why the softer plastic hammers have become
the preferred mode of attack. Luckily, even the most macho tripeiros hit with surprising restraint, especially as
people of the opposite sex are usually the targets.
The tide of whistle-blowing locals flows into the precipitous labyrinth of narrow streets tumbling downhill from
São Bento station to the river front Cais da Ribeira. This is where Porto's best bars and restaurants are to be
found, but during the festival they are outnumbered by hastily erected barbecues, stalls selling Superbock beer
and makeshift stages blaring out live music varying from pop and rock to traditional fado. The smell of grilling
peppers and sardines wafts through the warm June air.
Exploding fireworks begin to rumble through the night sky above the glowing neon of the port wine lodges on the
opposite side of the Douro. Uphill, Porto's main square, Avenida dos Aliados, becomes a giant market place, with
stalls selling everything from fresh bread to flowers and illuminated balloons which periodically drift eerily into
the night sky.
Midnight sees the inevitable climax of fireworks and illuminations, but the night is far from over. As dawn
approaches, the emphasis shifts west to the beach of Praia dos Ingleses at the Douro estuary. Here, there is space
to participate in the tradition of lighting bonfires for São João, with youngsters challenging each other to jump
over the largest flames (fortunately casualties are rare). The whole area then becomes one big beach party with
revellers dancing to ghetto blasters round the roaring fires.
Just about awake by the next afternoon, I found a more gentle event taking place on the Douro with the annual
regatta of barcos rabelos. These low wooden boats were once used to transport port wine from the mountainous
Douro valley to the famous port wine lodges. The best place to see the regatta is from Cais da Ribeira, as
atmospheric by day as during the festival, where women still wash clothes in the river and children cool off by
plunging into the grimy waters from the double-decker Ponte Luis I bridge.
A. Match the following definitions with the bolded expressions in the text.

1. An adherent of a polytheistic religion in antiquity, especially when viewed in contrast to an adherent of a

monotheistic religion.
2. celebrants who shares in a noisy party
3. courageous; hardy; resolute
4. Covered
5. Either of two times of the year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator.
6. heavily or elaborately decorated
7. Lasting from century to century.
8. Loud, noisy, and lacking in restraint or discipline
9. Mysteriously
10. Orderly and precise in procedure
11. rendered insignificant or less important in comparison
12. Stroke or hit
13. sudden loud sounds
14. The appearance of a town or city; an urban scene
15. The time each morning at which daylight first begins
16. thickly covered with ingrained
17. To become limp or flaccid; droop
18. To cause to go gently and smoothly through the air
19. To shine brightly and steadily

B. Answer the following questions about the text.

a. Which topics are covered in the description of Festa de São João festival?

b. Does it differ from the information in the video? What are the main differences?

c. What are the main origins of this festival?

d. Does it still keep the original trait?

e. What preparation is needed?

f. Choose 3 words that, according to the text, best describe the day of the celebration. Account for your
choice.

g. Bearing in mind that a conclusion should include some comments or final thoughts about the event,
write a conclusion paragraph for this text.