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Birthdays
Proficient9

Exercise 1

Vocabulary

bestow
Verb
bɪˈstoʊ
to give (something) as a gift or honor
The award is the highest honor that the institution can bestow.
leap year
Noun
liːp jiːr
a year containing one additional day
I always wondered why leap years exist.
celebrate
Verb
ˈsɛləˌbreɪt
to mark a day or an event by doing something special
We celebrated my dog's birthday yesterday.
merriment
Noun
ˈmerimənt
high-spirited and happy; fun
Not even the grumpy old neighbor remained immune to the sounds of merriment from the
wedding reception.

Exercise 2

Article

Birthdays
A birthday is an occasion when a person, an institution, or a company celebrates the
anniversary of their birth or founding.
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In most cultures, an individual’s birthday is celebrated amongst friends and relatives.The
birthday cake, which usually contains the exact number of candles that symbolize the
person’s age, is an essential part of this celebration. Gifts are commonly bestowed upon
the individual by the guests attending the party.

In the Gregorian calendar, every four years there is a leap year, which lasts 366 days. In
a leap year, February has 29 days, and the people born on that day only celebrate their
birthday once every four years. These individuals are sometimes called “leapers”.

Attitudes towards celebrating one’s birthday often shift as people grow older. However,
for most people, it is an exciting time of year when they can rejoice in the gifts th ey have
received and share their cheerfulness and merriment with their loved ones.

Exercise 3

Questions

1.
What else besides an individual’s date of birth can be celebrated as a birthday?
2.
What is the usual way of celebrating a birthday?
3.
What is a leap year?

Exercise 4

Summary

Make a brief summary of the article. Focus on the main topic and consider which pieces of
information are most important. Make sure you include details such as what the article is about, who
is mentioned in it, where and when the events took place, and also how and why they happened.
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Exercise 5

Discussion

Read the following quote and answer the questions.

"A birthday is a time to reflect on the year gone by, but to also set your goals for the
upcoming year." - Catherine Pulsifer

1.
Do you agree with this statement? Why? Why not?
2.
Do you think goal setting is important?

Exercise 6

Further Discussion

1.
How are birthdays celebrated in your country?
2.
How do you want to celebrate your next birthday?
3.
What is the best birthday memory you have?
4.
What is the best birthday gift you have ever received?
5.
Would you celebrate your birthday every year if you were born on February
29th?
6.
Do you think people place too much importance on birthdays?
7.
Do you think spending a lot of money on a birthday party is a waste of money?