When do they celebrate Americans celebrate Thanksgiving on the forth Thursday of Novem-

Thanksgiving?
ber. Children don’t go to school and businesses close for four days. It is
a) 4th Thursday Nov.
b) 4th October a special day for families, and people travel great distances just to be
c) 4th November
with their families for this occation.

Who were the “Pilgrim This tradition started with the “Pilgrim Fathers”. They were the
Fathers”? founders of a colony in North America. These people were Puritans,
a) Just two pilgrims
b) The founders of a they were against the Church of England and they suffered religious
colony
c) The Church of England persecution in England, so they wanted to start a new life. So, on the
6th September 1620, 102 men, women and children left Plymouth in a
ship called Mayflower. The voyage wasn’t easy, but finally the arrived
What was the name of
their ship? in America on the 11th December 1620. They landed on the north-west
Mayflower coast and they called this place Plymouth. But it was winter, and there
Unknown
Wampanoag wasn’t much food. They inmediately began to build small houses, but it
was too late to grow crops. The winter was long and half of them died.
When did the pilgrims In the spring, native American called Squanto helped them how to
arrive?
In 1620 grow corn and how to hunt. Soon, the pilgrims and the Wampanoag
In 1621
Unknown
native Americans became friends. The pilgrims grew crops and that
summer harvest was excellent. By November 1621, everyone had food
How many people were
and home. There was hope for the future. Then, the governor of the
there in the Mayflower? Pilgrim’s colonny decided to celebrate with a dinner this because he
50
Unknown wanted to thank God. That was the first Thanksgiving dinner, and it
120
continued for three days.

What is the Thanksgiving Today the traditional Thanksgiving meal is similar to the first. People
traditional meal?
Pumpkin Pie
eat roast turkey with cranberry sauce, potatoes and pumpkin pie. Many
Roast Turkey organisations also prepare a free meal for poor
Both and more
people in their towns or cities.
In New York, there are also
parades and more than
What was the name of two million people go
the first city they
founded?
and see it every year.
Plymouth
New York
Wampanoag

What’s the reason to

celebrate Thanksgiving?
Thank God
Religious festivity
Eat turkey.
 A Say if they are True (T), False (F) or Unknown (DS). Then, correct the
sentences by showing an evidence from the text.
T F DS
0. Canadians do not celebrate Thanksgiving.
..................................................................................
1. Americans celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth
Thursday of November.
.................................................................................
2. The tradition of Thanksgiving started with the
Pilgrims.
..................................................................................
3. There were only fifty people on the “Mayflower”.
..................................................................................
3. They settled a colony in the south-west coast,
and they called it Plymouth.
.................................................................................
4. The first winter in Plymouth was very difficult.
.................................................................................
5. Native Americans didn’t help them grow crops
and build houses.
.................................................................................
6. The first Thanksgiving diner continued for three
days.
.................................................................................
7. They weren’t very religious. That’s why they left.
.................................................................................

B Match each word with the suitable meaning.

a) Puritans 1) Native American tribe.

b) Voyage 2) Time to collect the crops.
c) Grow crops 3) Very religious people that follows religious rules
very strictly.
d) Wampanoag 4) Person who emigrates for some reason.
e) Pilgrim 5) Very large trip.
f) Harvest 6) Cultivate new products to harvest.

C Complete the letter of this pilgrim to his friend with the most
appropriate words/expressions.
My dear Thomas,
It is difficult to believe we arrived (0)______ nearly only one (1)______
ago. The voyage (2)_____ the “Mayflower” was terrible. We are lucky to be
alive.
We have our own (3)_______, and you’ll be surprised to know we have
called it Plymouth. Winter was very long and (4)_________. But the natives
have helped us friendly to (5)________ houses and (6)_______ crops. We have
worked a lot, and the (6) _________ has been good – we have a lot of food-.
Thank God for his help,
Your friend, William