UNIT 5.

OUR CUSTOMS
AND TRADITIONS
A. PHONETICS
I. Underline the words having the sound /n/ or /ŋ/.
1. It is a tradition that the young look after the old in their family.
2. The offering includes wine, chicken, fish, steamed sticky rice, and fruits.
3. This museum has a fine display of old medical instruments.
4. She’s studying ethnic languages and culture.
5. Their wedding ceremony will be held in June.
6. We enjoy going to church and worshiping God.
7. Humans are now more successful at extending longevity.
8. I can hardly thank you enough for your kindness.
9. In spring nature wakes from a long winter sleep.
10. I don’t think the rain would last long.
II. Choose the word whose underlined port is pronounced differently from that of the others.
1. A. sun B. country C. sing D. knife
2. A. hand B. strong C. gong D. wing
3. A. fun B. drink C. son D. wind
4. A. run B. again C. donkey D. noon
5. A. uncle B. monkey C. tank D. woman

B. VOCABULARY
I. Match the words to make meaningful phrases.
1. martial arts a. flowers that are opening up and revealing their petals
2. whale worship b. items that decorate a place and make it look more beautiful, lively and
 aesthetic
3. family reunion c. people attending a festival
4. festival goers d. the ritual by which two people get married
5. bamboo pole e. a large gathering for family members
6. communal house f. various sports or skills that originated as forms of self-defense or
attack, such as judo, karate, and kendo
7. decorative items g. the ritual of giving foods to ancestors or gods
8. blooming flowers h. practice of fishermen who believe that the whale’s spirits will protect
them on the sea
9. wedding ceremony i. a traditional architectural work in a Vietnamese village, a place for
worshipping the god helping and protecting the villagers
10. food offerings j. a tree that is put up in front of one’s house on Lunar New Year to expel
evils and pray for good luck
II. Complete the sentences with the phrases in part I.
1. Among the _____________________ of Viet Nam, Vovinam is now the
largest and most developed one.

2. They clean their houses and place a variety of _____________________

such as vegetables and fruits to the spirits of ancestors.

3. Tet is for _____________________ because Vietnamese people usually

return to their families for Tet.

4. _____________________, which represents the rich spiritual life of the

local people, is a typical architecture of Viet Nam.

5. _____________________ can be considered as the official announcement

about marriage of a couple.
 6. Millions of Buddhist followers and _____________________ flock to
Huong pagoda to celebrate the Huong Pagoda Festival.

7. _____________________ is a traditional cultural practice of coastal fishing

communities in central and southern Viet Nam.

8. Many Vietnamese families have a custom of erecting a

________________, called neu tree, in front of their house on the last day of
the year.

9. Tet is an occasion that marks the return of spring - the season of sprouting
trees and _____________________.

10. Lanterns are usually used as _____________________ in festivals and

New Year time in Hoi An ancient town.

III. Choose the best answer to complete the sentences.

1. Parents usually want their ____________ to follow the family traditions.
A. ancestors B. offspring C. relatives D. generations
2. My table ____________ aren’t as good at home as when I’m at a restaurant.
A. gestures B. behaviours C. manners D. postures
3. We should ____________ our customs and traditions wherever we live.
A. respect B. break C. allow D. Take
4. Honouring teachers is a ____________ that dates back at least a thousand years.
A. custom B. tradition C. regulation D. necessity
5. Do you always use ____________ a at your meals? - No, sometimes we sit on chairs.
A. tray B. cutlery C. mat D. pair of chopsticks
6. The most important place in their home is a shrine they used to ____________ their ancestors.
A. accept B. pass down C. worship D. follow
7. ____________ naming girls after flowers is becoming less common in my place.
A. It’s the custom that B. According to tradition,
C. There is a tradition that D. The custom of
8. It’s necessary to ____________ the plates in newspaper to stop them from breaking.
A. wrap B. place C. fold D. get
9. We ____________ tradition by travelling abroad instead of celebrating Tet at home.
A. looked to B. passed down C. followed up D. broke with
10. Do you know that people must use ____________ when they eat beefsteak?
A. knife and fork B. fork and chopsticks
C. spoon and knife D. knife and chopsticks
IV. Write the correct form of the word in brackets.
1. The custom of ____________ ancestors is popular among Vietnamese people. (worship)
2. We have a long tradition of giving ____________ money to children during Tet. (luck)
3. The children in their village are always ____________ to their elders. (respect)
4. The village’s name often becomes the trademark of handicraft products made by its ____________.
(village)
5. Is Ham Rong mountain filled with ____________ blossoms of orchid in springtime? (bloom)
6. Yellow apricot blossoms are a ____________ symbol of Tet in southern Viet Nam. (tradition)
7. On Vu Lan Festival, many Vietnamese people go to pagodas to chant ____________ and give
offerings to Buddha. (pray)
8. Tet is an opportunity for family members to ____________ and honour the traditional values of the
homeland. (reunion)
9. Vietnamese traditional paintings are diverse, serving both spiritual and ____________ purposes.
(decorate)
10. There are ____________ rules and etiquette around the British tradition of drinking tea. (society)

C. GRAMMAR
I. Fill in the blanks with a or an.
1. Sli singing is _____ original genre of Nung folk song.
2. The Cham people once boasted _____ flourishing culture early in the history.
3. Food is _____ important part of Vietnamese culture.
4. The Museum of Ethnology offers _____ insight into 54 ethnic groups of Viet Nam.
5. _____ small number of ethnic minorities in Viet Nam lived semi-nomadic life.
6. Hoi An is _____ ancient town on the coastal plain of Quang Nam.
7. very popular belief among Vietnamese is the custom of the ancestor cult.
8. Vietnamese culture is characterized by _____ series of unique customs and traditions.
9. Food is _____ ideal symbolic marker of festivity in many countries.
10. The Viet people succeeded in establishing _____ centralized monarchy right in the 10th century.
II. Fill in the blanks with a, an, the, or  (zero article).
1. Viet Nam is _____ S-shaped country located in _____ centre of Southeast Asia.
2. In Japan, Shinto is _____ ethnic religion focusing on _____ ceremonies and rituals.
3. Israel has _____ dynamic, creative and diverse culture, but its holidays and festivals are all based on
_____ Hebrew calendar.
4. The dhoti is _____ type of traditional clothing for Indian men, which is _____ unstitched piece of
cloth that is tied around the waist and legs.
5. Pho is _____ unique food of _____ Viet Nam.
6. They will attend _____ event to bring their culture closer to _____ international friends.
7. Is it true that there is _____ altar in _____ every Vietnamese home and business?
8. _____ culture of Viet Nam is _____ customs and traditions of _____ Kinh people and other _____
ethnic groups of Viet Nam.
9. Ancestor worship is widely practiced, with _____ elaborate rites and ceremonies to honour _____
family members.
10. Worshiping their ancestors is _____ important custom in _____ tradition of _____ Kinh people.
III. Choose the best answer to complete the sentences.
1. Vietnamese people celebrate _____ Tet annually, which is based on _____ lunisolar calendar.
A.  -  B.  - a C. the - the D. the – a
2. Farmers traditionally use Tet as _____ opportunity to remember _____ gods of harvest.
A. the - the B. a -  C.  -  D. an – the
3. Handicrafts would be _____ inevitable part if you want to buy _____ gifts when visiting Viet Nam.
A.  - the B. a - the C. an -  D.  - 
4. _____ Khmer people are _____ indigenous ethnic minority with _____ long history of settlement.
A. The - an - a B.  -  -  C. The - the - the D.  - a – an
5. _____ O Du’s culture is an indispensable part of ethnic culture in _____ Nghe An province.
A. The -  B. The - a C.  -  D.  - a
6. _____ National Village for Ethnic Culture is _____ excellent place to learn about Vietnam’s ethnic
groups.
A. The - the B.  - a C. A - an D. The – an
7. If good things come to _____ family on _____ first day of the New Year, _____ entire following year
will also be full of blessings.
A. the - a - the B.  - the - an C. a - the - the D. a - a – an
8. _____ Mong Culture Festival is an opportunity to introduce and honour _____ values of _____
Mong people’s traditions.
A.  - the -  B. The -  - the C. A - the -  D. The - the – the
9. The black Thai's pieii scarf is _____ symbol of love and _____ important clothing accessory for
_____ women.
A. a - the - the B. a - an -  C.  - a - the D. the - the - 
10. _____ evident gap in the material and spiritual life has still existed between peoples living in
_____ deltas and those living in _____ mountain areas.
A.  - a - the B. An - the - the C. The - the -  D.  -  - the
IV. Choose the underlined part that needs correcting.
1. Viet Nam has an unique culture that has undergone over the millennia.
A. has B. an C. has undergone D. the
2. A special large conical hat give Vietnamese women an elegant look.
A. A B. give C. an D. look
3. Should foreigners leave a hug when greeting Vietnamese people for first time?
A. a hug B. greeting C. for D. first time
4. It is importantly to have a general feel for the values and customs of a culture.
A. importantly B. a C. the D. a
5. Songkran, a festival in Thailand, is one of the most important events in a Buddhist calendar.
A. Songkran B. Thailand C. the most important D. a
6. The culture of Philippines is a blend of Filipino and Spanish Catholic traditions.
A. The B. Philippines C. a D. traditions
7. In Japan, a bow can range from a small nod of the head to deep bend at the waist.
A. a B. a C. the D. deep bend
8. Vu Lan Festival, a honoured tradition, is dedicated to the deceased parents, grandparents, and
ancestors.
A. a B. is C. the D. and
9. In Viet Nam’s traditional society, a typical family can have three or four generations living under
same roof.
A. In B. a C. living D. same roof
10. Vietnamese New Year, known as Tet, is a celebration of a Lunar New Year in Vietnamese culture.
A. known as B. a C. a D. in

D. SPEAKING
I. Match the sentences.
1. Do you always use chopsticks and spoons to take a. Yes, you should always do that.
food?
2. We have a custom of having a big family meal on b. Do they also visit their friends?
Sundays.
3. Are there differences between customs and c. Perhaps you should wait for the host to
traditions? start eating.
4. Is there any unspoken rule of gift giving in your d. We pray for good health and luck.
country?
5. What do you usually do at a pagoda? e. Yes. But you can only do that at Tet.
6. They have a tradition of visiting relatives at Tet. f. Yes, It’s a good idea to hand a gift with both
hands.
7. What family event do you often take part in, g. No. Sometimes we use forks.
Loan?
8. What should I do when having meal with a h. Which meal is it, lunch or dinner?
Vietnamese family?
9. Should I take off my shoes before entering the i. Yes, there are some. I think so.
house?
10. The custom of giving lucky money at Tet is j. Oh, we have lots of events, but I like family
 great. meals the most.
Answer:
1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 10-
II. Put the sentences into the correct order to make a conversation.
___ Really? What have you learned about them so far?
___ You can see men wearing their ao dai in some festivals, ceremonies, art shows, weddings...
___ That’s really interesting to know! I should read more about this.
___ No, I can’t. What is it?
_1_ Hi, Abigail. What are you doing?
___ The ao dai is a Vietnamese national costume. Vietnamese women usually wear ao dai on
special occasions. They also wear it at many workplaces. Girls wear white ao dai in high
schools.
___ What is interesting? I’d like to know if you can tell some facts about it.
___ That’s true. But there’s one more thing. Can you guess?
___ In the past, Vietnamese men had to wear men’s ao dai, which is similar to women’s ao dai.
Today they don’t have to wear it in daily activities.
___ Hi, Duong. I’m reading about Vietnamese customs and traditions.
___ Well, I’ve just started reading, but I know something interesting about ao dai.
___ Oh! That’s why I’ve never seen Vietnamese men wearing ao dai. Are there any opportunities
to see it?

E. READING
I. Read the passage and do the task.
When mentioning Tet, the children normally think of “Li Xi”. Giving each other best wishes and giving
the children “Li xi” have become indispensable parts of Tet. Children are extremely happy and excited
when receiving “Li Xi” from adults. “Li Xi” or lucky money is a small amount of money put in a red
envelope which is given to children as a token of luck and best wishes. The old also get “Li Xi” from
their children with a bless for a new year of health, peace and happiness. It is a common belief that
the money can bring good fortune to the upcoming year.
Traditionally, in the morning of the first day of Lunar New Year, children will visit their grandparents’
home and give them wishes for good health and long life. It is the chance for the kids to show their
respect and gratitude toward previous generations. After that, grandparents will give the children “Li
xi” to welcome their new age. They also wish their grandchildren health, progress in study...
This traditional ritual still remains preserved until today; and “Li Xi” tradition has been an
indispensable part of many generations’ childhood. Although the amount of the money is small, the
meaning that lucky money brings is very great. It not only presents the best wishes of the adults for
the kids, but also demonstrates a succession of generations.
A. Match the words with their definitions.
1. indispensable a. to show or prove something clearly
2. token b. something that represents a feeling, fact, event, etc.
3. ritual c. a number of similar people that exist after each other
4. demonstrate d. too important not to have
5. succession e. something that is done regularly and always in the same
Answer:
1- 2- 3- 4- 5-
B. Answer the questions.
1. How do the children feel when receiving “Li Xi” from adults?
2. What does “Li Xi” given to children at Tet represent?
3. Is it the custom that only children receive lucky money on the first day of Lunar New Year?
4. What will the children wish their grandparents?
5. What does the tradition of giving “Li Xi” to children in families prove?
II. Choose the best answer to fill in the blanks.
Table manners are very different in every country. For example, when you are in England you must
not lift your soup plate to your mouth. This is very impolite. But when you are in Japan this is
completely (1) ________________. Lifting your plate to your mouth in Japan is a traditional way of
drinking your soup. And also in Japan you don’t have to worry about making noise when you drink it.
It just shows that you really like the food! But it is not the same in Britain so you (2)
________________ make noise when eating there.
In Britain people don’t put their hands or elbows on the table during the meal. But in Mexico, guests
keep their hands on the table all the time. In fact, you should watch what your hands do very
carefully. In Arab countries it is (3) ________________ when you eat with your left hand so don’t do
it!
In all the cultures it is impolite to speak when you are eating. Also you should leave some food on
your plate because it is considered impolite if you eat everything. In Ukraine you should not start
eating first, you should wait for all the others to start eating with you. You also have to say ‘please’
and ‘thank you’ every time you ask and (4) ________________ something. If you don’t like some
food, don’t make (5) ________________ and sounds that show this and don’t say: “Yuk! I hate that!”
The best way to avoid making mistakes in other countries is to watch the host and try to follow them.
1. A. usual B. normal C. simple D. regular
2. A. must B. should C. shouldn’t D. don’t have to
3. A. impolite B. important C. unpleasant D. unpopular
4. A. give B. offer C. answer D. get
5. A. noises B. mistakes C. comments D. faces

F. WRITING
I. Rearrange the words to make meaningful sentences.
1. great way / Story telling / a / to / is / local tradition / the / alive / keep
___________________________________________________________________________________
2. a / stay out / It’s / custom / becoming / for us / late / to / on / New Year’s Eve
___________________________________________________________________________________
3. temple or / shouldn’t / wear / when / a / a / a / go into / hat / you / pagoda / You
___________________________________________________________________________________
4. hark work / Many / is / important Vietnamese value / think that / people / an
___________________________________________________________________________________
5. The / Japanese lion dance / the / are / popular / Vietnamese unicorn dance and / both
___________________________________________________________________________________
6. at / My mum / always / to / our ancestors / worship / Tet holiday / prepares offerings
___________________________________________________________________________________
7. Sometimes / by / have dinner / going out / to / at / Western restaurant / we / a / break tradition/
with
___________________________________________________________________________________
8. Having dinner / at / my grandparents’ house / is / a / custom / we / practise / every Sunday
___________________________________________________________________________________
II. Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first one.
1. It’s not necessary for customers to tip for poor services.
 Customers don’t
2. My family traditionally cooks banh chung at Tet holiday.
 My family follows a tradition
3. Speaking loudly inside a temple or pagoda is impolite.
You shouldn’t
4. It’s mandatory for him to learn to use chopsticks for eating rice.
 He must
5. You should greet people with a warm handshake in formal places.
 It’s a good idea to
6. They will probably travel to Japan to experience Japanese lifestyle.
 They might
7. Our custom is to take off hats before going into the house.
 We have the custom
8. You shouldn’t touch another person’s head because it’s disrespectful.
 It’s disrespectful for