Holidays & Events

Day of
the Dead
Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions

1. What is the main purpose of the Day of

the Dead festival? If you don’t know, guess.

2. Which countries celebrate this festival?

3. What do you think sugar skulls are,

and what do you think they are used for?

B. Vocabulary Preview

Match up as many words and meanings as you can.

Check this exercise again after seeing the words in context on page 2.

c 1. loved one a) used as a way to make money

h 2. altar b) dead

i 3. gravesite c) a relative or close friend

b 4. d) the living spirit of a dead person

deceased
e) to die
e 5. pass away
f) something you can’t physically touch
d 6. soul
g) sad and depressing , often to do with death
J 7. prosperity
h) a raised platform used in religious ceremonies and rituals
g 8. morbid
i) a place where a dead person’s remains are buried
a 9. commercialized j) wealth and well-being
f 10. intangible

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 Listening
Fill in the blanks as you listen to the recording.

1. The Day of the Dead (Dia de Los Muertos) is a

centuries-old Mexican festival for remembering
and _________honoring lost loved ones. The festival
begins on All Hallows ______October 31 st (October 31)
and ends on All Souls’ Day (November 2). According to age-old
Mexican beliefs, the dead return once a year to visit with the living.
2. During the Day of the Dead festival, family members build altars and
decorate gravesites for their relatives
and friends. On November 1, families honor the children who have
Passed away Fruits, nuts, and miniature
sugar skulls are placed on altars in homes and cemeteries
to attract the young souls for a visit. On November 2, the
souls of the adults are invited home.
Yellow marigolds (the flower of the dead), candles, and favorite foods
and beverages are offered to the spirits. In many traditional Mexican
families, a lot of time and money is spent to ensure that the dead
bring hope and prosperity to the family when they visit.

3. The Day of the Dead may sound like a morbid____holiday, but it is

actually a joyous occasion. Some families play cards and sing songs in
cemeteries, while others dance and share memories. Many spend all
night at the ______cemetery celebrating
their ancestors. This helps bring communities together and prevents
children from developing a fear of death.

4. The Day of the Dead originated in Mexico and spread throughout

Latin America. Today it is celebrated in many parts of the world,
including Italy, Spain, the Philippines, and parts of the US.
As it spreads, it becomes more _____commercialized .
Some Latino Americans fear that Halloween and the Day of the Dead
are becoming too closely associated. They worry that the traditions
of honoring the dead may soon be lost. In 2008, UNESCO declared
the Day of the Dead an “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.”
Intangible _____culture includes anything from
music and folklore to ceremonial dances.

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