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    Christmas Traditions

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    Nelly
    Reading practice

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Christmas Traditions

    Uploaded by

    Nelly
    10 views5 pages
    Reading practice

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

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    DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

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    Reading practice

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    10 views5 pages

    Christmas Traditions

    Uploaded by

    Nelly
    Reading practice

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
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    EDUCATIVE UNIT CONSEJO PROVINCIAL DE PICHINCHA

    READING PRACTICE N 3
    NAME:___________________________________ DATE: _____________________________
    CLASS: __________________________________ SCHOOL YEAR : 2016- 2017

    Christmas Traditions
    Christmas is probably the most festive time of the year, a season of gift-giving and
    celebration. We all know that Christmas is a religious holiday which marks the birth of
    Jesus Christ. But did you also know that some of the traditions are adapted from rituals
    dating back to a time before Christianity?

    Many pagan people regarded the winter solstice as a time of celebration. Anticipating
    the return of spring, people decorated their homes with evergreen plants, a symbol of
    eternal life. Mistletoe was especially popular, as it was believed to have magic powers.
    People hung sprigs of mistletoe in their homes and kissed beneath them as a gesture of
    friendship. At pagan festivals there was also a lot of singing and dancing going on
    dancing in a circle is the original meaning of the word carol.

    Still now we keep these traditions up: we sing Christmas carols and dance around in
    circles, we kiss beneath the mistletoe and we decorate our homes with Christmas trees.
    By the way, did you know that it was a German who set the trend of decorating
    Christmas trees in England? It was Prince Albert, Queen Victorias husband. When he
    moved to England, Christmas trees had already been popular in continental Europe, but
    not in England. In 1841, Prince Albert put up a Christmas tree at Windsor Castle. The
    event was reported in the press; and as the whole country was very keen on the royal
    family, people enthusiastically took up the custom of decorating a tree at Christmas.

    Answer the questions according to the text. ( 3 POINTS )

    1. What did pagan people celebrate at this time of the year?


    the birth of Jesus Christ
    the winter solstice
    the magic powers of mistletoe
    2. What does the word carol originally mean?
    to dance in a circle
    to sing Christmas songs
    to sing and dance around the Christmas tree
    3. According to the text, which statement is correct?
    The royal family was the first Europeans who had a Christmas tree.
    Many people went to Windsor Castle to see the Christmas tree.
    Queen Victoria had a German husband.
    Christmas in England
    In English speaking countries, children dont get their presents on Christmas Eve (24
    December). Santa comes at night when everyone is asleep. Santas reindeer can fly and take
    him from house to house. They land on the roofs of the houses and then Santa climbs down
    the chimney to leave the presents under the Christmas tree.

    In the morning of Christmas Day (25 December), children usually get up very early to unwrap
    their presents. Then they have plenty of time to play with their new toys.

    Christmas dinner is served in the early afternoon. Most people eat turkey and sprouts and a
    Christmas pudding.

    26 December is called Boxing Day. It hasnt always been a holiday. People used to go back to
    work on that day where their bosses gave them little Christmas presents in small boxes. Thats
    why the day is called Boxing Day.

    Answer the questions according to the text. ( 3 POINTS )

    1. Santas sleigh lands


    in front of the house
    in the sitting room

    on top of the house

    2. Santa puts the presents

    under the tree


    in the chimney
    in his bag

    3. Why is 26 December called Boxing Day?


    People used to fight for their presents on that day.
    People hang around all day watching TV.
    People received little gift boxes on that day.
    AND COLOR IT ( 4 POINTS )
    (20 POINTS )
    ( 10 POINTS )

    I wish you a very Happy New Year.


    Hope you have a great time ahead.

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