FESTIVAL
1.Do you like celebrations?
Yes, absolutely. I love the atmosphere of excitement and joy when everyone comes together
to celebrate a special occasion. It’s the perfect excuse to let your hair down, forget about all of
your usual commitments and spend time with your beloved ones. With most celebrations,
there’s also usually amazing food and plenty of alcohol. So what’s not to love?
2.Which is your favourite festivals?
Lunar New Year has got to be my most favoured festival. It normally lasts for a week or more
allowing us a pretty long time to recharge our batteries. As well as this, new year always brings
a fresh feeling of the start of something new. No matter what happened, you always have a
second chance to make it great again in the new year. We all can celebrate new year with great
joy, hope and festivity for the upcoming year.
3.Are there many celebrations in your hometown?
Answer 1
Yes, Vietnam hosts of diverse array of festivals throughout the year. The most common ones
are New Year, Hung King’s Festival or Vu Lan festival. These types of festivals are celebrated
as a crucial part in our tradition. On those special occasions, we all have a great time enjoying
mouth-watering cuisine, music and dance of the people and magical firework displays which
are memorable for people of all ages.
Answer 2
Yes, we have several local celebrations such as summer and winter fairs and school leaving
days. My hometown also has a festival every summer where people dress up in costumes, parade
through the streets and send glowing lanterns floating into the sky at night.
4.What do you usually celebrate in your hometown?
Answer 1
Well, each festival brings an abundance of celebratory activities which are to be suitable with
each and every geographical region. Like the other place, we all celebrate big celebrations like
New Year, Christmas and birthdays or even Mid-Autumn Festival. We all enjoy good food and
good wine and spend quality time together.
Answer 2
Well, we have the usual big celebrations like Christmas, Easter, and birthdays. Additionally, we
also recognise some smaller events such as midsummer, harvest festival and bonfire night. This
last one is a particular favourite of mine. It takes place in November so it’s freezing cold.
Everyone gathers in a field to drink hot wine, sing songs, and watch fireworks. We also burn
effigies of Guy Fawkes on a huge bonfire. It really takes the biscuit for the strangest
celebration.
5.Do you think festivals are important?
Without a doubt. I mean, festivals are of great importance to any culture. They all bring
us golden opportunities to express our respect to the country’s ancestors and heroes. Most
people enjoy these precious times to get away from it all. Even more, with prayers
being associated with each of the festivals, they bring about so much positivity in life.
Vocabulary highlights:
1. Let yourhair down = to be more relaxed than usual and enjoy yourself = let go: tận hưởng nghỉ
ngơi
Example: just let go and have a little fun!
Example: i like to let my hair down on the dance floor.
2. Recharge your batteries= to rest so that you can get your energy back: nạp lại năng lượng
Example: i get four weeks holiday a year to recharge my batteries.
3. Turn over a new leaf= to start behaving in a better way: đổi đời (lật sang 1 trang mới)
Example: apparently he's turned over a new leaf and he's not smoking any more.
4. Firework noun /ˈfaɪə.wɜːk/: a small container filled with explosive chemicals that
produce bright coloured patterns or loud noises when they explode: pháo hoa
Example: a firework display
5. Costume noun/ˈkɒs.tʃuːm/: the set of clothes typical of a particular country or period of history,
or suitable for a particular activity: trang phục
Example: the dancers leading the procession were in colourful and elaborate costumes.
6. Lantern noun /ˈlæn.tən/: a light inside a container that has a handle for holding it or hanging it
up, or the container itself: đèn lồng
7. Abundance noun /əˈbʌn.dəns/: the situation in which there is more than enough of something:
phong phú, vô số
Example: there was an abundance of food at the wedding.
8. Midsummer noun /ˌmɪdˈsʌm.ər/: the period in the middle of summer:
Example: i don't normally take my holiday in midsummer.
9. Bonfire noun /ˈbɒn.faɪər/: a large fire that is made outside to burn unwanted things, or
for pleasure: lửa trại
10. Guy fawkes night noun /ˈɡaɪ fɔːks ˌnaɪt/ = bonfire night: in the uk, the evening of 5
november, when models of men, called guys, are burned on large fires outside and there
are firework displays. This is in memory of the failed attempt by guy fawkes to destroy
the houses of parliament in london in 1605 with explosives
11. Without (a) doubt= undoubtedly /ʌnˈdaʊ.tɪd.li/ (adv) used to emphasize your opinion: không còn
nghi ngờ gì nữa
Example: she is without (a) doubt the best student i have ever taught.
Example: she was undoubtedly the best candidate.
12. Festivity noun/fesˈtɪv.ə.ti/: festivities: the parties, meals, and other social activities with
which people celebrate a special occasion: các lễ hội
Example: come in and join the festivities! (hãy đến và tham gia các lễ hội!)
13. A host of: a large number of something: rất nhiều
Example: there’s a whole host of reasons why he didn't get the job.
14. Array noun /əˈreɪ/: a large group of things or people, especially one that is attractive
or causes admiration or has been positioned in a particular way: rất nhiều
Example: there was a splendid array of food on the table.
15. Get away from it all- if you get away from it all, you have a holiday in a place that is very
different from where you normally live and work: bỏ lại tất cả mọi thứ
Example:…the ravishing island of ischia, where rich italians get away from it all.
16. Precious adjective /ˈpreʃ.əs/: of great value because of being rare, expensive, or important: quý
báu
Example: a precious gift / a precious moment/memory
Part 2
Describe a festival that is important in your country. You should say:
When the festival occurs
What you did during it
What you like or dislike about it
And explain why this festival is important
Answer
I think the main festival in my country is Christmas, which is in late December. The main day
that is celebrated in the UK is Christmas Day, on 25th December, though we also have the day
off the following day, on Boxing Day, when many people visit friends and extended family.
I spent last Christmas with my family, and will also spend this one there too. We all get together
at my parents’ house, because it is large enough to host everyone. On Christmas morning, we
start preparing the meal, as it takes a long time to cook. We put the turkey or goose in the oven,
and then some of us go to church for a Christmas mass. The rest of us stay behind to carry on
cooking. At around midday, we gather round the Christmas tree, which is decorated with
baubles, tinsel, and fairy lights, and we open our presents, which are all placed under the tree the
night before. After that we have our Christmas dinner, which is always the same meal as it is a
traditional feast.
I love nearly everything about Christmas. There is a sense of anticipation and excitement in the
period leading up to Christmas, and then during the festival itself, families and friends spend
time together and most people have time off work. One thing I don’t like about Christmas is that
it is very commercialized, and it can be stressful getting ready for it!
This festival is important for many people, even for non-Christians. Many non-Christian people
in the UK enjoy the festive season without attaching any religious significance to it. It is our only
national holiday involving resting, feasting and the giving of gifts, and I think such times nurture
our souls.
Vocabulary
Boxing day: Ở Canada và Anh, ngày 26/12 được gọi là ngày Boxing day
Extended family: Đại gia đình (gồm ông bà, các cô, các chú, etc.)
We all get together: Tụ họp cùng nhau
To host everyone: Tổ chức tiệc cho mọi người.
Baubles: Trái châu
Tinsel: Dây kim tuyến
Fairy lights: Đèn dây (loại dùng để trang trí Giáng Sinh)
Feast: Bữa tiệc
There is a sense of anticipation and excitement: Cảm giác háo hức và phấn khích
Commercialized: Thương mại hóa.
Non-Christians: Người không theo đạo Thiên Chúa
Religious significance: Ý niệm tôn giáo
Nurture our souls: Nuôi dưỡng tâm hồn chúng ta
