Saint Patrick’s Day

In the 1971 film The Flight of the Doves, an Irish policeman lifts up a little English
girl so that she can see the nearby parade for Saint Patrick’s Day. He tells her, ‘It’s a
great day for the Irish.’ The little girl exclaims, ‘I’m not Irish!’, to which the
policeman replies, ‘You don’t have to be Irish to be Irish!’ Saint Patrick’s Day is the
national day of Ireland. Every 17 March, the day is celebrated around the globe by
millions of people, Irish and not-so-Irish. Patrick, the man Did you know that Saint
Patrick himself was not actually Irish? It is thought that he was either Scottish or
Welsh, coming from a wealthy Christian family. Ancient documents suggest that, as a
teenager, he was taken by Irish pirates to work as a slave in Ireland. Once in his new
country, he began to talk to Irish people about God, introducing his Christian beliefs
to the country.
Patrick and the snakes
Old legends say that, years ago, Ireland had a lot of snakes and that Saint Patrick used
his powers to chase them all into the sea. To this day, Ireland has many old statues of
Saint Patrick, often with snakes at his feet. Apparently, this is why Ireland has no
native species of snakes (though most scientists suggest that this fact could be more
related to geographical reasons!).
International popularity
March 17 is a day for huge celebrations in Ireland. However, due to Ireland’s history
of emigration, many people around the world consider themselves to be partly Irish
because of their ancestral connections. This means that Saint Patrick’s Day parties
take place around the world, from Boston to Tokyo, Sydney to Buenos Aires. In fact,
Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated in more countries than any other national festival.
Big parades
The most famous celebrations on Saint Patrick’s Day are the parades. These are
carnival-like events, where people dress up and walk along the street, dancing or
playing music. Often the parades include big lorries, specially decorated in green.
Many of the world’s major cities have enormous parades. The largest is in New York,
where 150,000 people participate in the parade and millions of people watch. The
second largest is in Dublin, Ireland’s capital city.
More ‘modest’ parades
Ireland itself is a relatively small country with few cities. However, most of its towns
and villages have their own ‘mini’ parades. Sometimes, these simply include a few
tractors and the children from the local school. The shortest known parade used to
take place in the village of Dripsey, in southern Ireland. The length of the parade was
just 23 metres, between the village’s two pubs. However, the Dripsey parade came to
an end when one of the two pubs sadly closed down!
A day for green
Another well-known aspect of Saint Patrick’s Day is the colour green. Around the
world, many people wear green clothes as a way of marking the day. In major cities,
green lights illuminate famous global landmarks such as the Colosseum in Rome or
the Christ The Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro. In Chicago, thousands of people
watch as special boats dye the river a bright green colour. Students at Miami
University in Ohio, USA, even have a 70-year-old tradition of drinking special green
‘Saint Patrick’s’ beer! Wherever you’re from, make sure you celebrate this 17 March
by watching your local parade, drinking some Irish beer or perhaps just by wearing a
silly green hat. And don’t forget to wish your friends a wonderful Saint Patrick’s
Day, or, as they say in Ireland, ‘Happy Paddy’s Day!’
I.True or False:
1. Saint Patrick was born in the 17th century.
2. Legends say Saint Patrick removed all snakes from England.
3. New York City has one of the largest Saint Patrick's Day parades in the world.
4. The Dripsey parade was famous for being the longest Saint Patrick's Day parade.
5. Wearing green is a common tradition on Saint Patrick's Day.
6. The Colosseum in Rome is sometimes illuminated in green for Saint Patrick's Day.
7. Saint Patrick's Day is only celebrated in English-speaking countries.
8. Saint Patrick was a pirate.
9. Chicago dyes its river green for Saint Patrick’s Day.
10. The scientist agree that the snakes where removed by Saint Patrick.

II. Choose the correct answer.

1. Saint Patrick is originated from:

a) Ireland b) France c) Scotland or Wales d) Spain

2. According to legends, Saint Patrick is known for:

a) Building castles b) Chasing snakes out of Ireland c) Discovering new lands d) Writing
poetry

3. Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated on:

a) March 7th b) March 17th c) April 7th d) April 17th

4. The largest Saint Patrick's Day parade takes place in:

a) Dublin b) London c) New York d) Boston

5. The color most associated with Saint Patrick's Day is:

a) Red b) Blue c) Green d) Yellow

6. The Dripsey parade was known for being:

a) The longest parade b) The shortest parade c) The most colorful parade
 d) The most musical parade

7. The tradition of wearing green is a way of:

a) Showing respect to royalty b) Marking the celebration of the day c) Signaling a secret
code d) Avoiding bad luck

8. The river in Chicago is dyed green by:

a) Fish b) Chemical boats c) Plants d) Rain

9. Many people around the world feel partly Irish due to:

a) Tourism b) Ancestral connections c) Business trips d) Political reasons

10. The main purpose of the parades is:

a) To protest b) To celebrate c) To sell goods d) To exercise