UNIT 1

TET HOLIDAY/ VIETNAMESE LUNAR NEW YEAR

I. WARM – UP
1. News round-ups: Talk about the latest breaking news in the world/ region/
country.
2. Questions for discussion:
a. What do you often do before and during Tet holiday?
b. What are your most favorite activities during Tet holiday and why?
c. What are the differences in the way people in various regions in Vietnam
celebrate Tet holiday?
II. BEFORE LISTENING
1. True/False: Before listening to the news, guess whether the following
statements are True (T) or False (F)
a. Every country celebrates the New Year at the same time.
b. Korea has two New year celebrations
c. Bell-ringing is one of the traditional ceremony of Korean culture on New
Year.
d. Korean people wear traditional clothing, Hanbok, during New Year.
e. Tobokki is the Korean traditional food on New Year.
f. Vietnamese people believe that how people act during those days will
influence the whole year.
g. Spring roll is a popular New Year’s food.
h. Children receive lucky money during the holiday.
i. Canadian people welcome New Year days with skiing activities.
j. White clothes are believed to bring lucks to Canadian people.
III. WHILE LISTENING
1. Gap fill: Listen and fill in the gaps
Piece 1:
Not all countries celebrate the New Year at the same time. This is because
people in different areas have different ways (1)
_________________________. Some systems are based on the movement of the
moon. Others are based on the (2) ________________________. Still others are
based on both the sun and the moon.
Like much of Asia, Korea has two New Year celebrations. One is on January
first. The other is on the first day of the Lunar New Year. The Lunar New Year
begins on the day of the (3) ________________________ of the new year. The first
day of the Lunar New Year is called Sol-nal (sole-lahl). Sol-nal has many special
meanings and events. It is a day for family members to re-unite.
On the day before Sol-nal, Koreans place (4) ________________________ on
their doors and walls. This is supposed to protect their families from (5)
________________________ in the New Year. Some families attend a bell-ringing
ceremony.
Many Koreans make wishes for the New Year while (6)
________________________ Some wear traditional clothing. Family members
gather early in the morning to remember their ancestors. (7)
________________________, they eat a kind of rice cake soup. Koreans believe that
eating this food will (8) ________________________ year to their life.
After the meal, young people (9) ________________________ to honor their
parents and older adults. This means good health and (10)
________________________. Many parents give the children money.

Piece 2:
Vietnam's New Year is officially known as Tet Nguyen Dan, or Tet. It begins
between (1) ________________________ and February nineteenth. The exact date
changes from year to year.
Tet lasts ten days. (2) ________________________ are the most
important. Vietnamese people believe that how people act during those days will
influence the whole year. As a result, they make every effort (3)
________________________ and smile as much as possible.
Many Vietnamese people prepare for the holiday by (4)
________________________ and cleaning their homes. Some people believe that
(5) ________________________ live in their homes. They say these gods (6)
________________________ and protect family members.
Just before the first day of Tet, the mother or grandmother in each family (7)
________________________. This is done to welcome the New Year. Then people
go to sleep and wait for (8) ________________________. At sunrise, they get up
and put on new clothes. Rice cake is a popular New Year's food.
Like people in Scotland, Vietnamese people believe that the first person (9)
________________________ on New Year's Day brings either good or bad
luck. Children receive (10) ________________________ as they do in other
 countries. Some Vietnamese families give money or other gifts to visitors during the
holiday.
Piece 3:
British Columbia, Canada has an interesting New Year's tradition. People (1)
________________________ put on swimwear and dive into the (2)
________________________ of English Bay, near Vancouver. The yearly event is
called the Polar Bear Swim. It is named for the large, white animals (3)
________________________ northern Canada. The Polar Bear Swim started about
(4) ________________________. Today, the event has grown to more than two
thousand divers. Thousands of other people watch the event.
In Brazil, New Year celebrations also (5) ________________________ But it is
the warm water of the Atlantic Ocean. Millions of people go to the beach on New
Year's Eve to (6) ________________________. They wear white clothes to welcome
the New Year and to (7) ________________________Some people (8)
________________________ the waves and throw flowers into the water while they
make wishes for the New Year. Others (9) ________________________ on the beach.
However you (10) ________________________ the holiday, we in Special
English wish all our listeners a Happy New Year!
IV. AFTER LISTENING
1. Further discussion: Do more research on the following topics: Korean Sol-nal,
Vietnamese Tet holiday, and New Year’s tradition in British Columbia, Canada.
 Share your findings with your partners.
 Make questions using the words you found.
 Ask your partner/group your questions.

2. Group Presentation: Explore festivals celebrated in different parts of the world.

You may focus on the following festivals:

 Carnival (Brazil);
 King’s Day (Netherlands);
 Korean Sol-nal;
 Songkran (Thailand);

Each group should cover the following points:

- Where and how did the festival originate?

- What activities, rituals, or customs are associated with it?
- Why is the festival important to the community?
 - How is the festival celebrated today?
V. WRITING: Write about Tet holiday for 10 minutes. Correct your partner’s
paper.
VI. HOMEWORK: Prepare for next week topic on United Nations

List of essential words

Kitchen God day Lucky money

The Lunar New Year Festival First visit to a family in the new year/ to
first foot/ First footer /a first caller
Lantern Festival
To celebrate
New Year’s Eve
To make offerings of
Family Reunion
To burn ghost money
A five-fruit tray
To pay their respects to Buddha
A kumquat tree
To pray for inner peace and happiness
Peach Blossoms/ Yellow Apricot
Blossoms The traditional procession (đám rước,
diễu hành truyền thống)
Feast (n)
The spiritual rituals (nghi thức tâm linh)
Candied fruit
Clasp hands (v.phr) chắp tay
Incense sticks
Burning ghost money (hóa vàng)
First three days of the New Year
Before New Year’s Eve party/Year-end
Lantern Festival (Full moon of the 1st
Party
month) (Tết Nguyên Tiêu)

Altar