Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Nowruz (Persian New Year). Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Nowruz is the name of the Iranian New Year and is also called the Persian New Year. It marks the first day of spring. Nowruz is usually celebrated on March 21, or the previous or following day. The exact day depends on the country celebrating it. It has been a celebration for people from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds for thousands of years. Nowruz originated in a geographical area that was called Greater Persia. This is modern-day Iran, Western Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. To celebrate, people put a special festive display in their house called a "Haft Seen". Grass is part of the display and when it grows, people are happy because it is a sign of eternal life.
Nowruz has some of its history in the Zoroastrianism religion. The term Nowruz first appeared in writing in the 2nd century AD. In 2010, the United Nations recognized the International Day of Nowruz. The U.N. described the holiday as a spring festival of Persian origin that has been celebrated for over 3,000 years. The U.N. said Nowruz: "Promotes values of peace and solidarity between generations and within families as well as reconciliation and neighbourliness". It added that the holiday contributes to "cultural diversity and friendship among peoples and different communities". In the month leading up to Nowruz, people clean their homes to prepare for the New Year.
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.
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PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
The exact day depends
a.
festive display in their house
2
people from diverse ethnic
b.
on the country celebrating it
3.
a geographical area that
c.
of eternal life
4.
This is modern-
d.
was called Greater Persia
5.
celebrate, people put a special
e.
and religious backgrounds
6.
it is a sign
f.
day Iran
Paragraph 2
1.
The term Nowruz first appeared
a.
of Persian origin
2
a spring festival
b.
diversity
3.
peace and solidarity
c.
prepare for the New Year
4.
cultural
d.
up to Nowruz
5.
In the month leading
e.
in writing in the 2nd century
6.
people clean their homes to
f.
between generations
LISTENING GAP FILL
Nowruz (1) ___________________ Iranian New Year and is also called the Persian New Year. It (2) ___________________ of spring. Nowruz is usually celebrated on March 21, or the previous or following day. The exact (3) ___________________ country celebrating it. It has been a celebration for people from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds for thousands of years. Nowruz originated in a geographical (4) ___________________ Greater Persia. This is modern-day Iran, Western Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. To celebrate, people put (5) ___________________ in their house called a "Haft Seen". Grass is part of the display and when it grows, people are happy because it is (6) ___________________.
Nowruz has (7) ___________________ in the Zoroastrianism religion. The term Nowruz first appeared in writing in (8) ___________________. In 2010, the United Nations recognized the International Day of Nowruz. The U.N. described the holiday as a spring festival of Persian origin (9) ___________________ for over 3,000 years. The U.N. said Nowruz: "Promotes values of peace and solidarity (10) ___________________ and within families as well as reconciliation and neighbourliness". It added that the holiday contributes to "(11) ___________________ and friendship among peoples and different communities". In (12) ___________________ to Nowruz, people clean their homes to prepare for the New Year.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
Nowruz is the name of the Iranian New Year and is also (1) ____________ the Persian New Year. It marks the first day of spring. Nowruz is usually (2) ____________ on March 21, or the (3) ____________ or following day. The exact day depends on the country celebrating it. It has been a celebration for people from (4) ____________ ethnic and religious backgrounds for thousands of years. Nowruz (5) ____________ in a geographical area that was called Greater Persia. This is modern-day Iran, Western Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. To celebrate, people put a special (6) ____________ display in their house called a "Haft Seen". Grass is (7) ____________ of the display and when it grows, people are happy because it is a sign of (8) ____________ life.
festive previous called originated eternal celebrated diverse part
Nowruz has some of its (9) ____________ in the Zoroastrianism religion. The term Nowruz first (10) ____________ in writing in the 2nd century AD. In 2010, the United Nations recognized the International Day of Nowruz. The U.N. described the holiday as a spring festival of Persian (11) ____________ that has been celebrated for over 3,000 years. The U.N. said Nowruz: "Promotes (12) ____________ of peace and solidarity between (13) ____________ and within families as well as reconciliation and neighbourliness". It added that the holiday contributes to "(14) ____________ diversity and friendship among peoples and different communities". In the month (15) ____________ up to Nowruz, people clean their homes to (16) ____________ for the New Year.
generations leading
appeared
prepare
origin
history
cultural
values
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Nowruz is the name / naming of the Iranian New Year and is also called the Persian New Year. It markets / marks the first day of spring. Nowruz is usually celebrated / celebration on March 21, or the previous or following / follow-up day. The exact day depends on the country celebrating it. It has been a celebration for people from diverse ethnic and religion / religious backgrounds for thousands of years. Nowruz originated in a geographical area that was called Greater Persia. This is modern-day Iran, Western Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. To celebrate, people put a specially / special festive display in their house called a "Haft Seen". Grass is part of the display and when it grew / grows, people are happy because it is a sign of eternal / eternally life.
Nowruz has some / many of its history in the Zoroastrianism religion. The term Nowruz first appeared / appearance in writing in the 2nd century AD. In 2010, the United Nations recognized the International Day of Nowruz. The U.N. described a / the holiday as a spring festival of Persian origin that has been celebrated for above / over 3,000 years. The U.N. said Nowruz: "Promotes values of peace / piece and solidarity between generations and within families as well as reconciliation / reconcile and neighbourliness". It added that the holiday contributes to "cultural diversion / diversity and friendship among peoples and different communities". In the month leading up to Nowruz, people clean their homes to prepare of / for the New Year.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Nowruz is the (1) ____ of the Iranian New Year and is also called the Persian New Year. It marks the first day of spring. Nowruz is usually (2) ____ on March 21, or the previous or following day. The (3) ____ day depends on the country celebrating it. It has been a celebration for people from diverse ethnic and religious (4) ____ for thousands of years. Nowruz originated in a geographical area that was called Greater Persia. This is modern-day Iran, Western Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. To celebrate, people put a special (5) ____ display in their house called a "Haft Seen". Grass is part of the display and when it grows, people are happy because it is a sign of (6) ____ life.
Nowruz has some of its (7) ____ in the Zoroastrianism religion. The term Nowruz first appeared (8) ____ writing in the 2nd century AD. In 2010, the United Nations recognized the International Day of Nowruz. The U.N. described the holiday as a spring festival of Persian (9) ____ that has been celebrated for over 3,000 years. The U.N. said Nowruz: "Promotes values of peace and solidarity between generations and (10) ____ families as well as reconciliation and neighbourliness". It added that the holiday contributes to "cultural (11) ____ and friendship among peoples and different communities". In the month leading (12) ____ to Nowruz, people clean their homes to prepare for the New Year.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
name
(b)
naming
(c)
named
(d)
name's
2.
(a)
celebratory
(b)
celebration
(c)
celebrated
(d)
celebrate
3.
(a)
contact
(b)
exact
(c)
enact
(d)
pretext
4.
(a)
backgrounds
(b)
foregrounds
(c)
grounding
(d)
grounds
5.
(a)
festivities
(b)
festival
(c)
restive
(d)
festive
6.
(a)
forever
(b)
lengthy
(c)
external
(d)
eternal
7.
(a)
history
(b)
days
(c)
mission
(d)
reports
8.
(a)
on
(b)
of
(c)
in
(d)
at
9.
(a)
base
(b)
origin
(c)
dawn
(d)
daybreak
10.
(a)
without
(b)
nuclear
(c)
middle
(d)
within
11.
(a)
division
(b)
diversity
(c)
dividends
(d)
divinity
12.
(a)
down
(b)
over
(c)
up
(d)
through
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
tcaebledre on March 21
2.
the ivopuser or following day
3.
people from diverse ethnic and uigreiols backgrounds
4.
a chpliergogaa area
5.
a special seitvfe display
6.
it is a sign of lenrate life
Paragraph 2
7.
the Zoroastrianism leoriign
8.
The term Nowruz first reaaepdp in writing
9.
values of peace and oaydlirsit
10.
between trgeisonean and within families
11.
cultural esivyidtr
12.
the month alingde up to Nowruz
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
people put a special festive display in their house called a "Haft Seen". Grass is part of the display and when it
( )
of spring. Nowruz is usually celebrated on March 21, or the previous or following day. The exact day depends
( )
families as well as reconciliation and neighbourliness". It added that the holiday
( )
Nowruz has some of its history in the Zoroastrianism religion. The term Nowruz first appeared in
( )
grows, people are happy because it is a sign of eternal life.
( )
on the country celebrating it. It has been a celebration for people from diverse ethnic
( )
up to Nowruz, people clean their homes to prepare for the New Year.
( )
contributes to "cultural diversity and friendship among peoples and different communities". In the month leading
( )
and religious backgrounds for thousands of years. Nowruz originated in a geographical
( )
over 3,000 years. The U.N. said Nowruz: "Promotes values of peace and solidarity between generations and within
( )
the holiday as a spring festival of Persian origin that has been celebrated for
( )
writing in the 2nd century AD. In 2010, the United Nations recognized the International Day of Nowruz. The U.N. described
( )
area that was called Greater Persia. This is modern-day Iran, Western Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. To celebrate,
( 1 )
Nowruz is the name of the Iranian New Year and is also called the Persian New Year. It marks the first day
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
spring of day first the marks It.
2.
celebrating The depends country day the it exact on.
3.
A called geographical Greater area Persia that was.
4.
their People special in a display house put festive.
5.
is it because happy are People life eternal of sign a.
6.
in the appeared in century first writing 2nd Nowruz.
7.
holiday described spring as The festival the UN a.
8.
to cultural The diversity holiday and contributes friendship.
9.
leading month the In Nowruz to up.
10.
the New Year People clean their homes to prepare for.
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Nowruz. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Nowruz. Write about what happens around the world. Include two imaginary interviews with people who did something on this day.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
4. POSTER: Make your own poster about Nowruz. Write about will happen on this day around the world.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
