Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Labor Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Labor Day is an annual holiday celebrated all over the world. It originated from the eight-hour day movement in the nineteenth century. Labor unions called for eight hours for work, eight hours for play, and eight hours for sleep. It then became a reason for workers to celebrate their social and economic progress in the early twentieth century. Today, people are happy it is a day off work and perhaps forget the origins of this important holiday. Most countries celebrate this day on May 1. In some countries it is called May Day and in others it is known as International Workers’ Day. More and more countries are moving the day to the first Monday in May, so people get a three-day weekend.
People around the world celebrate Labor Day in different ways. In China it marked the beginning of a seven-day holiday called Golden Week. People from all over the country traveled to their hometowns or visited resorts. However, in 2008, the Chinese government went back to the single public holiday. Indians have celebrated Labour Day since May 1, 1927. There are many festivals and processions organized by different labour organizations and people fill the streets for huge parties. Italians celebrate the day with a huge, free music concert in Rome. Up to one million people attend the spectacular. For most people, it is a chance to enjoy the nice weather and have a picnic with family, friends and co-workers.
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.
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PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
celebrated all
a.
off work
2
a reason for workers
b.
over the world
3.
in the early
c.
this important holiday
4.
it is a day
d.
twentieth century
5.
the origins of
e.
day weekend
6.
people get a three-
f.
to celebrate
Paragraph 2
1.
celebrate Labor Day in
a.
a seven-day holiday
2
it marked the beginning of
b.
one million people attend
3.
People from all
c.
different ways
4.
people fill
d.
weather
5.
Up to
e.
over the country
6.
a chance to enjoy the nice
f.
the streets
LISTENING GAP FILL
Labor Day is an annual holiday celebrated _________________. It originated from the eight-hour day movement in the nineteenth century. Labor _________________ hours for work, eight hours for play, and eight hours for sleep. It then became a reason for workers to celebrate their social and economic progress _________________ twentieth century. Today, people are happy it is a day off work and perhaps _________________ of this important holiday. Most countries celebrate this day on May 1. In some countries it is called May Day _________________ known as International Workers’ Day. More and more countries are moving the day to the first Monday in May, _________________ -day weekend.
People around the world celebrate Labor Day _________________. In China it marked the beginning of a seven-day holiday called Golden Week. People _________________ country traveled to their hometowns or visited resorts. However, in 2008, the Chinese government went _________________ public holiday. Indians have celebrated Labour Day since May 1, 1927. There are many festivals and processions organized by different labour organizations and people _________________ for huge parties. Italians celebrate the day with a huge, free music concert in Rome. Up to one million people attend the spectacular. For most people, it _________________ enjoy the nice weather and have a picnic with family, friends and co-workers.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
Labor Day is an annual holiday celebrated all __________ the world. It originated __________ the eight-hour day movement in the nineteenth century. Labor unions called for eight hours for work, eight hours for __________, and eight hours for sleep. It then became a reason for workers to celebrate their social and economic __________ in the early twentieth century. Today, people are __________ it is a day off work and perhaps forget the __________ of this important holiday. Most countries celebrate this day on May 1. In some countries it is called May Day and in others it is __________ as International Workers’ Day. More and more countries are moving the day to the first Monday in May, so people get a three-day __________.
happy weekend play known over progress from origins
People around the world celebrate Labor Day in __________ ways. In China it marked the beginning of a seven-day holiday called Golden Week. People from all over the country __________ to their hometowns or visited resorts. However, in 2008, the Chinese government went __________ to the single public holiday. Indians have celebrated Labour Day since May 1, 1927. There are many __________ and processions organized by different labour organizations and people __________ the streets for huge parties. Italians celebrate the day with a __________, free music concert in Rome. Up to one million people __________ the spectacular. For most people, it is a chance to enjoy the __________ weather and have a picnic with family, friends and co-workers.
fill different attend festivals traveled nice huge back
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Labor Day is an annually / annual holiday celebrated all over the world. It originated from the eight-hour day movement in the nineteenth century. Labor onions / unions called for eight hours for work, eight hours for play, and eight hours for sleep. It then / than became a reason for workers to celebrate their social and economic progress in the fast / early twentieth century. Today, people are happy it is a day / daily off work and perhaps forget the origins of this important holiday. Most countries celebration / celebrate this day on May 1. In some countries it is calling / called May Day and in others it is known as International Workers’ Day. More and more countries are moved / moving the day to the first Monday in May, so people get a three-day weekend.
People around the / a world celebrate Labor Day in different ways. In China it marked the begin / beginning of a seven-day holiday called Golden Week. People from all over the country travels / traveled to their hometowns or visited resorts. However, in 2008, the Chinese government went back at / to the single public holiday. Indians have celebrated Labour Day since May 1, 1927. There are many festivals and processions organizing / organized by different labour organizations and people fill the streets for huge parties. Italians celebrate the day with a huge, free / freely music concert in Rome. Up to one million people attend the spectacular. For most people, it is a chance to enjoy / enjoying the nice weather and have a picnic with family, friends and co-workers.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Labor Day is an (1) ____ holiday celebrated all over the world. It originated from the eight-hour day movement in the nineteenth century. Labor (2) ____ called for eight hours for work, eight hours for play, and eight hours for sleep. It then became a (3) ____ for workers to celebrate their social and economic progress in the early twentieth century. Today, people are happy it is a day off work and perhaps (4) ____ the origins of this important holiday. Most countries (5) ____ this day on May 1. In some countries it is called May Day and in others it is known as International Workers’ Day. More and more countries are (6) ____ the day to the first Monday in May, so people get a three-day weekend.
People around the world celebrate Labor Day in different ways. In China it (7) ____ the beginning of a seven-day holiday called Golden Week. People from all over the country traveled to their hometowns or visited (8) ____. However, in 2008, the Chinese government went back to the single public holiday. Indians have celebrated Labour Day (9) ____ May 1, 1927. There are many festivals and processions organized by different labour organizations and people (10) ____ the streets for huge parties. Italians celebrate the day with a huge, free (11) ____ concert in Rome. Up to one million people attend the spectacular. For most people, it is a (12) ____ to enjoy the nice weather and have a picnic with family, friends and co-workers.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
annual
(b)
year
(c)
12-month
(d)
annum
2.
(a)
union
(b)
unionize
(c)
united
(d)
unions
3.
(a)
reasons
(b)
reasoning
(c)
reason
(d)
reasoned
4.
(a)
forgetting
(b)
forgot
(c)
forget
(d)
forgets
5.
(a)
celebrate
(b)
celebrating
(c)
celebration
(d)
celebrates
6.
(a)
moved
(b)
moving
(c)
moves
(d)
mover
7.
(a)
marking
(b)
marked
(c)
marks
(d)
marker
8.
(a)
resort
(b)
resorted
(c)
resorts
(d)
resorting
9.
(a)
for
(b)
ago
(c)
by
(d)
since
10.
(a)
fill
(b)
full
(c)
filling
(d)
filled
11.
(a)
musician
(b)
musically
(c)
musicology
(d)
music
12.
(a)
risk
(b)
chance
(c)
gamble
(d)
likelihood
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
Labor Day is an aalunn holiday
2.
the eight-hour day otnmmeve
3.
social and economic rpregoss
4.
the gosinri of this important holiday
5.
it is nownk as International Workers’ Day
6.
so people get a three-day dewneke
Paragraph 2
7.
the egbnniign of a seven-day holiday
8.
visited srsrote
9.
went back to the esilng public holiday
10.
people fill the tetsser
11.
free music tcernoc
12.
enjoy the nice ehwtrea
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
progress in the early twentieth century. Today, people are happy it is a day off work and perhaps forget the origins
( )
labour organizations and people fill the streets for huge parties. Italians celebrate the day with a huge, free
( )
others it is known as International Workers’ Day. More and more countries are moving the
( 1 )
Labor Day is an annual holiday celebrated all over the world. It originated from the eight-hour day
( )
People around the world celebrate Labor Day in different ways. In China it marked the beginning of a seven-day
( )
to enjoy the nice weather and have a picnic with family, friends and co-workers.
( )
celebrated Labour Day since May 1, 1927. There are many festivals and processions organized by different
( )
day to the first Monday in May, so people get a three-day weekend.
( )
resorts. However, in 2008, the Chinese government went back to the single public holiday. Indians have
( )
movement in the nineteenth century. Labor unions called for eight hours for work, eight hours for play, and eight
( )
music concert in Rome. Up to one million people attend the spectacular. For most people, it is a chance
( )
hours for sleep. It then became a reason for workers to celebrate their social and economic
( )
holiday called Golden Week. People from all over the country traveled to their hometowns or visited
( )
of this important holiday. Most countries celebrate this day on May 1. In some countries it is called May Day and in
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
celebrated holiday annual an world the over all
2.
for hours eight for called unions Labor work
3.
to workers for reason a celebrate
4.
day happy off it work is people a are
5.
a - weekend get three day people
6.
the holiday day - seven a of beginning
7.
and festivals many are There processions
8.
the for parties fill streets huge people
9.
one to Up attend people million
10.
nice chance weather to it enjoy is the a
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 Labor Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Labor Day. 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 Labor Day. Write about what 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.
