Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Halloween. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Halloween is celebrated on October the 31st every year. It originated from a pagan holiday and the Christian holiday of All Saints’ Day. The name Halloween is a shortened version of All Hallows’ Eve. Today, it is more of a fun day for children and has largely lost its religious roots. Halloween is probably most famous in the U.S.A. Irish immigrants took it to America in the mid-1600s and it slowly spread across the country. Halloween is not celebrated in many countries around the world although many people know about it. Some Christians are not so happy that people celebrate Halloween. They believe the holiday is un-Christian because of its origin as a pagan "festival of the dead."
Halloween has many easily identifiable symbols. The colours orange and black are widely used. In particular, orange pumpkins and fires and black witches, cats and costumes are common features of this day. One of the biggest Halloween activities is trick-or-treating. This is when children knock on doors and ask for a small gift. If they don’t get anything, they’ll play a trick on the person who opens the door. Food also plays a big part of Halloween. Toffee apples are very popular and so is anything made from pumpkin. Halloween is also a popular topic for Hollywood. Many horror movies have been made about it. Because of this, Halloween is now known in many countries that never actually celebrate it.
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.
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PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
It originated from a
a.
of All Hallows’ Eve
2
a shortened version
b.
happy
3.
Irish immigrants took
c.
dead
4.
it slowly spread
d.
pagan holiday
5.
not so
e.
it to America
6.
festival of the
f.
across the country
Paragraph 2
1.
The colours orange and black
a.
trick
2
cats and costumes are common
b.
activities
3.
Halloween
c.
from pumpkin
4.
play a
d.
are widely used
5.
anything made
e.
movies
6.
horror
f.
features
LISTENING GAP FILL
Halloween is celebrated on October the 31st every year. It _________________ pagan holiday and the Christian holiday of All Saints’ Day. The name Halloween is _________________ of All Hallows’ Eve. Today, it is more of a fun day for children and has largely lost its religious roots. Halloween is _________________ in the U.S.A. Irish immigrants took it to America in the mid-1600s and it _________________ the country. Halloween is not celebrated in many countries around the world although many _________________ it. Some Christians are not so happy that people celebrate Halloween. They believe the holiday is un-Christian because _________________ pagan "festival of the dead."
Halloween has many easily identifiable symbols. The colours orange and black _________________. In particular, orange pumpkins and fires and black witches, cats and costumes are _________________ this day. One of the biggest Halloween activities is trick-or-treating. This is when children _________________ and ask for a small gift. If they don’t get anything, they’ll play a trick on the person who opens the door. Food also _________________ of Halloween. Toffee apples are very popular and so is anything made from pumpkin. Halloween is also a popular topic for Hollywood. Many horror movies have _________________. Because of this, Halloween is now known in many countries that _________________ it.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
Halloween is celebrated on October the 31st every year. It ____________ from a pagan holiday and the Christian holiday of All Saints’ Day. The ____________ Halloween is a shortened ____________ of All Hallows’ Eve. Today, it is more of a fun day for children and has largely lost its religious roots. Halloween is probably ____________ famous in the U.S.A. Irish immigrants took it to America in the mid-1600s and it slowly ____________ across the country. Halloween is not celebrated in many countries around the world although many people ____________ about it. Some Christians are not so ____________ that people celebrate Halloween. They believe the holiday is un-Christian because of its origin as a pagan "festival of the ____________."
version know originated dead name spread most happy
Halloween has many ____________ identifiable symbols. The colours orange and black are widely used. In particular, orange pumpkins and fires and black witches, cats and costumes are ____________ features of this day. One of the biggest Halloween activities is trick-or-treating. This is when children ____________ on doors and ask for a small gift. If they don’t get anything, they’ll play a ____________ on the person who opens the ____________. Food also plays a big ____________ of Halloween. Toffee apples are very popular and so is anything made from pumpkin. Halloween is also a ____________ topic for Hollywood. Many horror movies have been made about it. Because of this, Halloween is now ____________ in many countries that never actually celebrate it.
common door popular trick known easily knock part
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Halloween is celebrated on October the 31st every / all year. It originated from a pagan holiday and the Christian holiday of All Saints’ Day. The name Halloween is a shortened vision / version of All Hallows’ Eve. Today, it is more of a fan / fun day for children and has largely lost its religious roots. Halloween is probably most famous in the U.S.A. Irish immigration / immigrants took it to America in the mid-1600s and it slowly spread / spreads across the country. Halloween is not celebrated in many countries around the world although many people known / know about it. Some Christians are not so happy that people celebrate Halloween. They belief / believe the holiday is un-Christian because of its origin / original as a pagan "festival of the dead."
Halloween has many easy / easily identifiable symbols. The colours orange and black are widely used. In peculiar / particular, orange pumpkins and fires and black witches, cats and costumes are common features / futures of this day. One of the biggest Halloween activities is trick-or-treating. This is when children knocking / knock on doors and ask for a small gift. If they don’t get anything, they’ll play a trick on the person / people who opens the door. Food also plays a big part of Halloween. Toffee apples are very popularity / popular and so is anything made from pumpkin. Halloween is also a popular topic / topical for Hollywood. Many horror movies have been made about it. Because of this, Halloween is now known in many countries that never actually / actual celebrate it.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Halloween is celebrated on October the 31st (1) ____ year. It originated from a pagan holiday and the Christian holiday of All Saints’ Day. The name Halloween is a (2) ____ version of All Hallows’ Eve. Today, it is more of a fun day for children and has (3) ____ lost its religious roots. Halloween is probably most famous in the U.S.A. Irish immigrants took it to America in the mid-1600s and it (4) ____ spread across the country. Halloween is not celebrated in many countries around the world (5) ____ many people know about it. Some Christians are not so happy that people celebrate Halloween. They believe the holiday is un-Christian because of its (6) ____ as a pagan "festival of the dead."
Halloween has many (7) ____ identifiable symbols. The colours orange and black are widely used. In particular, orange pumpkins and fires and black witches, cats and costumes are common (8) ____ of this day. One of the biggest Halloween activities is trick-or-treating. This is when children knock on doors and ask for a small gift. If they don’t get (9) ____, they’ll play a trick on the person who opens the door. Food also plays a big part of Halloween. Toffee apples are very popular and (10) ____ is anything made from pumpkin. Halloween is also a popular (11) ____ for Hollywood. Many horror movies have been made about it. Because of this, Halloween is now known in many countries that never actually (12) ____ it.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
every
(b)
all
(c)
whole
(d)
entire
2.
(a)
shorts
(b)
shortlist
(c)
shorten
(d)
shortened
3.
(a)
large
(b)
largely
(c)
larger
(d)
largest
4.
(a)
slowly
(b)
slowed
(c)
slows
(d)
slowish
5.
(a)
so
(b)
therefore
(c)
and
(d)
although
6.
(a)
original
(b)
origins
(c)
origin
(d)
originality
7.
(a)
easy
(b)
ease
(c)
eased
(d)
easily
8.
(a)
features
(b)
futures
(c)
futuristic
(d)
featured
9.
(a)
nothing
(b)
anything
(c)
thingamajig
(d)
thing
10.
(a)
as
(b)
at
(c)
so
(d)
to
11.
(a)
topics
(b)
topical
(c)
topic
(d)
topically
12.
(a)
actual
(b)
actually
(c)
acts
(d)
actuality
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
Halloween is dbteacrlee on October the 31st
2.
a shortened erovisn
3.
its religious rtsoo
4.
it slowly epsadr
5.
because of its ironig
6.
latiesfv of the dead
Paragraph 2
7.
easily identifiable mlysosb
8.
orange nmpsuikp
9.
Halloween ticevsiita
10.
play a krcit
11.
apples are very apprlou
12.
rhrroo movies
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
holiday of All Saints’ Day. The name Halloween is a shortened version of All Hallows’ Eve. Today, it is more
( )
for a small gift. If they don’t get anything, they’ll play a trick on the person who opens the door. Food also plays a big
( )
topic for Hollywood. Many horror movies have been made about it. Because
( )
of a fun day for children and has largely lost its religious roots. Halloween is probably most famous in the U.S.A. Irish
( )
black are widely used. In particular, orange pumpkins and fires and black witches, cats and costumes are common
( )
countries around the world although many people know about it. Some Christians are not so
( )
part of Halloween. Toffee apples are very popular and so is anything made from pumpkin. Halloween is also a popular
( )
happy that people celebrate Halloween. They believe the holiday is un-
( )
of this, Halloween is now known in many countries that never actually celebrate it.
( 1 )
Halloween is celebrated on October the 31st every year. It originated from a pagan holiday and the Christian
( )
immigrants took it to America in the mid-1960s and it slowly spread across the country. Halloween is not celebrated in many
( )
features of this day. One of the biggest Halloween activities is trick-or-treating. This is when children knock on doors and ask
( )
Christian because of its origin as a pagan "festival of the dead."
( )
Halloween has many easily identifiable symbols. The colours orange and
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
year every 31st the October on Celebrated.
2.
for It of day more fun children is a.
3.
in celebrated not is Halloween countries many.
4.
happy Christians that are people not celebrate so.
5.
Christian its holiday - of The un because origin is
6.
symbols Halloween many identifiable has easily.
7.
black The are colours widely orange used and.
8.
gift Children knock on doors and ask for a small.
9.
plays Halloween a big Food part also of.
10.
Many made horror about movies it have been.
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 Halloween . Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Halloween . 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 Halloween . 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.
