Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on New Year's Eve. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
New Year’s Eve is the last day of the year. It is always an exciting time because people look forward to welcoming a new year. It is also a good time to think back and say goodbye to the old year. New Year’s Eve is a national holiday for many people around the world. In a lot of countries, people go back to their hometown for the New Year, so the roads, trains and buses are packed. In England, there is always a New Year’s Eve party you can go to. The party is usually in someone’s home and the host invites friends, families and neighbours. The living room becomes a mini disco as everyone dances to loud music. Everyone then waits until midnight to hear Big Ben chime twelve times. That’s the signal a new year has arrived.
I have lots of good memories of New Year’s Eve. When I was very young, my parents let me stay up until midnight. This was very exciting and a special treat. When I became a teenager, I really looked forward to going to parties. I spent one freezing New Year’s Eve in Trafalgar Square in the centre of London. There were no trains to go home so I waited until morning outside the train station. It snowed. It was really cold. I also spent many wonderful New Year’s Eves in Japan. There, it is traditional to visit a shrine and pray for good things to happen. I think wherever you are, New Year’s Eve is always fun. Maybe the best way to welcome the New Year is by watching one of the many amazing fireworks displays in the world’s capital cities.
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.
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PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
people look forward to
a.
think back
2
It is also a good time to
b.
new year has arrived
3.
the roads, trains and buses
c.
to hear Big Ben
4.
there is always a New Year’s Eve
d.
welcoming a new year
5.
Everyone then waits until midnight
e.
are packed
6.
That’s the signal a
f.
party you can go to
Paragraph 2
1.
I have lots of good
a.
to going to parties
2
my parents let me stay
b.
shrine and pray
3.
I really looked forward
c.
memories of New Year’s Eve
4.
I waited until morning
d.
up until midnight
5.
it is traditional to visit a
e.
displays
6.
one of the many amazing fireworks
f.
outside the train station
LISTENING GAP FILL
New Year’s Eve is _______________ the year. It is always an exciting time because people look forward to welcoming a new year. It is also a good time _______________ say goodbye to the old year. New Year’s Eve is a national holiday for many people around the world. In a lot of countries, people go back to their hometown for the New Year, so the roads, trains and _______________. In England, there is always a New Year’s Eve party you can go to. The party is usually in someone’s home __________________ friends, families and neighbours. The living room becomes a mini disco as everyone dances to loud music. Everyone then waits until midnight to hear Big Ben chime twelve times. That’s _______________ year has arrived.
I _________________ memories of New Year’s Eve. When I was very young, my parents let me stay up until midnight. This was very exciting and _______________. When I became a teenager, I really looked forward to going to parties. I _______________ New Year’s Eve in Trafalgar Square in the centre of London. There were no trains to go home so I waited until morning outside the train station. It snowed. It was really cold. I also spent many wonderful New Year’s Eves in Japan. There, it is traditional _______________ and pray for good things to happen. I think wherever you are, New Year’s Eve is always fun. Maybe the best way to welcome the New Year is by watching _______________ amazing fireworks displays in the world’s capital cities.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
New Year’s Eve is the last day of the year. It is __________ an exciting time because people look __________ to welcoming a new year. It is also a good time to think __________ and say goodbye to the old year. New Year’s Eve is a national holiday for many people around the world. In a lot of countries, people go back to their hometown __________ the New Year, so the roads, trains and buses are packed. In England, there is always a New Year’s Eve __________ you can go to. The party is usually in someone’s home and the host __________ friends, families and neighbours. The living room becomes a mini disco as everyone __________ to loud music. Everyone then waits until midnight to hear Big Ben __________ twelve times. That’s the signal a new year has arrived.
invites back party forward chime always dances for
I have lots of good __________ of New Year’s Eve. When I was very young, my parents let me __________ up until midnight. This was very exciting and a special treat. When I __________ a teenager, I really looked forward to going to parties. I __________ one freezing New Year’s Eve in Trafalgar Square in the centre of London. There were no trains to go home so I __________ until morning outside the train station. It snowed. It was really cold. I also spent many wonderful New Year’s Eves in Japan. There, it is traditional to __________ a shrine and pray for good things to happen. I think wherever you are, New Year’s Eve is always __________. Maybe the best way to welcome the New Year is by watching one of the many amazing fireworks __________ in the world’s capital cities.
waited stay displays spent memories fun visit became
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
New Year’s Eve is the lasted / last day of the year. It is always an exciting time because people look backward / forward to welcoming a new year. It is also a good time to think back and say / said goodbye to the old year. New Year’s Eve is a national holiday for many people around the world. In a lot of countries, people go back to their hometown by / for the New Year, so the roads, trains and buses are unpacked / packed. In England, there is always a New Year’s Eve party you can go to. The party is usually / usual in someone’s home and the host invites friends, families and neighbours. The living / life room becomes a mini disco as everyone dances to loud music. Everyone then waits until midnight to hear Big Ben chime twelve times. That’s the signal a new year has arriving / arrived.
I have lots of good memory / memories of New Year’s Eve. When I was very young, my parents let me stay down / up until midnight. This was very exciting and a special treat. When I became a teenager, I really looked forward to going to party / parties. I spent one freezing New Year’s Eve in Trafalgar Square in the centre of London. There were no trains to go home so I waited before / until morning outside the train station. It snowed. It was really cold. I also spent many wonderful / wonderfully New Year’s Eves in Japan. There, it is traditional to / for visit a shrine and pray for good things to happen. I think wherever you are, New Year’s Eve is always fun. Maybe the best way / ways to welcome the New Year is by watching one of the many amazing fireworks display / displays in the world’s capital cities.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
New Year’s Eve is the last day of the year. It is always an (1) ____ time because people look forward to welcoming a new year. It is also a good time to think (2) ____ and say goodbye to the old year. New Year’s Eve is a national holiday for many people around the world. In a (3) ____ of countries, people go back to their hometown for the New Year, so the roads, trains and buses are (4) ____. In England, there is always a New Year’s Eve party you can go to. The party is usually in someone’s home and the host invites friends, families and neighbours. The (5) ____ room becomes a mini disco as everyone dances to loud music. Everyone then waits until midnight to hear Big Ben chime twelve times. That’s the signal a new year (6) ____ arrived.
I have lots of good (7) ____ of New Year’s Eve. When I was very young, my parents let me stay up until midnight. This was very exciting and a special (8) ____. When I became a teenager, I really looked forward to going to parties. I spent one (9) ____ New Year’s Eve in Trafalgar Square in the centre of London. There were no trains to go home so I waited until morning outside the train station. It snowed. It was really cold. I also spent many wonderful New Year’s Eves in Japan. There, it is traditional (10) ____ visit a shrine and pray for good things to happen. I think wherever you are, New Year’s Eve is always fun. Maybe the best (11) ____ to welcome the New Year is by watching one of the many amazing fireworks (12) ____ in the world’s capital cities.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
exciting
(b)
excitement
(c)
excites
(d)
excite
2.
(a)
backwards
(b)
backing
(c)
back
(d)
backed
3.
(a)
lot
(b)
lots
(c)
loads
(d)
many
4.
(a)
pack
(b)
packed
(c)
packing
(d)
packs
5.
(a)
life
(b)
lived
(c)
live
(d)
living
6.
(a)
having
(b)
have to
(c)
has
(d)
have
7.
(a)
memory
(b)
memories
(c)
memorial
(d)
memorize
8.
(a)
treat
(b)
treating
(c)
treatment
(d)
treated
9.
(a)
freezer
(b)
freezes
(c)
freezing
(d)
froze
10.
(a)
at
(b)
for
(c)
of
(d)
to
11.
(a)
ways
(b)
way
(c)
weigh
(d)
way of
12.
(a)
display
(b)
displayed
(c)
displaying
(d)
displays
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
It is always an ntgxeici time
2.
people look orfdraw to welcoming a new year
3.
people go back to their hetwonom for the New Year
4.
the host ievnsti friends, families and neighbours
5.
everyone nsecad to loud music
6.
That’s the langis a new year has arrived
Paragraph 2
7.
I have lots of good msomieer of New Year’s Eve
8.
I really looked forward to going to iarpest
9.
in the tenrec of London
10.
it is linrtaditao to visit a shrine and pray
11.
pray for good things to eaphnp
12.
many amazing fireworks pldiasys
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
many wonderful New Year’s Eves in Japan. There, it is traditional to visit a shrine and pray for good things
( )
their hometown for the New Year, so the roads, trains and buses are
( )
trains to go home so I waited until morning outside the train station. It snowed. It was really cold. I also spent
( )
host invites friends, families and neighbours. The living room becomes a mini disco as everyone dances to
( )
loud music. Everyone then waits until midnight to hear Big Ben chime twelve times. That’s the signal a new year has arrived.
( )
year. New Year’s Eve is a national holiday for many people around the world. In a lot of countries, people go back to
( )
I have lots of good memories of New Year’s Eve. When I was very young, my parents let me stay up
( )
to going to parties. I spent one freezing New Year’s Eve in Trafalgar Square in the centre of London. There were no
( )
until midnight. This was very exciting and a special treat. When I became a teenager, I really looked forward
( 1 )
New Year’s Eve is the last day of the year. It is always an exciting time because people look
( )
to happen. I think wherever you are, New Year’s Eve is always fun. Maybe the best way to welcome the New Year is
( )
packed. In England, there is always a New Year’s Eve party you can go to. The party is usually in someone’s home and the
( )
by watching one of the many amazing fireworks displays in the world’s capital cities.
( )
forward to welcoming a new year. It is also a good time to think back and say goodbye to the old
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
New is day year Eve last the Year’s the of
2.
a welcoming to forward look people year new
3.
their to back go people , countries of lot a In hometown
4.
in home party usually someone’s The is
5.
new a signal the That’s arrived has year
6.
good New I of of Eve lots memories Year’s have
7.
stay me let parents my midnight until up
8.
were trains go There no to home
9.
and shrine a visit things good for pray
10.
cities capital world’s the in displays fireworks amazing
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 New Year’s Eve. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about New Year’s Eve. 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 New Year’s Eve. 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.
