93 Halloween Int-High-Int US Student
93 Halloween Int-High-Int US Student
93 Halloween Int-High-Int US Student
Halloween
Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions
1. When is Halloween?
2. D
o you like dressing up in costumes?
Why or why not?
B. Vocabulary Preview
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Halloween
Holidays & Events
Listening
Fill in the blanks as you listen to the recording.
1. October 31 is Halloween. This is not a holiday, but 3. Adults sometimes celebrate Halloween too.
it is a very special day for children in Canada and They have special Halloween parties and dress up
the United States. On Halloween, children dress up in costumes. One traditional custom of Halloween
in costumes to themselves. is to put a jack-o’-lantern in the window. To make
Some wear masks and others wear makeup. a jack-o’-lantern, clean out the inside of
In the evening, they walk around their a pumpkin, out a
and go from door to door face, and put a candle inside. People often
shouting “Trick or treat!” Children carry bags to their homes with pictures
collect a variety of from of black cats, spiders, witches, bats, and ghosts.
their neighbors. People give out many different Because the traditional colors of Halloween
kinds of treats, such as candy, chocolates, gum, are black and orange, you can see many stores
popcorn, etc. In the past, it was also very common filled with products in these colors. Bakeries
to give children apples on Halloween. Children sell cakes and cookies decorated for Halloween
usually collect many, many treats on this evening, and grocery stores are filled with large bags of
and the treats often last for several weeks. Halloween treats.
2. Children Halloween for a 4. Because Halloween is such a special day for
long time before the day actually arrives. They children, it is important for parents to make
have fun deciding what special disguises they will sure their children are safe on this day.
choose for Halloween and planning their costumes. Children should wear bright or light costumes
Will they be ghosts or witches, pumpkins or so can see them
princesses, pirates or monsters, or perhaps easily. If children wear masks, the eye holes
a famous cartoon character or movie star this must be big enough for the children to see out
year? While some children wear store-bought of . Small children should
costumes, others like to help their parents with the not go out trick-or-treating alone. A parent or older
sewing or preparation of their own brother or sister should accompany them. Before
special . Many elementary children eat their treats, parents should examine
schools hold parties and celebrations on them carefully. Unfortunately, a cruel person
Halloween. Children have fun might put something dangerous into the children’s
for apples, carving bags. This, of course, does not happen very often,
pumpkins, and sharing scary ghost stories. but it is better to be safe than sorry.
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Halloween
Holidays & Events
Vocabulary Review
Choose the correct word or phrase from the vocabulary
on page 1 to complete the following sentences.
(You may have to change the verb tense.)
2. She couldn’t sleep last night because she had seen a very movie.
8. H
e doesn’t want to move to a new apartment because right
now he lives in a very quiet, safe .
10. She wore a long wig and dark glasses to her appearance.
Comprehension
Practice asking and answering the following questions with
your partner. Then write your answers in your notebook.
2. Do people have to go to work on Halloween? 8. What are the traditional colors of Halloween?
3. What do children wear on Halloween? 9. List four things parents and children can do
to make Halloween a safe and fun evening.
4. What do children do on Halloween?
10. Explain the expression: “It’s better to
5. What do you usually see in
be safe than sorry.” Give an example.
people’s windows on Halloween?
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Halloween
Holidays & Events
Jack-o’-Lanterns
A. P
ut in Order
Use a sharp knife and carve the pumpkin, following your drawing.
Light a candle and drip some wax into the bottom of the pumpkin.
Blow the candle out and hold it firmly in the melted wax until the wax hardens.
Put the seeds on a cookie sheet, add salt, and bake in a warm oven till brown.
Scrape out the inside (seeds and membrane) of the pumpkin with a spoon.
On Halloween evening, light the candle, put on the lid, and place in your front window.
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Halloween
Holidays & Events
Jack-o’-Lanterns cont.
B. Complete the Story
Choose the correct word from the list on the right to fill in the blanks.
• lantern
The custom of jack-o’-lanterns comes from an old • represent
1. • tale
• resting
Irish folk about a man named Jack. According to the story, • wandering
2. • tricks
• carving
Jack always liked to play on people, and one time he played • burning
3.
a trick on the Devil. When Jack died, he couldn’t go to Heaven because he had done
many bad things in his life. He couldn’t go to Hell either because he had played a
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Halloween
Holidays & Events
You and your partner each have some information about the origins of
Halloween. Read your story and share your information with your partner.
The customs of Halloween come Two thousand years ago in northern Europe, the Celtic people
from several different cultures. worshipped nature and had many gods. The Celts celebrated their
The early Celtic people of Great New Year on November 1. This festival marked the end of their season of
Britain and northern France, the light and the beginning of the season of cold and darkness. On October
Romans, and the early Christians 31, their New Year’s Eve, they gathered together to honor the dead in a
all had festivals that influenced the festival known as Samhain (pronounced sow-en). The Celts believed that
celebration of Halloween as we the spirits of dead people came to life and wandered around outside at
know it today. this time of year. The Celtic people did not want to be hurt by the spirits, so
they dressed in costumes to disguise themselves if they had to go outside.
They also put candles in their windows to help the spirits find their way
and they left offerings of food outside their homes so the spirits would
treat them kindly. This might explain our modern custom of giving treats
on Halloween.
You and your partner have 1. Where did the Celtic people live?
the same set of questions.
2. When did they celebrate New Year’s Eve?
Answer the questions that go
with your reading, and ask the 3. What was Samhain?
questions that relate to your
4. Why did the Celts dress in costumes on October 31st?
partner’s reading.
5. Explain the modern custom of giving treats on Halloween.
6. What festival did the Romans celebrate around the end of October?
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Halloween
Holidays & Events
You and your partner each have some information about the origins of
Halloween. Read your story and share your information with your partner.
The customs of Halloween come When the Romans invaded Britain, they brought many of their customs
from several different cultures. and festivals with them. One of these festivals, Pomona Day, took place
The early Celtic people of Great around the end of October and honored Pomona, the Roman goddess of
Britain and Northern France, the fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona was the apple, which might explain
Romans, and the early Christians the origin of our modern custom of bobbing for apples. After hundreds
all had festivals that influenced of years, the festivals of the Celts and the Romans combined to form one
the celebration of Halloween major fall holiday. With the spread of Christianity came new festivals. In
as we know it today. the year 835, the Roman Catholic Church made a holiday on November 1
to honor all the saints. This day was called All Saints’ Day or All Hallows.
Many years later, the church made November 2 All Souls’ Day to honor the
dead. People celebrated by making fires and dressing up as saints, devils,
and angels. After many years, the traditions of these holidays and the
holidays of the Celtic people combined and became known as Hallowed
Evening, which was celebrated on October 31. Eventually, the name was
shortened to Halloween.
You and your partner have 1. Where did the Celtic people live?
the same set of questions.
2. When did they celebrate New Year’s Eve?
Answer the questions that go
with your reading, and ask the 3. What was Samhain?
questions that relate to your
4. Why did the Celts dress in costumes on October 31st?
partner’s reading.
5. Explain the modern custom of giving treats on Halloween.
6. What festival did the Romans celebrate around the end of October?
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Halloween
Holidays & Events
Choose the correct idiom or expression from the list above to complete the sentences.
C. Writing
In your notebook, write your own sentences using the idioms above.
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Halloween
Holidays & Events
Class Activity
FIND SOMEONE WHO...
who is going to a
2
Halloween party this year.
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