Reading Comprehension (Контроль Читання)

1. Read the topic text and answer the questions about "Chinese Eve and their ancient celebrations"

Chinese New year is the most important day of their special "Chinese calendar". The new year begins from 21 January to 20 February. The celebration begins on the second new moon after the beginning of winter (December 21) and lasts until the next full moon.

 The Chinese people call their years on 12 different animals: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, pig. Some people believe, that the personality and character of a person depends (залежить) on the animal's year of birth.

 Chinese New year marks the beginning of the next year animals. After the year of the pig the twelve year cycle (дванадцятирічний цикл) begins again with year of the rat.

 Chinese New year is the time for many activities. People clean houses from top to bottom for days before the holidays. People write merry wishes on red paper and hang them around the house. Rooms are decorated with flowers, plants and oranges.

 New year's eve firecrackers send out the old year and welcome the new. At midnight people open all their doors and Windows to release the old year. On new year's day, the children and adults who aren`t married get red envelopes with money in them. It is a symbol of good form and fortune in the new year.

 Food plays - an important role in New year celebrations in China. On certain days, people eat special meals. Many types of food have special meanings. For example, uncut noodles can give you a long life. They say that people who eat a lot of raw fish are more successful in life.

 The last event of the 15-day celebration, the Festival of lights. Some people hang glowing lights in the temples. Others carry lanterns in the moonlight parade. In many places long colorful dragons made of silk, paper and bamboo, are carried on the streets by dancers in costumes.

1. What do the red envelopes filled with money symbolize?

2. Those who eat a lot of raw fish dishes will ....

3. 12 different animals in order.....

2. Read the topic text and answer the questions about "Chinese Eve and their ancient celebrations"

Chinese New year is the most important day of their special "Chinese calendar". The new year begins from 21 January to 20 February. The celebration begins on the second new moon after the beginning of winter (December 21) and lasts until the next full moon.

 The Chinese people call their years on 12 different animals: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, pig. Some people believe, that the personality and character of a person depends (залежить) on the animal's year of birth.

 Chinese New year marks the beginning of the next year animals. After the year of the pig the twelve year cycle (дванадцятирічний цикл) begins again with year of the rat.

 Chinese New year is the time for many activities. People clean houses from top to bottom for days before the holidays. People write merry wishes on red paper and hang them around the house. Rooms are decorated with flowers, plants and oranges.

 New year's eve firecrackers send out the old year and welcome the new. At midnight people open all their doors and Windows to release the old year. On new year's day, the children and adults who aren`t married get red envelopes with money in them. It is a symbol of good form and fortune in the new year.

 Food plays - an important role in New year celebrations in China. On certain days, people eat special meals. Many types of food have special meanings. For example, uncut noodles can give you a long life. They say that people who eat a lot of raw fish are more successful in life.

 The last event of the 15-day celebration, the Festival of lights. Some people hang glowing lights in the temples. Others carry lanterns in the moonlight parade. In many places long colorful dragons made of silk, paper and bamboo, are carried on the streets by dancers in costumes.

4. When the celebration of New Year begins?

5. Which parade is very popular in China?

6. 2017 is the year of which holy animal?

3. Read the topic text and answer the questions about "Chinese Eve and their ancient celebrations"

Chinese New year is the most important day of their special "Chinese calendar". The new year begins from 21 January to 20 February. The celebration begins on the second new moon after the beginning of winter (December 21) and lasts until the next full moon.

 The Chinese people call their years on 12 different animals: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, pig. Some people believe, that the personality and character of a person depends (залежить) on the animal's year of birth.

 Chinese New year marks the beginning of the next year animals. After the year of the pig the twelve year cycle (дванадцятирічний цикл) begins again with year of the rat.

 Chinese New year is the time for many activities. People clean houses from top to bottom for days before the holidays. People write merry wishes on red paper and hang them around the house. Rooms are decorated with flowers, plants and oranges.

 New year's eve firecrackers send out the old year and welcome the new. At midnight people open all their doors and Windows to release the old year. On new year's day, the children and adults who aren`t married get red envelopes with money in them. It is a symbol of good form and fortune in the new year.

 Food plays - an important role in New year celebrations in China. On certain days, people eat special meals. Many types of food have special meanings. For example, uncut noodles can give you a long life. They say that people who eat a lot of raw fish are more successful in life.

 The last event of the 15-day celebration, the Festival of lights. Some people hang glowing lights in the temples. Others carry lanterns in the moonlight parade. In many places long colorful dragons made of silk, paper and bamboo, are carried on the streets by dancers in costumes.

7. What do people usually do at the midnight?

8. Silk, paper, bamboo are the materials from which the .... is made.

9. This flower is the symbol of luxury (розкіш) and flowering. It`s popular with the poets of Tan Dynasty. What is it?

4. Read topics: Festivals from around the world. Then answer the questions.

There are hundreds of amazing celebrations around the world. In August, thousands of people in Buηol (Spain) celebrate the festival of La Tomatina. The festival begins with fireworks and a parade. Later, people stand in the streets and throw tomatoes at their friends and neighbors. How many tomatoes do they through? About 125.000 kilos! That`s a lot of tomatoes. It`s great fun, but you need to wear old clothes because it`s easy to get dirty.

1. What do the people do?

2. The festival La Tomatina begins with ......

5. Read the text and say if the sentence is true or false.

Thanksgiving Day is one of the most famous and favorite holidays in the United States. Every fourth Thursday of October American people celebrate this enormous holiday. They usually stay at home and have a big dinner with family and familiar people. This day has a very important meaning in the history of America. The first Thanksgiving day was celebrated by pilgrims in autumn of 1621. They were European travelers who sailed on “Mayflower” ship and persistently tried to find the New World. Before their arrival to America the country was inhabited by Native American Indians. However, when they settled here, life was quite difficult. There was nothing to eat and nowhere to live. First winter was especially difficult and many people couldn’t survive without fresh food and even bottle with water for saving. In spring Native Iroquois Indians teach pilgrims how to survive in America region. In the autumn of 1621 they had a wonderful harvest. To celebrate this occasion pilgrims decided to have a Thanksgiving holiday. It meant that they were very thankful for their food. During this holiday the tables were full of fresh food: corn, beans, turkey, venison, pumpkin. Their Indian friends were also invited to share the meals. Nowadays Americans continue celebrating this holiday and the main dish is a turkey. 

Is it true that on this day American people thank God and those Indians who helped them out?

6. Carefully read the text about American event and answer the questions:

Burning Man

Burning Man is an interesting event that started in 1986 in Black-Rock-City, in state Nevada. People go to the desert and build a giant community for about nine days. At the end of the festival, they burn a giant wooden statue of a man. That’s where the name comes from. The festival celebrates inclusion, community, and responsibility. Everyone should share their talents, so other people can enjoy them for free. It is now also very popular with young influencers on social media and other famous people.

1. Where does the festival celebrate?

2. What is a huge statue of a man made of?

3. What can everyone do at the festival?