Procedure for Listening Task:
1 Predict words related to Halloween
2 Read summary and predict the missing words - think about whether you need a number or word, and a verb/ noun/ adjective/ adverb
3 Listen to the video and fill in the gaps
4 Check the list of words below the summary and try to complete the summary again
5 Listen again to the video and fill in remaining gaps
6 Read completed summary below
The History Channel: The History of Halloween
Listening Summary Task
Fill in the gaps using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/ OR A NUMBER.
Halloween is considered by the majority to be a 'family-friendly' occasion with trick-or-treating, dressing up, _______________ and apple bobbing. However, the traditions began over 2000 years ago as a Celtic festival called 'Samhain', which was celebrated on the 1st November. On the night before the festival it was believed that spirits of the past would come back to roam the earth and so, gifts of _______________ were placed on doorsteps in order to ward off the ghosts. People also wore masks outside of their houses so that other ghosts would see them as _______________ spirits.
The name 'Halloween' came into being through a progression from All Saints Day (given by the _______________) to All Hallows Eve in the 8th Century, which was shortened to Halloween.
Activities known as 'souling' and 'guising' originated in _______________ Britain where, on 2nd November, All Souls Day, people in need begged for special cakes called 'soul cakes' and in exchange they said prayers for the dead relatives of those who gifted the cakes; this was known as '_______________'. Guising involved young people dressing up and receiving money or small treats in return for them singing, or reciting poetry or jokes. In the 1800's in America the immigrants from _______________ brought these traditions back to life, which lead to what we know today as 'trick-or-treating'.
In the 1950's in America the festival became more like the event we know today - a family-friendly, children-centred commercial occasion with in excess of _______________ per year in the USA being spent on costumes and sweets. This makes it the second most commercial American holiday, the first being Christmas.
(The History Channel, 2013)
Missing Words
The missing words are listed below. Are you able to put them in? See below the words for the answer.
parades
food and wine
fellow
Christian Church
Medieval
souling
Scotland and Ireland
6 billion dollars
Completed Summary
Halloween is considered by the majority to be a 'family-friendly occasion with trick-or-treating, dressing up, parades and apple bobbing. However, the traditions began over 2000 years ago as a Celtic festival called 'Samhain', which was celebrated on the 1st November. On the night before the festival it was believed that spirits of the past would come back to roam the earth and so, gifts of food and wine were placed on doorsteps in order to ward off the ghosts. People also wore masks outside of their houses so that other ghosts would see them as fellow spirits.
The name 'Halloween' came into being through a progression from All Saints Day (given by the Christian Church) to All Hallows Eve in the 8th Century, which was shortened to Halloween.
Activities known as 'souling' and 'guising' originated in Medieval Britain where, on 2nd November, All Souls Day, people in need begged for special cakes called 'soul cakes' and in exchange they said prayers for the dead relatives of those who gifted the cakes; this was known as 'souling'. Guising involved young people dressing up and receiving money or small treats in return for them singing, or reciting poetry or jokes. In the 1800's in America the immigrants from Scotland and Ireland brought these traditions back to life, which lead to what we know today as 'trick-or-treating'.
In the 1950's in America the festival became more like the event we know today - a family-friendly, children-centred commercial occasion with in excess of $6 billion dollars per year in the USA being spent on costumes and sweets. This makes it the second most commercial American holiday, the first being Christmas.
(The History Channel, 2013)
Vocabulary
Can you find the meaning of the following words/ expressions from the video and newspaper article? Read tomorrow for answers.
Trick or treating
Ghost
Costume
Parade
Commercial