The Special Days BY : FAISAL EFENDI

The Special Days 

BY : FAISAL EFENDI

                        We know that beside our own country, there are many other countries in the world, so, surely there are many special days celebrated by people around the world. Here are some of them…

                       

  

                        In Thailand, people celebrate Loi Krathong, a festival of light and water, on the first full moon in November. This festival is celebrated by people throughout Thailand.They make special boats from banana leaves. They put flowers and candles inside . People sometime cut their fingernails or hair and placed the clippings in these boats  as a symbol of letting go of negative thoughts. However, many ordinary Thai use the boats to thank the Goddess of Water.   After they light the candles, people float them in water. These flower and light boats then sail through the rivers beautifully………..

                        In India, people celebrate Deepavali or Devali, or Diwali – a festival of light - on the fifteenth day of Kartika (in October or November).  Diwali falls between mid-October and mid-November. Diwali is an official holiday in  India, Srilanka, Nepal and many other countries, in India this holiday lasts for five days. For Hindu people, Diwali is one of the most important festivals of the year and is celebrated in families by performing traditional activities together in their homes like sing songs, eat traditional sweets and snacks also wear new clothes. Women often buy something gold or silver to celebrate Diwali, People light candles or small lamps and leave them on all night to drive away the darkness, a symbol to triumph good over evil.

                                In Finland, people celebrate a festival of light at the midsummer weekend in June. People  leave the cities for Midsummer and spend time in the countryside. Nowadays many spend a few days there, and for  who do not travel abroad,  take their whole vacation in a cottage. People celebrate this festival with bonfires, cookouts, a sauna , decorating homes with flowers and spending time together with family and friends.They celebrate on the longest day of the year when the sun never sets.     

                        In China , people celebrate the festival of light : Lantern Festival on the 15^th day of the first month of traditional Chinese calendar.

As the first important festival after the traditional  Chinese New Year (Spring Festival), it is also the first night to see a full moon, and it marks the end of the two-week New Year holiday period. During Lantern Festival, people get together to celebrate the beginning of spring by watching lanterns, fireworks and eating Yuanxiao (sweet stuffed small dumplings made of glutinous rice flour served in soup). The lanterns can symbolize the people letting go of their pasts and presents, getting a new one, which they will let go of the next year.

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(sources from Google and Mario Herrera,Diane Pinkley,Donna Schaffer /Pearson-Longman)

Dear friends, you can always measure and add your ability in reading by counting how fast you read (using the formula) and by answering the following questions, and try to discuss the topic below, good luck!

Questions on Scanning for Specific Information

1. What is the name of the festival of light in China?
2. What do people in China eat during the Lantern Festival?
3. How long is the Diwali Holiday lasts in India?
4. When does the Diwali fall?
5. In Finland , when is the longest day?
6. How do people in Finland celebrate the festival of light?
7. What is the name of Light and Water festival in Thailand?
8. When do people in Thailand celebrate Loi Krathong ?

  Questions of Synonim and Antonym

9. What are other names for Diwali?
10. What are the antonym for good x ……………….  , and pasts x ……………….