Celebrations and Special Occasions
Celebrations and Special Occasions
In this first learning activity of English Dot Works 4, you will learn about describing
celebrations and special occasions around the world, how to make arrangements
and predictions and how to order food in a restaurant.
Introductory material
Dear learner,
This material will help you study the topics related to learning activity 1.
Lets begin!
1. Describing celebrations and special occasions around the world
Fuente: SENA
Considering all this diversity, Richard decided to make his own list of
celebrations around the world to select the next country he is going to visit.
These are the options he has.
Calendar
When you talk about specific dates use the preposition on. When you talk about
dates using only the month, use the preposition in.
Examples:
B. Johanas birthday was a family event. Her family decided to celebrate her
birthday with a surprise party. Richard took photos and uploaded them to his
social network. Read Richards status and his friends posts that will help you to
learn how to describe special occasions.
Fuente: SENA
There are some special occasions we celebrate around the world in a common
way such as birthdays, weddings and graduations. Here you can find how they are
celebrated and the common expressions we use.
Hug your relatives and friends. I would like to thank my family for all their
support.
2. How to make arrangements and predictions
A. Richard continues planning his trip. He is still looking for more information about
places to visit. He has made a holiday itinerary based on Black and White
Carnival in Pasto. He is going there soon.
Richards itinerary
We use present continuous to talk about things that we have already arranged
to do at a specific time or place. It is a way to express future actions in specific
time and place, keeping in mind your agenda or itinerary.
Movie at Shakespe
Dinner at Columbia are theater
Jennys cinema Romeo
Pizza 8:00 with and Juliet
p.m. Johana at 7:00
9:00 p.m. p.m.
We can see how John expresses his arrangements for the week using present
continuous.
The following chart gives more examples on how to use the present continuous.
We also use going to in order to talk about things that we have planned for the
future.
B. We know some information about Richards plan for his trip to Pasto. So, we can
make some predictions about it. Predictions are what we expect or imagine will
happen. They are not certainties. We use the present continuous to express
predictions, too.
We also use going to to talk about predictions. Remember the sentence structure:
Fuente: SENA
I am going to I am going to
have a hamburger Ok. Sir, what
What would have a green salad and would you like to
you like to a steak. and a chocolate ice
order?
drink? cream.
Lemonade
is fine.
I will be
Ok. Thanks. back shortly
Yes, Ill try this Anything with your
else? So, whats
local beer. new? food.
I have some
Yes, I heard. good news. I am
The girls told me travelling to Pasto
yesterday. next month.
Of course,
Johana and Nicole
helped me with my
itinerary.
Yeah.
Thats why I
decided to visit
Pasto. I want to
see it.
Comprehension
A. Read the conversation again. Select true or false about the statements based on
the conversation.
True False
1. John is traveling to Pasto.
parade - going to - staying - would you like - traveling - hungry - have - enjoying
5. I am ___________ to Pasto.
Practice 1
A. Match Colombian celebrations in the box with the calendar according the month
they take place.
- National beauty pageant - Bambuco folk festival - Black and White Carnival
- Villavicencio world coleo encounter - Bogota international book fair - Cali fair
October 31st - December 25th - January 1st - February 14th - May 1st
D. Classify the actions in the box according to the traditions they belong to.
Fuente: SENA
F. Classify the sentences in the box with their intentions.
6. She has more free time in December. She is going to clean the kitchen
then.
9. She is flying to London next Friday for a meeting with the real estate agent.
- Oh look! Steve and his wife are going to have a baby next month.
1. _________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________________
6. _________________________________________________
- Spring rolls. - Chocolate ice cream. - Deep fried clams. - Grape frappe.
Deserts Beverages
Pronunciation practice
Note: This practice must be completed using the multimedia version of the
study material. There you will find the corresponding sound files.
For example:
morning mathematician
mrn mmtn
B. Go to the multimedia and listen to the following words. Notice the stress patterns
in the following nouns which are composed by noun + noun or by an adjective +
noun.
Noun + Noun Adjective + Noun
Now, classify the words on the following list according to their stress pattern.
Congratulations!
I brought you a present.
My brother sent me a birthday card.
Make a wish, its your birthday!
I brought you a present.
Are you coming to my weeding?
The groom and the bride are happy.
I would like to thank my family.
You made me feel so proud.
What are you doing for your next holiday?
When are you going to buy a new house?
Im going to spend my holidays in Rome next year.
She is taking her dog to the vet this afternoon.
I'd like to book a table for two at 8, please.
I'd like to see the menu please.
What is the house special today?
Could I have mayonnaise instead of mustard, please?
Which wine would you recommend?
Could we have some more bread, please?
Could I have the check, please?
References
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