HALLOWEEN
It has ancient Celtic origins. On the Celtic calendar Samshain was the last day of the summer and the last day of the year, 31 October.
On this day the Celts made big fires and dressed in scary costumes. They wanted to frighten the evil spirits. They dressed as ghosts, skeletons and witches. They believed that ghosts came out of their tombs on the night of 31 October.
The Christians called 1 November All Hallows' Day, the day of All Saints. The evening of 31 October was called All Hallows' Eve. This became Halloween.
At Halloween American children in elementary school take their costumes and masks to school. Typical Halloween costumes are the witch, ghost, skeleton, monster, vampire or alien. Young people have fun making their own costumes, but some prefer to buy them. In the afternoon, the children put on their costumes and have a Halloween party at school. Schools are decorated with pumpkins, ghosts, witches and bats.
It is also a popular tradition to make jack o'lanterns out of pumpkins. People put them in front of the windows of their homes. There are funny Halloween games such as "bobbing for apples". Favourite Halloween foods are candied apples, nuts, liquorice, popcorn and pumpkin pie.
In the 19th century Irish inmigrants took their Halloween customs to the United States . They introduced the custom of "trick-or-treating" on that evening. They go from house to house in their costumes and ring doorbells. Whe the door opens, they shout, "Trick or treat?". People usually give them sweets or money. If not, the children play a trick!. They write on windows with soap of spray shaving cream on cars and people!
The usually sing this song:
"Trick or treat
smell my feet.
Give me something
good to eat.
If you don't
I won't care
I'll just show my underwear."
EXERCISE 1 (THE SIMPLE PAST)
EXERCISE 2 (CHOOSE THE ANSWER)
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