Active Skills for Reading 1 (Unit 9: Festivals and Celebrations)


CHAPTER 2 - Edinburgh Festival Journal

Real Life Skill - Reading Tourist Information

Many cities have a Visitors' Bureau or Tourist Information Center. They have brochures and websites with information about places to visit, sightseeing tours, festivals, and events. Understanding some of the language commonly used in this information can help you plan your trip better.

A. Read this brochure about a festival.

CELEBRATE MARDI GRAS IN NEW ORLEANS!

Mardi Gras is a huge festival and is attended by almost a million people every year. If you're planning to visit New Orleans at this time, it's better to be prepared for the party!

Tips for visitors:

  • Plan ahead: Many hotels .start taking reservations for Mardi Gras in August. To get the room you want, call well in advance. Don't wait until January!
  • Plan your transportation: Many streets are closed to cars.
  • Get there early: For the big parades on the weekend before Mardi Gras, plan to arrive about four hours ahead of time to find a good spot.
  • Check the weather forecasts: It can be very warm or very cold at this time of year. You might need a jacket, sunscreen, or an umbrella-or all three.
  • Catch Mardi Gras throws: People riding on floats in the parades throw small things to the crowd. Spectators jump up to catch beads, plastic coins, cups, and toy animals. Bring a plastic bag to hold all your souvenirs.

B. Match each word in bold in the brochure with its meaning below.

1. a prediction of how the weather will be
2. pieces of useful information
3. an arrangement to confirm accommodation or seats
4. a long time before
5. people who watch an event
6. a small item to remind you of the place you visited

C. Read the following sentences. Write (T) or false (F).

T/F
1. The weather is always good in New Orleans at this time of year.
2. You should make hotel reservations for Mardi Gras in January.
3. You can get lots of free souvenirs at the parades.
4. All of the parades are held on one day.

What do you think?

  1. What are some holidays in your country? What do you do on those days?

    Answer

    Answers will vary.

  2. Do you think festivals are more popular now or in the past? Why?

    Answer

    For question 2, possible answers include: Festivals may be more popular now because of greater ease of travel. On the other hand, festivals may be less popular because online social networking has decreased the amount of actual socializing that people now do.

Edinburgh Festival Journal

September 1

I'm so excited! My roommate Christopher and I are on our flight to Edinburgh, Scotland, for the Edinburgh International Festival. It's the biggest arts festival in the world and combines many separate festivals happening at the same time. I'm especially excited to see lots of indie1 art and films. There's so much to do and we only have three days!

September 2

Christopher and I arrived at our hotel in Edinburgh last night. After checking in, we had dinner and explored the city streets. It was really fascinating but we went to bed soon after because we were so tired! Today we went to King's Theater to watch some short plays that are part of the Fringe Festival. People here call it "The Fringe," and it has an awesome variety of shows by all sorts of performing arts groups. A parade of actors greeted us as we walked down the street. They were waving colorful flags, one for each of the theater companies performing at the festival. It was a great way for us to start our festival experience. Christopher wants to hear some bands at the Jazz & Blues Festival, and we hope to see a good film tonight.

September 3

I saw an awesome comedian today! He was so funny that I couldn't stop laughing. I wish we had these kind of events in my hometown. Christopher and I spent the afternoon walking along the river. There were painters on either side, working and displaying all kinds of art. Later, we went to the Foodies Festival for dinner and tried local Scottish foods. Most of it was delicious, although there were a few foods we didn't dare try - like haggis!2

September 4

Today is the final day of the International Festival, but some of the smaller festivals will go on for a few more days. The plan is to watch some short plays in the amphitheater in the park after lunch. Then, later tonight, we'll attend the closing ceremonies in the city center and watch the fireworks. I can't believe the festival is almost over!

1 Indie is short for independent and describes an artistic work produced by a small company or group.
2 Haggis is a kind of sausage made from the heart, liver, lungs, and stomach of a sheep.

Chapter - 2: Vocabulary Skill - Sensory Verbs

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