Culture Lesson 08: Festivals in Spain Activity 1 Vocabulary and Expressions Directions: Listen and repeat. ostentatious [ˌɑːstenˈteɪʃəs] extravagant, showy opportune [ˌɑːpərˈtuːn] suitable for a purpose or occasion drenched [drentʃt] completely covered in foul [faʊl] repulsive, having a bad smell ripe [raɪp] fully developed revolve around [rɪˈvɑːlv əˈraʊnd] to center upon fast [fæst]- to abstain from certain foods, usually for religious purposes reenactment [rɪ: ɪˈnæktmənt] recreation of an event or situation 1
Activity 2 Dialogue Directions: Read the dialogue aloud with your teacher. Tanya wants to witness a Spanish festival. Juan is trying to recommend some. I want to go to Spain and I d like to see a festival when I m there. Let s start with the one in Tenerife, which takes place in February. It is the second largest carnival in the world, after the one in Rio. People dress up in ostentatious outfits and celebrate night after night, until the burial of the sardine is performed. What s that all about? It symbolizes the death of fun times, as the great period of fasting before Eastern begins right after that. Actually, there are plenty of festivals at this time of the year, which revolve around this whole idea of having the best of time before they can no longer do so. So this would be the most opportune time to go? Yes, but there are plenty of other festivals, too. La Tomatina is very popular among tourists. I think I know it. It s like a food fight...that s filthy and foul! Before the fight with the ripe tomatoes starts, people engage in singing, dancing and spraying each other with water. I still don t want to be drenched in tomato juice. Anything else? A personal favorite of mine is the reenactment of the battle between the Spaniards and the Moors. You can hear medieval music, see people dressed in medieval clothes and armor, and the Moors even ride camels. Now that is something that I would like to see! 2
You might also enjoy the drum festival. The tradition supposedly started in 1720, when a baker began singing while filling some barrels with water. A few girls saw him and started banging on the barrels, and then more people gathered and did the same. That sounds like so much fun! 3
Activity 3 Filling the Blanks Directions: Fill in the blanks below to complete the sentences. 1. It started raining as soon as I left home and I got. 2. We need to find the most time to ask for a raise. 3. The story a couple in their 50s and their problems. 4. The decorations looked. Simpler ornaments would have been better. 5. The period will last 40 days. 6. What is this smell? Open the window quickly! 7. They prepared a of a hilarious scene. 8. These peaches are not. We need to wait a bit more before picking them. ostentatious fasting ripe foul reenactment revolve drenched opportune around 4
Activity 4 Understanding the Vocabulary Directions: Practice making sentences with the following: drenched, ripe, opportune, revolve around. 5
Activity 5 Free Conversation Directions: Take turns with your teacher in answering the questions 1. What is your favorite festival that is celebrated in your country? 2. Which of these Spanish festivals would you like to attend? 3. What is the best part of a festival? Is it the traditions, food, events, or just the fact that it is a day off? 4. Have you taken part in any events (for example, parade, dancing, contest)? 6