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Saint Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick's Day

Date: Mar 16 2007

Themes: Holidays, Party, Religion

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Every year, Ireland celebrates Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It used to be primarily a religious holiday, but it is now a national holiday in Ireland. March 17th is known the world over as Saint Patrick’s Day.

In the US, most people who are not Irish do not know much about the Irish holiday. Most people wear green on this day, and those who don’t wear green risk getting pinched!

Many American cities have big parades. Saint Patrick’s Day has a reputation for being a day that Americans party pretty hard.

Listen to Marni and Amanda talk about Saint Patrick’s Day.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Amanda

Amanda

Marni

Marni

Amanda:  What kind of traditions do you associate with Saint Patrick’s Day?

Marni:  Being drunk.

Amanda:  Really?

Marni:  Not myself personally, but, just, it seems like…

Amanda:  No, other people.

Marni:  Exactly. It seems to me that that’s what, as adults, the holiday is about, is just…

Amanda:  I suppose it’s an excuse to get drunk.

Marni:  But, um, you know, with kids… I’ve worked with kids and in classrooms, you see it’s all about wearing green.

Amanda:  Right.

Marni:  And I don’t think adults do that as much.

Amanda:  No, it’s not so appropriate. And even with the children in classes, you have… For instance, I taught a class and it was Saint Patrick’s Day and I wore green…

Marni:  Mm hm.

Amanda:  And there was that fine line of what’s appropriate. They knew that they could, but should they, do the pinch.

Marni:  Exactly.

Amanda:  And some of the children, which was very unfair, were not familiar with the culture or the tradition of wearing green, so those children were all left out.

Marni:  And that’s something to consider. That’s a real cultural thing, isn’t it?

Amanda:  Absolutely. You’re not necessarily taught about Saint Patrick’s Day as being a significant holiday.

Marni:  Right. Right. And the whole pinching thing. Well, and kids tend to take that, just, you know, way over the top.

Amanda:  Absolutely. Especially the boys.

Marni:  Do you think adults do that too?

Amanda:  I think they do.

 

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Discussion

Marni and Amanda agree that Americans tend to drink a lot on Saint Patrick’s Day.

They know that for kids, the holiday is mostly about wearing green and pinching those who don’t. But since Saint Patrick’s Day is not an official holiday in the States, not all kids know about that tradition.

Click here for last year’s English lesson on Saint Patrick’s Day

 

Comments

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Sandra95

Sandra95

Sweden

wow its a cool day

04:27 PM Jan 11 2014 |

clemmie

clemmie

Canada

haha, good to know the pinching thing.

i bought a pot of shamrock after Saint Patrick's Day, i put it under sun cz i suppose it need sunshine, then i watered it , however, it dead shortlyCry i guess i overdid the water, i feel sorry to them

11:28 PM Apr 07 2009 |

sweetgunner

Brazil

i thought they’d talk about the meaning of this day.. not only keep talking about their personal opinions.

01:30 PM Jun 22 2007 |

sibolga

sibolga

Indonesia

I Love studying ENGLISH with anyone via “Message-Sending”

07:02 PM Apr 02 2007 |

claitonmedina

Brazil

That’s too bad. I’m going to Dublin on march 31th so I won’t be celebrated the Saint Patrick’s Day

05:20 AM Mar 18 2007 |

getchar

getchar

Algeria

hello there!! we are all in green today..we’re going to be dunk!! go to my site you’ll get drinks for free ..only those who wear green of coursee
see you

08:27 AM Mar 17 2007 |

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