Khau Vai Love Market Festival - Beauty of Love

Khau Vai Commune, located in Meo Vac District, is (1) ……… to ethnic minority groups of Giay, Nung and Muong. The love market festival is held

(2) ……… Lunar March 26^lh and 27^th with the participation of a large number of local people. The festival features food and drink culture, song (3) …… and folk games. Ethnic (4) ……, jewellery, ethnic musical instruments, culture and art publications are (5) ….… at the market, reflecting activities of the local people.

     The story concerns two temples in the area of Khau Vai Market. Once upon a time, there was a boy and a girl born from two different places of the Dong Van Plateau. Since forbidden to get married (6) …………… the two families, they decided (7) …………… home to come and settle down together in Khau Vai, a prosperous land with green plants.

     Since then, on every Lunar March 27^th, Khau Vai has attracted couples of different ages, including those who seek 8) …………… for the first time. (9) ……………, most of them are those who love each other very much but cannot marry (10) …………… different reasons.

1.  A. family                B. home                 C. house                D. hometown

2.  A. in                                   B. at                       C. on                      D. during

3.  A. performances     B. rituals                C. ceremonies        D. celebrations

4.  A. cloth                   B. materials            C. costume             D. costumes

5.  A. in show              B. on display         C. in display          D. on stage

6.  A. between             B. on                      C. by                      D. because of

7.  A. leave                  B. to leave             C. leaving              D. left

8.  A. partners              B. couples              C. lover                  D. wives

9.  A. Otherwise           B. Therefore          C. Moreover          D. However

10.  A. of                     B. for                     C. at                       D. from

   Tran Temple Festival, one of the largest annual spring festivals in Vietnam, is held on the 14th night and 15th day of the first lunar month at the national historical complex of the Tran Kings’ shrines and tombs in Tien Due Commune, Hung Ha District, Nam Dinh City. It usually begins with an incense-offering rite at the kings’ tombs and a ritual for the opening of the gates of Den Thanh (Thanh Temple), Den Mau (Mother Temple) and the Tran Kings’ shrines. They are followed by a ‘water procession’, in which people will carry nine ornate palanquins with memorial plaques of the Kings of the Tran Dynasty and members of their royal families. A series of folk games are also organized during the festival, such as a rice-cooking challenge, clay firecrackers, chung cake wrapping and tug of war, alongside traditional performances and sport games including lion dances, dragon dances, cheo and chau van singing, human chess, wrestling and martial arts.

     The Tran Temple Festival was recognized as a national intangible heritage in 2014. The historical complex of the Tran Kings’ shrines and tombs received special national relic status last year.

     - ornate (adj): được sơn son thiếp vàng

     - palanquin (n): kiệu rước (lễ hội)

1. How often is the Tran Temple Festival held?

     a. every month         b. every year         c. every two years         d. twice a year

2. The Tran Temple Festival usually begins with ………………..

     a. formal ceremonies                                        b. a water procession

     c. prayers of thanks                                          d. incense offerings to the gods

3. The word ‘they’ in the passage refers to ………………..

     a. temples                  b. offerings                   c. shrines                     d. rituals

4. What does ‘plaque’ mean?

     a. a large picture printed on paper

     b. a wide piece of cloth with a message on it

     c. a small piece of paper with information on it

     d. a flat piece of metal, wood or stone with writing on it

5. Which of the followings is not organized in the festival?

     a. rice cooking          b. tug of war           c. boat race           d. human chess

6. Based on the information in the text, which statement is false?

     a. The Tran Temple Festival aims to honour the Tran Dynasty.

     b. The seal opening ceremony takes place on the 14th night.

     c. The main rituals are preceded by a water procession.

     d. Traditional cheo and chau van singing is performed in the festival.

7. Which of the followings is not mentioned in the text?

     a. The Tran Dynasty is the most brilliant reign in Vietnamese history.

     b. Tran Temple Festival was recognized as a national intangible heritage.

     c. Nine ornate palanquins are carried in the water procession.

     d. There are plenty of activities to keep festival goers entertained.

Tran Temple Festival, one of the largest annual spring festivals in Vietnam, is held on the 14th night and 15th day of the first lunar month at the national historical complex of the Tran Kings’ shrines and tombs in Tien Duc Commune, Hung Ha District, Nam Dinh City. It usually begins with an incense-offering rite at the kings’ tombs and a ritual for the opening of the gates of Den Thanh (Thanh Temple), Den Mau (Mother Temple) and the Tran Kings’ shrines. They are followed by a ‘water procession’, in which people will carry nine ornate palanquins with memorial plaques of the Kings of the Tran Dynasty and members of their royal families. A series of folk games are also organized during the festival, such as a rice-cooking challenge, clay firecrackers, chung cake wrapping and tug of war, alongside traditional performances and sport games including lion dances, dragon dances, cheo and chau van singing, human chess, wrestling and martial arts.

      The Tran Temple Festival was recognized as a national intangible heritage in 2014. The historical complex of the Tran Kings’ shrines and tombs received special national relic status last year.

      - ornate (adj): được sơn son thiếp vàng          - palanquin (n): kiệu rước (lễ hội)

1.   How often is the Tran Temple Festival held?

      a. every month            b. every year               c. every two years      d. twice a year

2.   The Tran Temple Festival usually begins with ________.

      a. formal ceremonies                                      b. a water procession

      c. prayers of thanks                                         d. incense offerings to the gods

3.   The word ‘they’ in the passage refers to ________.

      a. temples                    b. offerings                  c. shrines      d. rituals

4.   What does ‘plaque’ mean?         

      a. a large picture printed on paper

      b.a wide piece of cloth with a message on it

      c.a small piece of paper with information on it

      d.a flat piece of metal, wood or stone with writing on it

5.   Which of the followings is not organized in the festival?

      a. rice cooking            b. tug of war                c. boat race      d. human chess

5.   Based on the information in the text, which statement is false?

      a.The Tran Temple Festival aims to honour the Tran Dynasty.

      b.The seal opening ceremony takes place on the 14th night.

      c.The main rituals are preceded by a water procession.

      d.Traditional cheo and chau van singing is performed in the festival.

7,   Which of the followings is not mentioned in the text?

      a.The Tran Dynasty is the most brilliant reign in Vietnamese history.

      b.Tran Temple Festival was recognized as a national intangible heritage.

      c. Nine ornate palanquins are carried in the water procession.

            d.There are plenty of activities to keep festival goers entertained.

Read the passage below and decide whether the statements are TRUE or FALSE?

This report shows how the rice-cooking festival was held. The festival was held in the communal house yard about one kilometer away from a river. There were three competitions: water-fetching, fire-making and rice-cooking. The festival lasted one day. In the water-fetching contest one person from each team had to go to the river to get the water. In the fire-making contest two team members had to make a fire in the quickest way. They tried to rub pieces of wood together to make the fire. Members from each team took part in the rice-cooking contest. They had to separate the rice from the husk and then cook the rice. After the three contests, all the points were counted and the Thon Trieu group won the grand prize. The festival was wonderful.

Question: The festival was held in the communal house yard.

A. True

B. False

II. Read the passage and answer the questions.

Ba Chua Kho Temple Festival is held on the 14th day of the first lunar month ic Co Me Village, Vu Ninh Commune, in Bac Ninh City, Bac Ninh Province. The festival is dedicated to Ba Chua Kho ( The Queen of Stock )four gods: Thien phu, Dia phu, Thuy phu, and Nhac phu. It is said that Lady Chua Kho was a hard working woman. After marrying the king of the Ly Dynasty, she asked to go to Vu Ninh area, recruited villages to establish a village, and organized production in 72 small villages. She also kept an eye on, or looked after, the food stock and maintained military supplies during and after the victory against the Song invaders in Nhu Nguyet River (Cau River) in 1076. When she died, people built a temple to dedicate to her. Annually, the temple attracts a great number of people from the whole country to worship and pray for good fortune and to borrow money from her for work in the year.

1. When is Ba Chua Kho Temple Festival held?

...........................................................................

2. What was Lady Chua Kho like?

............................................................................

3. Was she responsible for the food stock and military supplies?

..............................................................................

4. What did people do when she died?

..............................................................................

Le Mat Snake Festival

Over the years, Le Mat Village in Long Bien District, Hanoi has been famous nationwide for not only snake catching and breeding, but also its unique festival. The festival is annually held on March 20-24 of the lunar calendar to worship the village’s tutelary god of the Hoang Family.

Legend told that one day while the daughter of King Ly Thai Tong (1072-1127) was boating with her maids on the Duong River, a big snake, which was considered a water monster, overturned the boat and caught the princess. The crew could do nothing to protect the princess. But a young man in the Hoang Family from Le Mat Village dove into the water, fought against the monster and, in the end, succeeded in killing it and saving the princess. King Ly Thai Tong was deeply impressed by the young man’s feat and gave him a reward in gold and court titles. But the hero graciously rejected the reward and, instead, requested the King to allow him and a number of poor people to reclaim land in the areas west of the capital in Thang Long. When the man passed away, the locals honored him as the village’s tutelary god and every year organize a festival to commemorate him.

Le Mat Village Festival consists of many unique rituals and folk activities, such as the water offering ceremony, the snake-killing dance, one of the ten ancient dances in the imperial capital of Thang Long and the ritual of catching carp in the village well. With many ancient cultural features, Le Mat Village Festival is one of the unique festivals in our country, attracting a large number of tourists.

I. Find the words in the passage that have similar meaning to these phrases: (0,5pts)

1. unusual or special in some way

= ………………………..……..

2. people who visit a place for pleasure and interest

= ………………………………

II. Answer the questions: (1 pt)

1. What is Le Mat snake festival well-known for?

@ ________________________________________________________________.

2. Was the monster who caught the princess a dragon?

@ ________________________________________________________________.

3. List the activities you can see at the festival.

@ ________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________.

4. Why is Le Mat festival considered one of the most unique festival in our country?

@ ________________________________________________________________.

V. Complete each sentence with the correct form of words in bracket:

1. The ________________ house is the biggest one in this village. (commune)

2. Five-coloured sticky rice is a traditional ________________ of Tay people. (special)

3. The cattle are herded to a new pasture by the ________________. (nomadic)

4. If you want to stay slim, you have to eat more ________________. (health)

5. I think country life is so boring and ________________ because you’re not close to shops and services. (convenient)

6. Who lives more happily, ________________ or city dwellers? (nomadic)

7. Do the Hoa live mostly in ________________ regions like the Hmong? (mountain)

8. It is very ________________ to go out and do some shopping with your close friends.  (relax)

Flower Festival is also known as Xen Ban and Xie mu festival - a festival of Thai ethnic people. The festival is held in the blossoming season of the white flowers in the Northwestern mountains, ie on the occasion of the second lunar month. The flower festival is known as the festival of couple love, the festival of family happiness, the lush harvest festival, the prosperous life in Muong village, and also an opportunity for relatives and visitors to join. participate in games, competitions, love songs in the moonlit night.

1) What is the flower festival also known as?

2)What season is the flower festival held?

3)This festival is an opportunity for people and tourists to do?