IV. READING

SKILL 1 UNIT 3

 The Thai have a population of about one and a half million people living in the provinces of Lai Chau, Son La, Yen Bai, Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, and Nghe An. The Thai language belongs to the Tay - Thai group. 

The Thai are experienced farmers. They dig canals to bring water to their fields. Their main food is

rice, especially sticky rice. The Thai also grow other crops on burnt-out land. They raise cattle and poultry

for their own use. They also make bamboo items, and weave cloth. Thai cloth is well-known for being unique, colourful and strong.

Recently, Thai men prefer to wear the Kinh's style of dress, while Thai women keep their traditional costumes including short blouses, long skirts, scarves and ornaments. The Thai live in houses on stilts. Their villages comprise 40 to 50 houses, usually built side by side.

The Thai worship their ancestors. Every year they hold festivals and ceremonies with alternating songs

between boys and girls, and many traditional games.

• Answer true or false.

1. The Thai are good farmers.

2. They grow the same crops.

3. They can make household items from the bamboo tree.

4. The Thai live in stilt houses.

5. They get water to their fields from the rivers.

6. The main food is beef.

7. Thai women’s costumes are short shirts, long skirts, scarves and ornaments.

8. Many festivals and ceremonies are held by the Thai people every year. 

      * Answer the questions

1. Do the Thai people have their own language?

2. Do they dig rivers to bring water to their fields?

3. What is the main food of the Thai people?

        ….

4. Do they  raise cattle for their own use?

5. What is the Thai cloth well – known for?

………………………………………………………………………………………

6. Who do the Thai worship?

SKILL 1 UNIT 4

In my opinion, customs and traditions are very important. Like other families, we have our own customs and traditions.

A. Firstly, there's a tradition in our family of having lunch together on the second day of Tet. Everyone has to be there before 11 a.m. We have followed this tradition for three generations.

B. Secondly, we have the custom of spending Sunday together. We usually go to the cinema or go for a picnic. We don't have to do it, but it makes us closer as a family.

C. Thirdly, we celebrate our grandparents' wedding anniversary on the first Sunday of October because they don't remember the exact date. The custom is that we have to cook a new dish each year. Last year, my mum cooked lasagne, an Italian dish. This year, we prepared five-coloured sticky rice served with grilled chicken. We all enjoy these customs and traditions because they provide our family with a sense of belonging.

True or false.

1. Mi’s family has lunch together on the first day of Tet.

2. The first Sunday of October is their grandparents’ wedding anniversary.

3. Lasagne is an Australian dish.

4. The custom is that they have to cook the same dish each year.

5. They don’t like these customsnand traditions.

Answer the questions

1. How many customs does Mi mention?

……………………………………………………

2. What does Mi’s family usually do on Sundays?

……………………………………………………………

3. Is the second of October her grandparents’ wedding anniversary?

…………………………………………………………………..

4. What did they make for the grandparents’ wedding anniversary this year?

………………………………………………………………………….

5. Do they never go to the cinema?

…………………………………………………………………………

6. Why do they love family customand traditions?

……………………………………………………………………………….

SKILL 1 UNIT 5

The Hung King Temple Festival takes place from the 8th to the 11th day of the third lunar month in Phu Tho. This festival is held to worship the Hung Kings who are the founders and also the first emperors of the nation. The festival features a procession from the foot of the Nghia Linh mountain to the High Temple on top of the mountain. Here, there is a ceremony of offering incense and specialities such as chung cakes, day cakes and five-fruit trays to the Kings. Moreover, there are also many joyful activities including bamboo swings, lion dances, wrestling and xoan singing performances

This Buddhist festival is held annually and lasts for three months from the first to the third lunar  month. During the festival, visitors come from all over the country and from overseas to join the procession and make offerings of incense, flowers, fruit and candles to worship Buddha at the pagoda. In addition to the ceremonies, people enjoy activities at this festival such as hiking in the mountains, exploring caves and taking photos of the beautiful scenery.

* Answer true or false.

1. The Hung King Temple Festival takes place from the 9th to the 11th day of the third lunar month.

2. Chung cakes and Day cakes are specialities.

3. Wrestling isn’t  one of  activities at the Hung King Temple festi val.

4. This Buddhist festival is held every year.

5. It takes places from the second to the third lunar  month.

6. Climbing the mountains is one of activities at  Buddhisfestival.

* Answer the questions

1. When  does The Hung King Temple Festival take place?

2.What is included in the offerings to the Hung Kings?

3.Does it take place in Ha Noi?

4.Is there a procession from the foot of the Nghia Linh mountain to the High Temple on top of the mountain?

5. Who is the festival held to worship?

6.Why is it joyful to go to The Hung King Temple Festival?

7. When  does The Buddhist festival take place?

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

8. Where does The Buddhist festival Festival take place?

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

9. What do people do to  worship Buddha at the Huong Pagoda?

……………………………………………………………

10. Does the Buddhist festival last for three months?......................................

11. Which of the activities at the Huong pagoda Festival do you like most?

……………………………………………………………………..

12. Do you like going to The Hung King Temple Festival or The Buddhist festival?

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

SKILL1 UNIT 6

Once upon a time, there was a rich man living in a village. When he died, he left his two sons a fortune. But the elder brother gave his brother only a starfruit tree. When the fruit was ripe, an eagle came and ate the fruit. The younger brother begged the eagle not to. The eagle promised to repay him in gold and told him to make a bag to carry it. The eagle took him on its back to a place of gold. There, he filled the bag with gold. When he got home he was rich. The elder brother was surprised, so he asked his brother to explain. After hearing the story, he offered to swap his fortune for the starfruit tree, and his kind brother accepted. When the eagle came, the elder brother asked it to take him to the place of gold. The greedy brother filled a very large bag and all his pockets with gold. On the way home, because the load was too heavy, the eagle got tired and dropped him into the sea.

Answer the questions

1.What did the older brother give his younger brother?

………………………………………………………….

2.What did the eagle promise to the younger brother?

……………………………………………………………

3.What did the elder brother do when he found out how his younger brother became rich?

…………………………………………………………………

4.What did the elder brother do when he got to the place of gold?

………………………………………………………………………

5.What happened to the elder brother in the end?

………………………………………………………..

6.was he dropped into the pond?

………………………………………………

V. Writing

I. Make question for the underlined words.

1.The house was chosen for the background of the fim in 2006.

…………………………………………………………………….

2.The house is in Dong Van District, Ha Giang Province.

……………………………………………………………………..

3.The film is about the life of a Hmong girl named Pao.

……………………………………………………………………

4.She was raised by her stepmother because her real mother left her when she was little.

…………………………………………………………………………………

5.She began to look for her birth mother when her stepmother died in an accident.

………………………………………………………………………………

II. Rewrite the sentences without changing their meaning. Use the words in brackets.

1. Sebastien is a French, but he plays Vietnamese folk games well. (although)

Although

2. the weather was terrible. we had a good time. (although)

We

3. You should know the story of chung cakes and day cakes. You are Vietnamese  (If)

If

4. The New Year’s Eve is late at night. Children stay awake to welcome the New Year and to watch the firework display. (even though)

5. You won’t get in to see the show .You don’t have reserved seats. (if)

You

6. Children like the Mid – Autumn Festival. They are given many sweets and toys.( because)

7.You don’t start early. You will get stuck in the traffic. (if)

You

8. The black dress is more expensive than the white one. 

   The white dress …. ………. ………. ………. ………. ………. ……………………

9. No one in my group is more intelligent than Mary. 

   Mary………. …..................................................................................................................

10.The girl worked hard. Her step mother wasn’t happy. (ALTHOUGH)

->   ……….…………………………..…………….……………………….………………..

11. Tea is cheaper than coffee. Coffee .……….………...............................................………

12. The red car is more expensive than the black one.

 The black car ….……….……….……….……….......................................................……….

13.Motorbikes go more slowly than cars

. Cars go _____________________________________

14. The buffalo-fighting Festival sounds frightening. Many people come to enjoy it. (Although)

……………………………………………………………………………………….

15.Lang Lieu was very poor  so he couldn’t buy any special food.

Because …………………………………………………………………………………..…..…

III. Use given words to make sentences

1. My laptop/ exepensive/ than/ his laptop/.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

2. Even though / the New Year’s Eve / late/ night, /children / stay awake/ welcome / the New Year/ and / watch / fireworks display.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. Mr Thompson / work / responsibly/ than / Mr Dylan.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

4.Children/ the city/ play/ freely/ than/ children / the countryside

.

5. which ethnic group/ second largest population/ Vietnam?

6.Because /quan ho  / the  traditional folk song/ Bac Ninh, only this kind of singing/  is/ allow / at /  the Lim Festival.

………………………………………………………………………………………….

7.He /  lazy/ than / his brother.

……………………………………………………………..

8.He / not / go / school / because / he / ill / yesterday.

……………………………………………………………..

9.If / she / come/ early / we / begin / the game.

…………………………………………………………..

10.Although /  I / like/ the Giong festival/ I /never be/ there.

…………………………………………………………………….