Reading
1. Below are pictures from websites about festivals in Viet Nam. Work in groups to answer the following questions.
1. What are the people doing in each picture?
2. Who do people worship at the Hung King Temple Festival?
3. Who do people worship at the Huong Pagoda Festival?
2. Now read the information about these festivals to check your ideas.
A 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.
B 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.
3. Find words/ phrases in the passages that have similar meaning to these words or phrases.
1. kings
2. includes as an important part of something
3. interesting, full of fun
4. from abroad
5. going for a long walk
6. natural surroundings
4. Read the information again and answer the following questions.
1. When does the Hung King Temple Festival take place?
2. What is included in the offerings to the Hung Kings?
3. Why is it joyful to go to the Hung King Temple Festival?
4. What do people do to worship Buddha at the Huong Pagoda Festival?
5. Which of the activities at the Huong Pagoda Festival do you like most?
Speaking
5a. Work in pairs. Your teacher is organising a trip. You have two options: going to Huong Pagoda or going to Hung King Temple. You have to decide the following:
1. Which place do you prefer to go to? Explain your choice.
Example: I prefer to go to Huong Pagoda because I really want to travel along Yen Stream by boat. How about you?
2. What things should you take with you? Why?
Example: I think we should take a bottle of water because we'll need it when we're climbing the mountain.
