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👉 SKILLS 1
Reading
- Work in groups. Look at the picture, and discuss what you know about Alaska (its location, climate, native people, culture,...).
Read the text and check yyour answers.
If you go to the American state of Alaska, you might find the traditional lifestyle there intersting. Although Alaska is quite large, with nearly 1.7 million square kilometres, it has a small population of about 730,000.
The native peoples in Alaska still maintain many of their traditions. They keep their old ways of making arts and crafts alive. Various native groups have their own special styles or carving or weaving as well as their unique tribal dances and drumming. Therefore, visitors to Alaska may experience some of their culture in their villages. They may see performances of traditional music and native art in galleries and museum.
Alaska is also known for its unusual method of transport - the dogsled.
Today, dog sledding (= mushing) is more of a sport than a true means of transport. The best-known race is the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, a 1,510km race from Anchorage to Nome. Mushers from all over the world come to Anchorage each March to compete for cash and prizes.
(Page 66) - Match the highlighted words in the text with their meanings.
1. maintain a. particular ways of doing something 2. styles b. people who drive dogsleds 3. experience c. to do or feel something 4. mushers d. to keep, make something continue - Read the text again and answer the questions.
1. What is the population of Alaska?
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2. Who have special styles of carving or weaving?
__________________________________________________
3. Where can we find the culture of the native peoples in Alaska?
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4. How long is the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race?
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5. Is the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race an international competition?
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Speaking - Work in pairs. Look at the pictures and use the cues to talk about what people in some places do to maintain their traditional lifestyle.
1. Chau An Village:
- performing traditional dances
- holding festivals
2. Dam Ri Village:
- cooking and selling traditional food
- making crafts
3. Son Ca Village:
- weaving clothing
- singing folk songs
Examaple: A: What do people in Chau An village do to maintain their traditional lifestyle?
B: They perform traditional dances. They also... - Work in pairs. Ask and answer about how people in your area maintain their traditional lifestyle. You can use the ideas in 4 and the reading text in 1.
