Velikonoce – EASTER IS HERE

1. To spank          a. sprouting

2. A whip              b. a characteristic manner or style of preparing food

3. A willow            c. the pendulous catkins of the hazel tree

4. Germinant        d. to slap on the buttocks

5. Lamb´s tails     e. a thin straight piece or bar of material

6. Cuisine             f. to wet thoroughly; drench

7. Rod                  g. any of numerous deciduous trees and shrubs of the genus Salix

8. To douse        h. an instrument with a handle and a flexible lash that is used for "beating” women at Easter

The eggs are usually hard-boiled and dyed using various techniques. Sometimes people also use chocolate eggs and animal figures as a decoration. The egg is one of the main symbols of Easter in general as it represents 1) f_ _ _ _ _ _ _y, 2)l_ _e and 3) r _ s_ _ _ _ _ _ _n.

Also, what is really famous about the Czech Republic is its cuisine and all the cakes that are baked during Easter. People bake a special cake in a shape of 4) l _ _ b, then they bake 5) c_ _ _s 6) b_ _ s, Easter 7) c_ _ e and not to bake only sweet things, in some families a special 8)s_ _ _ _ _ _g from rolls, eggs, smoked meat and green herbs such as nettle is baked and eaten as a normal salty cake.

The most famous tradition 1)____ Easter is whipping girls 2)____ Easter Monday. Boys have to make a special whip 3)____ eight, twelve or twenty-four willow rods and they decorate them 4)____ colourful ribbons. The tradition says that a girl spanked 5)____ a willow whip will be healthy and lively 6)____ the whole year. After the whipping, a girl should tie a ribbon 7)____ the boy´s whip and give him a decorated egg. Another popular tradition 8)____ both the Czech and Slovak Republic is dousing.

1. Frittata                a. The Czech Republic

2. Mazanec             b. Finland

3. Hot cross buns   c. Spain

4. Paskha               d. Italy

5. Torrijas               e. Russia

6. Mämmi               f. England

countries: English-speaking countries, Italy, Germany, Scotland, Norway, Denmark, Spain

Throughout the 1)____, many Easter traditions are similar. On Sunday morning children spend time searching for eggs hidden by the Easter Bunny but they usually look for chocolate eggs.

In 2)____, not only children roll decorated eggs down steep hills.

In 3)____, for example, on Maundy Thursday people dressed up in costumes perform a traditional "death dance”. The procession ends with frightening skeletons. It starts at midnight and finishes in the early morning.

In 4)____, Christmas trees are being burnt to create an Easter fire which is perceived as a victory for spring over winter.

In 5)____, additionally to traditional skiing in mountains and dying eggs, people engage in solving murders. On TV, crime and detective stories are being broadcast and people can solve murders published in newspapers as quizzes.

In 6)____, people bake traditional frittata which is similar to omelette and they eat it with traditional Easter bread.

In 7)____ sending teaser letters is very popular. Several weeks before Easter, frequently on Valentine´s Day people send a secret poem accompanied by a snow-drop to somebody and instead of signature they write only a particular number of dots. If the recipient guesses or finds out who sent the letter then he or she gets a reward at Easter in a form of an egg.

Before you read the article...1d, 2h, 3g, 4a, 5c, 6b, 7e, 8f

Read the following two paragraphs... 1) fertility, 2) life, 3) resurrection, 4) lamb, 5) cross, 6) buns, 7) cake, 8) stuffing

Read the following paragraph... 1) at, 2) on, 3) from, 4) by, 5) for, 6) to, 7) in

Have a look at the following... 1d, 2a, 3f, 4e, 5c, 6b

Read through the following short... 1) English-speaking countries, 2) Scotland, 3) Spain, 4) Germany, 5) Norway, 6) Italy, 7) Denmark

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