III. Writing

Write a short article (50-60 words) to a school newspaper “The most important event in the world history”.

• Identify what event is believed to be the most important.

• explain the importance of this event

• Infer the positive and negative impacts on society.

Examination Card №17

I Reading

Read the text and decide if the statements are T (true) or F (false).

HARVEST FESTIVAL

A harvest festival is an annual celebration that occurs around the time of the main harvest of a given region. Given the differences in climate the times at different places. Harvest festival typically feature feasting, both family and public, with foods that are draw from crops that come to maturity around the time of the festival: eating, merriment, contest, music and romance are common features of harvest festival around the world.

In North America, Canada and the US each have own Thanksgiving celebrations in October and November.

In Britain, thanks have been given for successful harvests since pagan times. Harvest festival is traditionally held on the Sunday near or of the Harvest moon. This is the Moon that occurs closest to the 2^nd of December. In two years out of three, the Harvest Moon comes in December, but in some years it occurs in October. The celebrations on this day usually include singing hymns, praying, and decorating churches with baskets of fruit and food in the festival known as Harvest Festival, Harvest Home or Harvest Thanksgiving.

In British and English-Caribbean churches, chapels and schools, and some Canadian churches, people bring in produce from the garden, the allotment or farm. The food is often distributed among the poor and senior citizens of the local community, or used to raise funds for the church, or charity.

In the United States, many churches also bring in food from the garden or farm in order to celebrate the harvest. The festival is set for a specify day and has become a national holiday known as Thanksgiving which falls on the fourth Thursday in November. In both Canada and the United States, it has also become a national secular holiday with religious origins, but in Britain it is both a Church festival giving thanks to God for the harvest and a more secular festival remembered in schools.

Harvest festivals in Asia include the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, one of the most widely spread harvest festivals in the world. In Iran it was not only the time for harvest, but also the time when the taxes were collected. Visitors from different parts of the Persian Empire brought gifts for the king all contributing to a lively festival.

Occur – траплятися, відбуватися

Pagan – язичницький

Allotment – ділянка, що віддається в оренду, город

1. The festival doesn’t have a certain date

A true B false

2. Food and freedom from the necessity to work in the fields are two central features of harvest festivals.

A true B false

3. In Britain the harvest festival is at the end of autumn..

A true B false

4. On the day of the festival in the UK people decorate houses with baskets of blessed food.

A true B false

5. In the USA the festival is called Mid-Autumn Festival.

A true B false

6. In some countries the festival is also the day of sacrifice.

A true B false