I Read the text and be ready to speak about festivals in Valencia.

Bright lights, roaring fires, gunpowder and theatrics are key elements in Valencian festivities. Over 600 popular fiestas are held in the Region of Valencia each year - fiestas which are meant to be held in the streets, for everybody to enjoy. Tourist Information Offices can provide you with a full line-up to choose from.

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The fire fiestas: The spectacular Fallas of Valencia (12–19 March), the Fogueres de Sant Joan in Alicante (17–24 June) and the Santantonadas in Forcall (17 January). The Moors and Christians in Alcoi (22–25 April), also held in many other towns in Alicante province, and in the interior of the provinces of Valencia and Castellon.

The religious festivals: the Les Useres pilgrimage (last Friday of April); The Mystery of Elx (14–15 August) and the Holy Week and Corpus Christi processions.

In addition, the Magdalena feast (third Sunday of Lent in Castellon), the Rosario Marinero de la Aurora (in Cullera on the second Sunday after Easter), the Requena Grape Harvest (24 August – 4 September), the Tomatina (Tomato Battle) in Bunol (last Wednesday in August), the Muixeranga in Algemesi (7–8 September), the Xativa Fair (August), the Running of the Bulls and Horses in Segorbe (September), Tots Sants Fair of Cocentaina (November), the Sexenni in Morella (second Fortnight of August, every six years), the feast in honour of Our Lady of Suffrage in Benidorm (November), and Bull Festivals in Valencia, Alicante and Castellon.

Moors and Christians

This celebration has become a highly popular and spectacular festivity because of the many attractions it offers to both participants and spectators: farce, disguises, traditional costumes, music and gunpowder. The age-old tradition of the battles between the believers in the Crescent Moon and the followers of the Cross are portrayed year after year in colourful parades featuring local people dressed as Moors and Christians, beating on timbals and blowing pipes called «chirimias», shooting blunderbusses and flashing shining swords and scimitars. The largest feast is held in the town of Alcoi, in the month of April, although there are many other celebrations throughout the year, such as in Biar, Ontinyent, Bocairent, la Vila Joiosa, Alicante, Callosa d'En Sarria, Xixona, Cocentaina, Villena, Elda, Petrer, Benidorm, Crevillent, Banyeres de Mariola, Albaida, Sax, I'OHeria, etc.

Las Fallas

These are the unparalleled fire feasts, signifying renovation, spring cleaning, and the change of the seasons. «Fallas» are huge, float-like figurines assembled in the street, full of satire and humour, and peopled with baroque figurines called ninots. Valencia holds these festivities honouring St Joseph from 12 to 19 March, and many other towns in the region do likewise, such as Alzira, Benetusser, Cullera, Benicarlo, Benidorm, Burriana, Denia, Elda, Gandia, Sagunto, Torrent, la Vail d'Uixo, Xativa...

The Fallas Festival is the most spectacular Spanish festival, a two–day event celebrating the end of the winter. The Fallas Fiesta and street party start at noon on St. Joseph’s Day, 19^th March, with a deafening explosion of fireworks. Then there are contests for the best paella – a traditional Valencian rice dish. People gather in the streets to admire the costumes of the men dressed up as the moors who occupied the city until the 13^th century. In the months before the fiesta, craftsmen create around 370 papier mâché sculptures, the fallas (чучело), which are detailed caricatures of local people. At midnight, when the fallas are burnt, the burst of flames and fireworks symbolically forces out the winter.

Les Fogueres de Sant Joan

On the night of 24 June bonfires are lit everywhere. This solstice celebration is full of fun and festivities, with parades, dances, and a full range of firework displays. Streets and squares fill with people, and music and the smell of gunpowder float through the night air, as the bonfires keep their tryst with the feast of St John each year. In the city of Alicante, the highpoint is reached on the night of 24 June, when from the summit of mount Benacantil, a majestic firework display imitating a palm tree is set off, embracing the entire bay of the city.

La Magdalena

This is held on the third Sunday of Lent in Castellon, with a number of traditional parades and ceremonies such as the Prego, the pilgrimage to the chapel, les gaieties, dances, processions, etc. The gaieties parade is a unique celebration combining art and glowing lanterns to mark the founding of the city.

The Mystery of Elx

The Mystery of Elx, now a UNESCO World Heritage event as of 2001, is a festivity listed as being of international tourist interest, consisting of a sacred/lyrical drama inherited from the 15^th century where actors perform the last few days of the Virgin Mary, her death, her ascension to heaven and her coronation. Popularly known as the «Festa» or «Feast», it is traditionally held on two successive days, August 14 and 15, in the Basilica of the Assumption of Saint Mary of Elx and is the only play of medieval origin permitted in the interior of the Catholic temple, having survived down through the ages to our day.

On even-numbered years there are extraordinary performances on 29 and 30 October, and on 1 November.

La Tomatina

Part of the High Feasts of the town of Bunol, in August. A festival in which tons and tons of tomatoes are thrown around the main square. It is listed as a fiesta of international tourist interest in view of its peculiarly.

II Compare these festivals with the festivals of your country. Do you have any similar celebrations?

III What festivals or special occasions are celebrated in your country?

UNIT VI TRAVELLING TO ITALY

Text 1 Rome: the city today

I Read and give the summary of the text.

Rome lies on both banks of the Tiber River in central Italy, 16 kilometres east of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The city is on about 20 hills, but its outskirts have some wide stretches of flat ground. These hills include the famous seven hills on which ancient Rome was built – the Aventine, Caelian, Capitoline, Esquiline, Palatine, Quirinal, and Viminal hills.

Today, the ruins of ancient buildings cover most of the Aventine, Caelian, and Palatine hills. The Palantine also has a modern public park. Crowded commercial districts spread over the Esquiline and Viminal hills. The Italian presidential palace and some of Rome’s government buildings stand on the Quirinal, the tallest of the seven hills. The streets of ancient Rome extended from the Capitoline, a centre of Roman life. Today, this hill has famous art museums, the City Council building, and a square designed by Michelangelo, the greatest Renaissance artist.

Throughout the city are many beautiful squares connected by busy streets. In the heart of Rome is the Piazza Colonna (Colonna Square). Banks, hotels, luxury shops, office buildings, restaurants, and theatres make it the busiest place in the city. Rome’s main street, the Via del Corso (Way of the Course), runs 1.6 kilometres through the Piazza Colonna and links two other squares to the north and south. The street got its name because it was used as a horse-racing course in the Middle Ages.

Vatican City, the administrative and spiritual centre of the Roman Catholic Church, lies in northwestern Rome. The Vatican, as it is sometimes called, is the smallest independent state in the world. It covers only 43.99 hectares, or about 0.4 square kilometer. It is ruled by the Pope. Vatican Palace houses many priceless artworks by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and other great masters.

City ranks as one of world’s most important art centres. Ruins of ancient Rome lie scattered throughout the centre of the modern city. Masterpieces of Renaissance art and architecture attract visitors from all parts of world.

II Compose the questions to the text.

III Complete the sentences using the text.

1 Rome lies ………. .

2 The city is located on about 20 hills which include ………. .

3 You can visit ………….. situated on the Palantine hill.

4 ……….. spread over the Esquiline and Viminal hills.

5 ……… stand on the Quirinal, the tallest of the seven hills.

6 The Capitoline has …………. .

7 In the heart of Rome is ……… .

8 The Rome’s main street the Via del Corso got its name as ………. .

9 Vatican City ……… .

10 The Vatican, as it is sometimes called, ……… .

11 Vatican Palace houses ……… .

12 ……… attract visitors from all parts of world.