Online English Programme for Prospective University Entrants

Rajarata University of Sri Lanka

Department of English Language Teaching
Online Certificate Course in English
Ishari Maduwanthi

Festivals
A. Speaking
Before reading
1. Discuss the cultural and religious festivals you celebrate in Sri Lanka under the given sub
themes. (You may refer the internet if necessary)
 Discuss the history of festivals in Sri Lanka?
 What are the cultural and religious festivals that celebrate in Sri Lanka?
 What is the importance of celebrating festivals?
B. Reading
Read the following text and answer the questions given
below.

Top Festivals around the World

No matter where you go around the globe, everybody loves

to celebrate. And when it comes to celebration, festivals
offer something for everyone. Whether it’s the art and
culture, food and wine, holidays, or religion you’re into, there’s a gathering somewhere on the earth that you can
participate. These festivals that happen throughout the year around the world is not only for religious purposes
but for celebration too.

The festivals in Asia are an intriguing mix of the local cultures, lifestyles, and religions that have evolved in the
countries with their rich cultural identities. They do not just
give you an insight into the cultures of the people of the
many nations in Asia but also their lives. The Esala
Perahera Festival in Kandy, Sri Lanka which happens every
August, is the most famous of Sri Lanka's colourful
celebrations. The country's most sacred relic, one of the

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Buddha's teeth, is normally kept enshrined within the town's Dalada Maligawa temple but during the festival, it
is paraded around the streets with much fanfare. The festival lasts ten days and is a spectacle of elephants,
drummers, dancers, chieftains, acrobats, whip-crackers, torch bearers, and thousands of pilgrims in procession.
The Perahera gradually becomes longer and more lavish for ten days and culminates in a dazzling celebration on
the final night led by a cast of hundreds of elephants and thousands of performers. The festival is unparalleled in
Sri Lanka and is one of the finest spectacles in the Indian Subcontinent.

The “Festival of Lights” or Diwali is one day festival usually occurs between mid-October and mid-November
and is celebrated in many countries. Overall, it is a celebration of good over evil, light over darkness, and
knowledge over ignorance, but for Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains the festival has different religious meanings. Many
houses, shops, and public places are decorated with small earthenware lamps called divas, fireworks are set off,
religious rituals are practiced and gifts are exchanged.

Holi is a religious spring festival, mainly celebrated by

Hindus. Bonfires are lit on the eve of the festival, also
known as Holika Dahan (burning of little Holi), in memory
of the miraculous escape that young Prahlad accomplished
when Demoness Holika carried him into the fire. Holika was
burnt but Prahlad, a staunch devotee of God Vishnu,
escaped without any injuries due to his unshakable devotion. The celebrations can last up to 16 days, with Hindus
throwing coloured powder and water at each other in the street.

With more than 3000 ethnic groups and some 2000 different languages, the African continent is the very
embodiment of cultural diversity. Combine this fact with the amazing biodiversity and natural beauty of the
continent, the Kenyans celebrate Mombasa Carnival perfectly while showcasing the region’s cultural diversity.
Traditional and contemporary musicians perform, and the streets are lined with stalls offering all sorts of local
delicacies, such as fresh coconut milk and the brewed concoction known as mnazi, which is made from coconut
sap. Participants often dress in traditional Kikuyu and Kanga, and the
parade finally winds its way down to the beach at Fort Jesus for a boat
regatta!

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The 'Day of the Dead' focuses on gatherings of family

and friends to pray for and remember friends and
family members who have died. The celebration takes
place on 1st and 2nd November (All Saints' Day and
All Souls' Day) and traditions connected with the
holiday include building private altars honouring the
deceased using sugar skulls and marigolds, eating the
favourite foods and beverages of the departed, and
visiting graves with gifts. This festival is mostly
celebrated by the people in the North American continent.

In short, people look forward to festivals all-round the year no matter where they live in. Festivals spark joy and give
people something to look forward to. In addition, people also repair their homes and paint them that look like brand
new. It beautifies the look of the locality. In nutshell, festivals fill our lives with colors and enthusiasm. They bring
us closer every year and eliminate any feelings of communal hatred. Further, they strengthen the bonds of the
community and remove the malice from people’s hearts. Therefore, festivals are quite important and must be
celebrated with passion.
01. Answer the questions given below.

1. What are the purposes of celebrating festivals?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. What is the most famous of Sri Lanka's colourful celebrations according to the passage?
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3. What is the “Festival of Lights” or Diwali? Who celebrates it?
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4. How is the “Festival of Lights” celebrated?
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5. Who celebrates the “Holi” festival?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. How do the Kenyans celebrate “Mombasa Carnival”?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. What is the purpose of celebrating the “Day of the Dead”? When does it take place?
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8. What are the benefits of celebrating festivals?

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9. Name the festivals mentioned in the text.
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10. Write down your opinion on celebrating festivals using two sentences.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
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02. Mention whether the following statements are “True” or “False”.

1. The Esala Perahera Festival in Sri Lanka is held in every August. (…………)
2. The Esala Perahera Festival is one of the finest spectacles in the Indian Subcontinent. (…………)
3. The “Festival of Lights” and Diwali are two festivals celebrated in many countries. (…………)
4. Diwali is a celebration of good over evil. (…………)
5. Holi is a religious festival, only celebrated by Hindus. (…………)
6. Usually, Holi is celebrated around half of a month. (…………)
7. The 'Day of the Dead’ is celebrated by the people in the North American continent. (…………)
8. The 'Day of the Dead' focuses on gatherings of family and friends to enjoy. (…………)
9. Festivals boost any feelings of communal hatred. (…………)
10. Festivals must be celebrated with passion. (…………)

C. Vocabulary
01. Read the passage and gather the meaning of the given words below and write simple sentences using
the following words.

1. Gathering : ……………………………………………………………………………………..
2. Intriguing : ……………………………………………………………………………………..
3. Insight : ……………………………………………………………………………………..
4. Spectacle : ……………………………………………………………………………………..
5. Culminate : ……………………………………………………………………………………..
6. Ignorance : ……………………………………………………………………………………..
7. Unshakable : ……………………………………………………………………………………..
8. Biodiversity : ……………………………………………………………………………………..
9. Contemporary : ……………………………………………………………………………………..
10. Depart : ……………………………………………………………………………………..
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02. Find antonyms for the following words from the text.

1. Dullness : ……………………………..
2. Diminish : ……………………………..
3. Irreligious : ……………………………..
4. Destitute : ……………………………..
5. Enmity : ……………………………..

D. Language Focus
Adjectives

Adjectives describe or give information about nouns or pronouns. An adjective may give information about the
size or colour of a noun. They add different qualities to them.
Adjectives may be
 fact adjectives
E.g. The huge black dog. (cannot be disputed)
That is a big car passing the street.
or
 opinion adjectives
E.g. She has beautiful eyes. (every one may not agree).
My neighbours is horrible.

1. Underline all the adjectives given in the passage

2. Form sentences using the adjectives you have identified from the passage.
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E. Writing

01. Write a letter to your pen - pal about a cultural festival you celebrated recently.
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02. Write a notice to the students of Rajarata University of Sri Lanka to inform about a mixed cultural
festival organized by the cultural center of the university to enhance the mutual coexistence between the
students who belong to different ethnicities.
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