Read the text about Halloween, do the tasks.

1.1. Before reading

1. What do you know about this festival?

2. What are the key-words of the holiday?

3. When is Halloween?

1.2. Reading

1.2.1. Read the text.

Halloween is an ancient celebration deriving from a mixture of pagan ideas, folklore and religion.

It originally began with the Celts and their celebration of the end of the Celtic year on November 1^st. This date marked the end of their “season of the sun” and the disappearance of the sun god whom they worshipped as winter began. By lighting cooking fires in their homes, the ancient Celts hoped to keep the good luck symbolized by the spirit of the light with them through the winter months.

When the Romans invaded Britain in the 1^st century, they brought with them the festival known as Pomona Day, named after their goddess of fruits and gardens. This is where the tradition of eating toffee apples on Halloween comes from.

When the Christian religion spread through Europe and Britain, November 1^st became a church holiday to honour all the saints, known as All Saints Day. On the eve of this day, people celebrated with big bonfires and parades and dressed up as saints, angels and devils to honour the dead.

Today, all these influences have merged into what we know as Halloween when many people have parties, and play Halloween games, such as dunking for apples. The aim of the game is to remove an apple from a basin of water whilst keeping your hands behind your back, so you can only use your teeth – it’s more difficult than it sounds!

According to Irish legend, villagers went from house to house to ask for soul cakes in return for promises of prosperity or protection against bad luck. Now children dress up as witches and ghosts and go “Trick oк treating”. They call at their neighbours’ homes and ask for a treat, such as sweets or toffee apples – if no treat is given the children will play a mischievous trick!

1.2. 2. What are English equivalents to the following:

древнее празднование, языческий, поклоняться, удача, неудача, назван в честь, церковный праздник, чтить святых, наряжаться/переодеваться, ведьма, процветание, привидение, озорная шутка?

1.2.3. Answer the questions.

1. How did the holiday appear?

2. Why is Halloween celebrated?

3. Why do people dress up as witches and ghosts?

4. What other key-words can you add?

1.2.4. Render the text.

Jack O'Lantern

Неотъемлемый символ – тыквенная голова (Jack O'Lantern). Появление «Светильника Джека» связывают с ирландской легендой о старом фермере, любителе азартных игр и спиртных напитков. Он умудрился дважды обмануть дьявола, а после смерти не попал ни в рай – из-за своей порочной жизни, ни в ад – так как дьявол ещё при жизни Джека поклялся не забирать его душу. В наказание Джек был обречён скитаться по миру с тыквенной головой с тлеющим угольком внутри её.