|
|
|
|
 |
|
Back
|
Level 3 – Intermediate
Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving Day is an annual holiday in the United States, celebrating the harvest and other good fortune of the past year. It originated in 1621 when William Bradford, the governor of the Plymouth colony, invited friendly Indians to join the Pilgrims for a three-day festival of feasting.
These early pioneers were farmers from Europe and they brought their traditions from their own countries. One of these, which they held at harvest time, was to give thanks for the abundance of food. This developed into today’s Thanksgiving celebration which has become an important part of the national culture in the US.
Today, Thanksgiving Day is on the fourth Thursday in November. There is a traditional feast of turkey with cranberries and pumpkin pie. In many places, especially on the East Coast where the tradition is strongest, there are parades and festivals. One of the most famous is the New York City Parade. It takes place between 9 a.m. and midday and decorated floats and giant balloons in the shape of well-known characters parade through the city. A highlight of this celebration is the ‘blowing up of balloons' on the night before the parade. Thousands of people attend this evening event and entertainment is provided for children. Thanksgiving is also celebrated in Canada but not on such a grand scale. It is traditionally a family festival and it is held on the second Monday in October.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Answer the questions below to check how well you understand the text.
|
|
|
|
C2 Mastery
