Valentine's Day is one of the most famous holidays in the world. It falls on February the 14th and is celebrated across the world. It is the traditional day for lovers to express their love to each other. They do this by sending Valentine’s cards with romantic messages. It is common to leave the card unsigned. Other traditions on this day are buying chocolates and giving red roses. Valentine’s Day used to be an American and European thing, but now it has gone all over the world. It has become very commercial. Companies that make Valentine’s goods even encourage people to send Valentine’s cards to their parents and other family members! In Japan, only women give Valentine’s gifts – to all the men they know.
There is confusion over which Saint Valentine the day is named after. It is either Valentine of Rome, who lived in the third century, or Saint Valentine, bishop of Terni, from the 14th century. The custom of exchanging romantic messages seems to have started in 19th-century England. In 1847, an American woman, Esther Howland, started producing and selling Valentine cards. Today, over one billion are sent worldwide, with women sending 85 per cent of them. Different companies slowly saw the opportunities to make money from Valentine’s Day. In the 1980s, diamond companies began promoting jewellery as the ultimate Valentine’s gift. French and Italian restaurants are also very busy on this day.
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1. | It falls on | a. | unsigned |
2 | the traditional day for lovers | b. | American and European thing |
3. | It is common to leave the card | c. | to express their love |
4. | Valentine’s Day used to be an | d. | give Valentine’s gifts |
5. | It has become | e. | February the 14th |
6. | In Japan, only women | f. | very commercial |
Paragraph 2
1. | confusion over | a. | are sent worldwide |
2 | The custom of | b. | Valentine’s gift |
3. | over one billion | c. | very busy on this day |
4. | opportunities to make money | d. | which Saint Valentine |
5. | the ultimate | e. | exchanging romantic messages |
6. | Italian restaurants are also | f. | from Valentine’s Day |
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
Valentine's Day is __________ of the most famous holidays in the world. It falls on February the 14th and is celebrated __________ the world. It is the traditional day for lovers to express their love to each other. They do __________ by sending Valentine’s cards with romantic messages. It is common to leave the card unsigned. __________ traditions on this day are buying chocolates and giving red roses. Valentine’s Day used to be an American and European thing, but now it has __________ all over the world. It has become very commercial. Companies that make Valentine’s goods __________ encourage people to send Valentine’s cards to their parents and other family members! In Japan, __________ women give Valentine’s gifts – to all the men __________ know.
|
|
even |
There is confusion __________ which Saint Valentine the day is named __________. It is either Valentine of Rome, who lived in the third century, or Saint Valentine, bishop of Terni, __________ the 14th century. The custom of exchanging romantic messages __________ to have started in 19th-century England. In 1847, an American woman, Esther Howland, started producing and selling Valentine cards. Today, over one billion are sent worldwide, __________ women sending 85 per cent of them. Different companies slowly saw the opportunities to __________ money from Valentine’s Day. In the 1980s, diamond companies began promoting jewellery __________ the ultimate Valentine’s gift. French and Italian restaurants are also __________ busy on this day. |
|
as |
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Valentine's Day is one of the mostly / most famous holidays in the world. It falls / fell on February the 14th and is celebrated across the world. It is the traditional day for lovers to expression / express their love to each other. They do this at / by sending Valentine’s cards with romantic messages. It is common to leave the card unsigned. Other / Anothertraditions on this day are buying chocolates and giving red roses. Valentine’s Day used to be an American and European things / thing, but now it has gone all over the world. It has become very commercial / commercialize. Companies that make Valentine’s goods even encourage people to send Valentine’s cards to their parents and other family members! In Japan, only women give Valentine’s gifts – to all / some the men they know.
There is confusion under / over which Saint Valentine the day is named after. It is either Valentine of Rome, who lived / alive in the third century, or Saint Valentine, bishop of Terni, for / from the 14th century. Thecustom / costume of exchanging romantic messages seems to have started in 19th-century England. In 1847, an American woman, Esther Howland, started producing and selling Valentine cards. Today, over onebillionth / billion are sent worldwide, with women sending 85 per cent of them. Different companies slowly see / saw the opportunities to make money from Valentine’s Day. In the 1980s, diamond companies beganpromoting / promotion jewellery as the ultimate Valentine’s gift. French and Italian restaurants are also very busy / busier on this day.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Valentine's Day is (1) ___ of the most famous holidays in the world. It falls on February the 14th and is celebrated across the world. It is the (2) ___ day for lovers to express their love to each other. They do this by sending Valentine’s cards with romantic (3) ___. It is common to leave the card unsigned. Other traditions on this day are buying chocolates and giving red roses. Valentine’s Day used to be an American and European (4) ___, but now it has gone all over the world. It has become very commercial. Companies that make Valentine’s goods even (5) ___ people to send Valentine’s cards to their parents and other family members! In Japan, (6) ___ women give Valentine’s gifts – to all the men they know.
There is (7) ___ over which Saint Valentine the day is named after. It is either Valentine of Rome, who (8) ___ in the third century, or Saint Valentine, bishop of Terni, from the 14th century. The custom of exchanging romantic messages seems to have started in 19th-century England. In 1847, an American woman, Esther Howland, started producing and (9) ___ Valentine cards. Today, over one billion are sent worldwide, with women sending 85 per cent (10) ___ them. Different companies slowly saw the opportunities to make money from Valentine’s Day. In the 1980s, diamond (11) ___ began promoting jewellery as the ultimate Valentine’s gift. French and Italian restaurants are also very (12) ___ on this day.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1. | (a) | only | (b) | one | (c) | once | (d) | ones |
2. | (a) | tradition | (b) | traditionally | (c) | traditional | (d) | traditions |
3. | (a) | messaging | (b) | messager | (c) | message | (d) | messages |
4. | (a) | things | (b) | thing | (c) | thingy | (d) | thingamy |
5. | (a) | encourage | (b) | encouragement | (c) | encouraging | (d) | encourages |
6. | (a) | known | (b) | knows | (c) | knowing | (d) | know |
7. | (a) | confusion | (b) | confused | (c) | confusing | (d) | confuse |
8. | (a) | alive | (b) | living | (c) | lived | (d) | life |
9. | (a) | sales | (b) | sell | (c) | selling | (d) | sells |
10. | (a) | for | (b) | of | (c) | by | (d) | with |
11. | (a) | companies | (b) | company | (c) | companies | (d) | companion |
12. | (a) | busier | (b) | busiest | (c) | busily | (d) | busy |
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1 | |
1. | It alfls on February the 14th |
2. | exspser their love |
3. | toriacnm messages |
4. | leave the card uginsden |
5. | It has become very coilrmeacm |
6. | alymif members |
Paragraph 2 | |
7. | nmade after |
8. | from the 14th ucnrtey |
9. | one lobnili are sent worldwide |
10. | make ymone |
11. | the elmiutat Valentine’s gift |
12. | Italian tusertrsaan |
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( ) | day are buying chocolates and giving red roses. Valentine’s Day used to be an American and European thing, but now it has |
( 1 ) | Valentine's Day is one of the most famous holidays in the world. It falls on February the 14th and is celebrated |
( ) | Valentine’s Day. In the 1980s, diamond companies began promoting jewellery as the |
( ) | gone all over the world. It has become very commercial. Companies that make Valentine’s goods even encourage |
( ) | in the third century, or Saint Valentine, bishop of Terni, from the 14th century. The custom of exchanging romantic |
( ) | sending 85 per cent of them. Different companies slowly saw the opportunities to make money from |
( ) | messages seems to have started in 19th-century England. In 1847, an American woman, Esther Howland, |
( ) | sending Valentine’s cards with romantic messages. It is common to leave the card unsigned. Other traditions on this |
( ) | There is confusion over which Saint Valentine the day is named after. It is either Valentine of Rome, who lived |
( ) | started producing and selling Valentine cards. Today, over one billion are sent worldwide, with women |
( ) | across the world. It is the traditional day for lovers to express their love to each other. They do this by |
( ) | ultimate Valentine’s gift. French and Italian restaurants are also very busy on this day. |
( ) | women give Valentine’s gifts – to all the men they know. |
( ) | people to send Valentine’s cards to their parents and other family members! In Japan, only |
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1. | the the most world famous one holidays of in |
2. | to traditional express day their for love lovers the |
3. | is It unsigned card the leave to common |
4. | become It very has commercial |
5. | In gifts Valentine’s give women only , Japan |
6. | of custom The messages romantic exchanging |
7. | are billion one over , Today worldwide sent |
8. | companies money make to opportunities the saw slowly |
9. | Valentine’s ultimate the as jewellery gift |
10. | this also day very Italian busy restaurants on are |
