Reading: St Patrick's Day

Read the following text:

SAINT PATRICK'S DAY

Saint Patrick's Day, colloquially known as St. Paddy's Day or simply Paddy's Day, is an annual feast day in honour of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It is generally celebrated on March 17th, not only in Ireland but in many places around the world. Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated worldwide by people of Irish descent and also by non-Irish people. This festivity is very popular in Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and North America.

Customs and traditions. Green is the colour!

People celebrate this holiday eating Irish food, listening to Irish music, enjoying Irish drinks (such as Irish beer, Irish whiskey and Irish cream) and wearing green clothes and items. The shamrock, a three-leaved plant, is Saint Patrick’s symbol. Many people also dress up as leprechauns. People have worn green ribbons and shamrocks in celebration of St Patrick's Day since the 17th century. Chicago dyes its river green and has done so since 1961.

Parades are also very popular. They have a particularly long history in the USA and Canada. The parade in New York City has become the largest Saint Patrick's Day parade in the world.

ACTIVITIES

Choose the correct answer: (easy)

1. Saint Patrick is the Patron Saint of Ireland/England
2. Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated only in Ireland/in many places around the world
3. On Saint Patrick's Day people swim in the Chicago river/wear green clothes
4. The tradition of wearing ribbons and shamrocks is very old/new

Answer the following questions: (intermediate)

1. Who is Saint Patrick?
2. When is Saint Patrick’s day celebrated?
   
3. What is a shamrock? What does it represent?
   
4. How do people celebrate Saint Patrick’s day?
   
5. What happens in Chicago on Saint Patrick’s day?

Are the following sentences true or false? (intermediate)

1. Saint Patrick is celebrated every three years.
2. People usually wear green clothes on Saint Patrick’s day.
   
3. The shamrock is an emblem of Saint Patrick.
   
4. Chicago doesn’t dye its river green anymore.
   
5. The most popular parade on Saint Patrick’s day takes place in Ireland.

IRELAND AND SAINT PATRICK’S QUIZ (advanced)

1. In Ireland, what does the color green stand for?

a) Spring

b) Countryside

c) Hope and nature

2. Which of the following is the first official language of Ireland?

a) Irish

b) English

c) Scottish

3. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17^th to commemorate...

a) The day Saint Patrick died

b) The day Saint Patrick was born

c) The day Saint Patrick killed a snake

4. What colors are on the Irish flag?

a) Green, white and orange

b) Blue, red and white

c) White, red and green

5. What happens if you don't wear green on St. Patrick's Day?

a) People pinch you (Haz clic en la palabra para ver su significado)

b) You have bad luck for seven years

c) Nobody talks to you

6) Which of the following things do people eat in a traditional St. Patrick’s Day party?

a) pizza

b) pineapple

c) potatoes

To find the answers, you might need to visit these websites:

• Saint Patrick's history and traditions
  
• A bit of history (you can also watch some videos!)
• Irish food
  
• European languages
  
• European flags