Hi, I'm Georgiana, your English teacher.
Thanks for joining me for a new episode of the Speak English Now podcast.
If you want to help, please share the podcast on social media.
That would mean a lot.
Thanks.
Okay, let's start.
Today we'll talk about something festive.
Have you noticed that in springtime you go to your local supermarket and you see chocolate bunnies and colorful eggs everywhere?
Well, today I'll talk about Easter and how Americans celebrate this holiday.
And with a funny mini-story, you'll practice your speaking while learning new things about the Easter holiday.
What exactly are we celebrating at Easter?
Each spring, people all over the world celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This year, we celebrate Easter on Sunday, April 21st.
Whenever Easter comes, you will see from colorful eggs to Easter bunny cakes.
Also, most people have a week off for Easter, so parties are organized to enjoy the occasion with family and friends.
Certainly, Easter is one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States.
And how else do Americans celebrate Easter?
Apart from spending this holiday with friends and family, some people attend special services which are held in churches on Easter.
And what's with the eggs and the rabbits?
Why are they a symbol of this holiday?
Eggs and rabbits symbolize the rebirth and return to the fertility of nature in spring.
The eggs are hard-boiled and decorated, or made of plastic, candy, and, of course, chocolate.
Every year, several Easter activities are held at the White House lawn.
Hundreds of children participate in different activities and organize games.
The White House Easter Egg Roll officially dates back to 1878.
Here's how the game works.
The egg is placed on a flat floor while the children are asked to push it with a spoon.
So cool, right?
Isn't it surprising to see a child playing with an egg instead of a video game?
And there's another popular game in the States called Easter Egg Hunting.
Here's how it works.
The eggs are hidden all over the house, and the children hunt them with great excitement.
As a child, I have found memories of making Easter eggs with my family and in school.
This type of activity is great for children, and usually kids remember making Easter eggs for the rest of their life.
Kids love decorating Easter eggs in the days before the holiday and it's a beautiful way to stimulate their creativity.
And on Easter Sunday, children wake up to find that the Easter bunny has left them baskets of candy, including the eggs that they decorated earlier that week.
By the way, a bunny is a child term for a rabbit.
Now you know what Bugs Bunny means.
And of course, children enjoy this holiday a lot.
But adults also have fun displaying their costumes and colorful hats at the Easter parades.
The person leading the parade holds an Easter candle or cross in their hand.
How interesting, right?
And how do you celebrate Easter?
You can leave a comment on iTunes, Facebook, YouTube, or on my website speakenglishpodcast.com.
Okay, now you can practice with a mini-story.
A mini-story is very simple.
I give you information using phrases, and then I ask you questions.
I created a mini-story using interesting facts about Easter.
I recommend that you listen several times until it's easy to answer.
Let's start.
The custom of giving eggs at Easter comes from ancient Egyptians, Persians, Romans, and Greeks.
What do we give at Easter?
Eggs.
We have the custom of giving eggs at Easter.
What custom comes from the ancient Egyptians?
The custom of giving eggs.
Do we give eggs at Christmas?
No, no, we don't give eggs at Christmas.
We give eggs at Easter.
Does the custom also come from the Romans?
Yes, the custom also comes from the Romans.
The word Easter comes from the Anglo-Saxon goddess, Who represents the air and the egg?
What word comes from the Anglo-Saxon goddess?
Easter The word Easter comes from the Anglo-Saxon goddess.
Where does the word Easter come from?
From Greece?
No, no.
The word Easter doesn't come from Greece.
It comes from an Anglo-Saxon goddess.
What does the Anglo-Saxon goddess represent?
The Anglo-Saxon goddess represents the air and the egg.
At Easter, people usually buy sweets made of chocolate.
What do people buy at Easter?
Do they buy a tree?
No, no.
People don't buy a tree at Easter.
People buy sweets at Easter.
When do people buy sweets?
At Easter.
What type of sweets do people buy?
Chocolate sweets.
People usually buy sweets made of chocolate.
Each year on Easter, more than 90 million chocolate bunnies are produced in the United States.
When are the chocolate bunnies produced?
In winter?
No, no.
The chocolate bunnies are produced in spring at Easter.
How many chocolate bunnies are produced in the United States?
90 million.
90 million chocolate bunnies are produced in the United States.
Where are the chocolate bunnies produced?
In Europe?
No, no.
They are not produced in Europe.
The chocolate bunnies are produced in the States.
Consequently, Easter is one of the sweetest holidays of the year.
So what's one of the sweetest holidays?
Easter.
It's one of the sweetest holidays of the year.
Is Easter the bitterest holiday?
No, no.
Easter isn't the bitterest holiday.
It's one of the sweetest holiday of the year.
Do people go on a diet at Easter?
No, no.
People don't go on a diet at Easter.
People eat many sweets at Easter.
That's why it's the sweetest holiday of the year.
Well, this is the end of this short exercise.
As you can see, answering many simple questions can improve your speaking, just like in a real-life conversation.
Today, you've only seen a small example of how the question and answer technique works.
Do you want to unlock this full potential?
I have a huge announcement.
A new course is now available to help you with your pronunciation.
And it's for all levels.
Visit pronunciationcourse.com and get it now for a special price.
