Task 7: Listening Worksheet

This listening activity is aimed to 4th ESO (A2/B1). Through out this activity students will learn about the origins of Mother´s Day. The missing information is quite easy and most of the time students will have to think about a noun. Once they have filled in the gaps they will have to answer five questions.

Click here to listen to the audio                                                          


1. Listen to the audio and fill in the gaps

Mother's Day is a holiday that celebrates and  mothers in the United States. It is celebrated  the second Sunday in May. It became an  holiday in the country at the start of 20th century as a way to honor mothers  sons had died in war.

The holiday is  in a number of ways. People give mothers  like flowers, cards, and jewelry to thank them  all their hard work. A popular symbol of  holiday is the carnation. This is because when  holiday first began in the U.S. people were  to wear a red carnation if their mother  alive or a white carnation if their mother dead. 

Many people take their mothers out for  special meal. In fact, Mother's Day is the  popular date in the U.S. for people to  out and eat and it is estimated that spend billions on meals and gifts. Mother's day  also the most popular day to make long  calls in the U.S. It is the second popular gift-giving day after Christmas.

Since its establishment, 's Day has been criticized for becoming highly commercialized.  fact, the founder of the U.S. holiday, Anna , began protesting the holiday and was even arrested  disturbing the peace for demonstrating. Jarvis's own mother  the campaign to establish a mother's holiday during  American Civil War.

Mothers are not the only  celebrated on this day. All mother figures including , great-grandmothers, stepmothers, and foster mothers are honored on  holiday. In schools many students make special gifts,  handmade cards. While widely recognized, Mother's Day is  a federal holiday. Many other countries around the  have their own version of Mother's Day.

2. Now, answer the following questions: 

1.  What is the origin of Mother's Day?

a)     Mothers wanted a day to get presents.

b)     To celebrate Mother Theresa's birthday.

c)     To honor mothers whose sons had died in war.

d)     Mothers wanted a similar day like Father's Day.

2. What does it mean if people wear a red or white carnation?

a)    A red carnation means love, and a white carnation means friendship.

b)    A red carnation means friendship, and a white carnation means love.

c)    A red carnation means your mother was dead, and a white means she is alive.

d)    A red carnation means your mother is alive, and a white means she is dead.

3. What was Anna Jarvis arrested for?

     a)    She disturbed the peace protesting Mother's Day.

           b)    She stole roses.

           c)    She commercialized Mother's Day.

           d)    She broke up a Mother's Day protest.

  

      4.  What does the word 'commercialized' mean?

           a)    Making things look bigger than they actually are

           b)    Commenting on an economical situation.

           c)     Making something popular enough to be sold.

           d)    Socializing with common people.

     

       5. When does Mother's Day occur?

s          a)    The second Sunday in March.

            b)    The first Sunday in December.

            c)     The first Sunday in April.

            d)    The second Sunday in May.