-How do people in your country honour their Presidents or famous figures?

-In the US and the UK, people celebrate birthdays of their leaders. Complete the texts with THE: put a tick () where necessary. There are 4 more missing articles.

Presidents' Day is a national holiday in US. Americans celebrate it on third Monday of February. In elementary schools, children often learn about the Presidents of the United States.

Queen's Birthday is a public holiday in United Kingdom and several other Commonwealth countries. English Queen celebrates her birthday twice a year. First, on April 21^st - the exact date of Elizabeth II's birthday. Then, in June, when weather is nicer.

-Two American Presidents are particularly important. Americans honour them in many other ways. Think about your country. Do people in your country honour their leaders in similar ways?

George Washington	Abraham Lincoln
Presidents' Day honours them both.
Washington is the name of: the capital city of the US a state in the Pacific Northwest various ships in the US Navy	Lincoln is the name of: the capital of Nebraska many cities a submarine
You can see Washington's head on: a $1 bill a quarter-dollar coin	You can see Lincoln's head on: a $5 bill a 1 cent coin
In Washington DC, there is: George Washinton University Washington Monument	In Washington DC, there is: Lincoln Memorial
Americans often visit Mount Vernon - his family graveyard and house	Americans often visit: his tomb and home in Illinois Ford's Theater where he was shot
Their heads form the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota, together with Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt.

-For Americans, their presidents are very important. For example, George Washington is a symbol of honesty. There is a famous story invented by Washington's first biographer, which says:

When George Washington was about 6 years old, (Washington's) _____ father gave (Washington) _____ a hatchet. The boy loved to play with (the hatchet) _____. One day, (Washington) _____ hit the edge of the hatchet against (Washington's) _____ father's favourite young cherry tree. (Washington) _____ did enough damage to kill the tree. The next morning, (Washington's) _____ father noticed the damage and ran into the house shouting: “George, do …………… know who killed that beautiful little cherry tree… in the garden?” George replied, “…………… can't tell a lie. …………… cut …………… with …………… hatchet.” …………… father was pleased with …………… son's courage and honesty and quickly forgave …………… .

Designed by Bartosz Michałowski for Pearson Longman PHOTOCOPIABLE 2

Definitions from Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

FESTIVAL WORKSHEETS

Presidents' Day Elementary

Designed by Bartosz Michałowski for Pearson Longman PHOTOCOPIABLE

Task 4 adapted from: Ethel and Martin Tiersky, The U.S.A. Customs and Institutions, Longman.

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