Název projektu Moderní škola

Registrační číslo projektu CZ.1.07/1.5.00/34.0526

Název aktivityIII/2 Inovace a zkvalitnění výuky prostřednictvím ICT

Název vzdělávacího materiáluSvátky a tradice anglicky mluvících zemí

Číslo vzdělávacího materiáluVY_32_INOVACE_01_6 – Groundhog Day

Jméno autora Jaroslava Čejková Tegerová

Název školyStřední škola živnostenská Sokolov, příspěvková organizace

„EU peníze středním školám“

GROUNGHOG DAYHOLIDAYS AND TRADITIONS

Obrázek: AUTOR NEUVEDEN. Wikimedia Commons [online]. [cit. 2.2.2013]. Dostupný na WWW: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wiarton_Willie_and_cyclist.JPG

Unknown words

pagan(s) – pohan – a person who is not a believer in any of the world’s main religion

burrow – brloh, doupě –a hole or a tunnel dug in the ground by certain small animal to live there

equinox – rovnodennost – an occasion, twice a year, when the day and the night are the same length

hedgehog – ježek – a small nocturnal mammal with pricks instead fur on his back

observe – pozorovat – watch

prophecy – věštba, proroctví – supernatural power to foretell the future

snug – útulný - comfortable solstice – slunovrat – the

shortest or the longest day of the year

badger – jezevec - a nocturnal white and black striped animal of a dog size

feast – svátek – holiday

“Groundhog Day”.

Farmers have always been depended on the weather and weather forecast. Since the times of pagans and Celts, they have turned in to a plant and animal kingdom to obtain prophecy about the future.

“Groundhog Day”.

According an old legend, a groundhog - small brown furry mammal - can foretell if the spring is coming. All the winter long, the animal sleeps in its burrow under the ground. On February 2 it wakes up. Feeling very hungry, it leaves its snug hole to find something to eat. If the sun is shining, the groundhog sees its shadow.

“Groundhog Day”.

Seeing the silhouette, the animal get scared and hides itself in its burrow again. That means that the winter will take at least for six more weeks.

If the sun is not shining, the groundhog cannot see any shadow. As it is not frightened, it stays outside and the spring usually comes in a short time.

“Why groundhog”? In Germany the farmers used to

watch badgers, in England hedgehogs but early settlers in America did not have any badgers or hedgehogs close to their homes so they observed groundhogs.

GUNN, Frank. Canadian Press [online]. [cit. 3.2.2013]. Dostupný na WWW: http://o.canada.com/2013/02/02/ontarios-wiarton-willie-doesnt-see-shadow-meaning-spring-just-around-the-corner/

„Why Groundhog?“February the second is just a half way

between the winter solstice (21st Dec) and the spring equinox (21st March). In the United States of America and Canada is that day called “Candlemas” or “Groundhog Day”. In spite of that fact it is not a public holiday, many people follow that feast. Various groundhog-watching clubs have been formed. The members have banquets and other types of celebrations. In Wiarton, a small town in Canada a week festivals called Groundhog Celebration takes place every hear

Comprehensive questions

1 Who has always been depended on the weather?2 Where have the farmers turned in to obtain the

prophecy? 3 Which small furry mammal “foretells” if the

spring is coming or not? 4 Where does the groundhog sleep all the winter

long? 5 Why does the groundhog leave his snug hole? 6 What does the animal do seeing its shadow? 7 When will the spring come if the groundhog stays

outside its burrow? 8 What is the day also called in the USA and

Canada?

Answers

1 farmers2 to a plant and animal kingdom3 a groundhog4 in its burrow5 to find something to eat6 hides7 in a short time8 Candlemas

Sources SOLSKI, Ruth. Canada's Traditions and Celebrations. Napanee, Ontario: A Divison of Solski Group, 2002, ISBN 1550356941.

KOLEKTIV AUTORŮ. World Power Dictionary. Hong Kong: Reader's Digest, 2002, ISBN 9622582362.

AUTOR NEUVEDEN. Groundhog day [online]. [cit. 3.2.2013]. Dostupný na WWW: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog_Day

UTOR NEUVEDEN. Candlemas [online]. [cit. 3.2.2013]. Dostupný na WWW: http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/common/candlemas