Wednesday 22 December 2021

IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME (2021) C1/C2 LEVELS

 A different type of lesson about Christmas and Christmas related vocabulary. I hope you find it useful.

IT’S CHRISTMAS TIME

Try to answer the following questions with your group mates. 

1.   What happens if Christmas comes early? 

2.   What is a ‘white elephant’? 

3.   When would turkeys be voting for Christmas? 

4.   Who is secret Santa? 

 

What is an idiom?

An idiom is a phrase whose meaning cannot be inferred by the literal translation of the individual group of words. For example, 'it's raining cats and dogs' means that it is raining heavily, not that domestic pets are falling from the sky.


Answers

·       What happens if Christmas comes early? 

o   You get a welcome surprise you were not expecting. 

·       What is a ‘white elephant’? 

o   A gift exchange in which people bring unwanted items.  

·       When would turkeys be voting for Christmas? 

o   When people accept a decision which is not going to work out well for them. 

·       Who is Secret Santa? 

o   Secret Santa is a Christmas tradition in some Christian countries in which members of a group or colleagues are randomly assigned a person to whom they give a gift. The identity of the gift giver is to remain a secret and should not be revealed.   

  UNDER THE MISTLETOE

Fill in the gaps with the word or words you hear. You may have to modify some words slightly.

1.     Christmas lights __________ a lot of _______   spread …cheer

2.      What is the meaning of ‘I’mma’? I am going to

3.     Where do people traditionally kiss? Under the mistletoe

4.     What is another slang word for ‘attractive girl or woman’? shawty from shorty

5.     You can buy these from streets vendors at this time of year. Roasted chestnuts

6.     Name three things he should be doing, but he is not going to. 

a.     I should be playing in the winter snow

b.     I should be chilling with my folks, I know

c.     I should be making a list, I know

7.     Find an example of comparison in the song.

a.     The Wise Men followed the star the same way he followed his heart.

 

 UNDER THE MISTLETOE

Fill in the gaps with the missing phrases.

[Stanza 1]

It's the most beautiful time of the year

Lights fill the streets, spreading so much cheer

I should be playing in the winter snow

But I'mma be under the mistletoe

I don't wanna miss out on the holiday

But I can't stop staring at your face

I should be playing in the winter snow

But I'mma be under the mistletoe

[Chorus]

(With you) Shawty, with you

(With you) Shawty, with you

(With you) Under the mistletoe

[Stanza 2]

Everyone's gathering around the fire

Chestnuts roasting like a hot July

But I'mma be under the mistletoe

Word on the street, Santa's coming tonight

Reindeer's flying through the sky so high

I should be making a list, I know

But I'mma be under the mistletoe

[Chorus]

[Bridge]

Ayy love, the wise men followed the star

The way I followed my heart

And it led me to a miracle

Ayy love, don't you buy me nothing

'Cause I am feeling one thing, your lips on my lips

That's a merry, merry Christmas

 

THE POGUES: FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK

It was Christmas Eve babe 
In the drunk tank 
An old man said to me, won't see another one 
And then he sang a song 
The Rare Old Mountain Dew 
I turned my face away 
And dreamed about you

Got on a lucky one 
Came in eighteen to one 
I've got a feeling 
This year's for me and you 
So happy Christmas 
I love you baby 
I can see a better time 
When all our dreams come true

They've got cars big as bars 
They've got rivers of gold 
But the wind goes right through you 
It's no place for the old 
When you first took my hand 
On a cold Christmas Eve 
You promised me 
Broadway was waiting for me

You were handsome 
You were pretty 
Queen of New York City 
When the band finished playing 
They howled out for more 
Sinatra was swinging 
All the drunks they were singing 
We kissed on a corner 
Then danced through the night

The boys of the NYPD choir 
Were singing Galway Bay 
And the bells were ringing out 
For Christmas day

(…)

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Jem Finer / Shane Patrick Lysaght Macgowan

 

A CHRISTMAS POEM

Analyze the following poem by Benjamin Zephaniah as regards language variety, register, spelling, literary devices such as metaphors, and political connotations. How is it related to the movement Black lives matter?

Talking Turkeys Benjamin Zephaniah Talking Turkeys - Bing video

Benjamin Zephaniah

Be nice to yu turkeys dis christmas 
Cos’ turkeys just wanna hav fun 
Turkeys are cool, turkeys are wicked 
An every turkey has a Mum. 
Be nice to yu turkeys dis christmas, 
Don’t eat it, keep it alive, 
It could be yu mate, an not on yu plate 
Say, Yo! Turkey I’m on your side. 

I got lots of friends who are turkeys 
An all of dem fear christmas time, 
Dey wanna enjoy it, dey say humans destroyed it 
An humans are out of dere mind, 
Yeah, I got lots of friends who are turkeys 
Dey all hav a right to a life, 
Not to be caged up an genetically made up 
By any farmer an his wife. 

Turkeys just wanna play reggae 
Turkeys just wanna hip-hop 
Can yu imagine a nice young turkey saying, 
‘I cannot wait for de chop’, 
Turkeys like getting presents, dey wanna watch 
   christmas TV, 
Turkeys hav brains an turkeys feel pain 
In many ways like yu an me. 

I once knew a turkey called 
Turkey 
He said ‘Benji explain to me please, 
Who put de turkey in christmas 
An what happens to christmas trees?’, 
I said ‘I am not too sure turkey 
But it’s nothing to do wid Christ Mass 
Humans get greedy an waste more dan need be 
An business men mek loadsa cash’.

Be nice to yu turkey dis christmas 
Invite dem indoors fe sum greens 
Let dem eat cake an let dem partake 
In a plate of organic grown beans, 
Be nice to yu turkey dis christmas 
An spare dem de cut of de knife, 
Join Turkeys United an dey’ll be delighted 
An yu will mek new friends ‘FOR LIFE’. 

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