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A class forum

A class forum

Learn how to write a post on a class forum.

Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and tips and do the exercises.

Preparation

Matching_MjMwNjQ=

Reading text

Add your comment below:

So cool to read about everyone's home tradition they miss the most! I'm from England but I've been living in the States for five years and the thing I miss the most is Bonfire Night on November 5th.

The best thing about Bonfire Night is the fireworks, oh, and the bonfires! … and the history behind it. Basically, Guy Fawkes and his friends tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament and kill King James I. They nearly did it too – they hired a room under the House of Parliament and filled it with explosives. But someone told the royal palace. The authorities found Guy Fawkes in the room guarding the explosives, and he was sentenced to torture and death.

So it's a tradition that celebrates the fact that the king survived. It also means people don't forget what happens if you plot against your country. There's a kind of poem about it that starts 'Remember, remember the fifth of November, gunpowder, treason and plot.' That's why we build a 'guy' – a life-size model of Guy Fawkes – and burn it on the bonfire. Pretty dark and horrible when you think about it!

Tips

  1. It's nice to start by saying something that shows you have read other people's posts.
  2. In a class forum you can be quite informal.
  3. In informal writing you can sometimes miss out the beginning of a phrase:
    So cool to read about everyone's home tradition ...
  4. Remember, in a forum you are part of a long conversation with a lot of other people so they might ask you questions.

Task 1

TrueOrFalse_MjMwNjU=.xml

Task 2

MultipleChoice_MjMwNjY=.xml

Task 3

GapFillTyping_MjMwNjc=.xml

Discussion

What tradition do you like best from your country?

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Language level

B1 Intermediate
Average: 4.4 (46 votes)

Submitted by cathychuchu on Wed, 17/07/2019 - 10:26

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Hi everyone, I am from Hong Kong, it’s a metropolitan which was governed by British and have been returned to China since 1997. The most popular tradition in Hong Kong is Lunar New Year/ Chinese New Year which is a three days holiday. In this three days, we would visit to all the family’s member and friends. In order to show your respect to the elderly or giving blessings to friends, we often bring a lot of delicious foods, gifts and red pockets with money inside. It’s defiantly a feast! We lived in a suburb when I was young, we used to buy the fireworks and made firework display to light up the front door of our house. Everyone was so happy and excited! However, for the safety reasons, fireworks were completely banned. Nowadays, people are not as keen to celebrate the Chinese New Year as we did before, they prefer to make it simple!

Submitted by Sandi on Tue, 09/07/2019 - 15:26

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It's great to know about international traditions. In Myanmar, we don't have tradition like bon fire though we have light festival in November. We celebrate as a sign of worship to Buddha. Among the cities, Tauggyi Fire Balloon Festival is the most famous one in light festival.

Submitted by EmptyDysfuncti… on Mon, 08/07/2019 - 22:40

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Hi, I'm from Kyiv, Ukraine. Decent article about Fawks and British traditions. Honestly, I've heard this story many times, even more: Guy Fawks masks are very popular around the world. Also I've read many opposite theories and minds about Fawks and his complicits: is they were a terrorists or rebels? ---- Anyway, in Ukraine we have many holidays, but for me better tradition it's too simple: Christmas celebrating and songs, especially songs! When I was a child we (me and my friends) we walked from door to door, singing the Christmas songs and get the candies from hosts for our perfomance)). One of the most famous Ukrainian Christmas song: "Shchedryk". It's famous not only in Ukraine but in the USA too, because their "Carol of the bells" its an american version of "Shchedryk". In 1914 Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovich wrote it and in 1921 it was performed in the United States at Carnegie Hall. And It's so cool that part of our Ukrainian ancient culture now is a part of American culture).

Hello EmptyDysfunctionalBox

Thanks for your explanation of how Christmas is celebrated in Ukraine. I lived in the US for many years and you are absolutely right in saying that Carol of the bells is very popular there. I had no idea where it came from.

By the way, if you're interested in reading more about Christmas in English, I wanted to point out that we have several other pages about it: a Magazine article, a Vocabulary page and several videos in Word on the Street. I hope you enjoy them!

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by fifisaad_99 on Wed, 03/07/2019 - 14:05

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I would like to introduce myself for you, my name is Fatima am from Sudan a country in the east of Africa, It's very nice country because of its nature; the autumn season the best weather in Sudan. I like many traditional food in Sudan done by white flour and yeast which name is " aseeda" like a bread we put it in special mold, beside this there is a dish containing minced meat plus tomato sauce and okra "Wika" this dish name is " Molaah Tagalia".

Submitted by gayrat-arapov on Sat, 29/06/2019 - 08:06

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Hi there! It is a wonderful reading task to upgrade one's level!

Submitted by mehdi_84 on Sat, 29/06/2019 - 04:56

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in Iran we have a tradition that based on fire too, named " Wednesday Celebration " that is held on the last wednesday (actually the night before) of the year. people set fires in their neighborhoods ,but not as big as bonfire, and jump over them. while they are jumping they say: My yellow color for you, Your red color for me.

Submitted by tooran on Tue, 25/06/2019 - 07:54

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That's so great to being familiar with international tradition. Actually I had herd about Bonfire Night and Guy Fawkes but not with details so your text made it become unforgettable. I am from Iran and one of the most popular tradition which I like is called Noruz. All people in I ran also some other countries celebrate the first day of spring. Actually it is similar to Christmas somehow.

Hello tooran

Thanks for sharing that information with us. If there are any other users reading this comment who would like to know more about Nowruz, we have a short article about it in our Magazine. Maybe you will enjoy reading it, too, tooran, though of course you are already an expert on it!

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by Birjees zahera on Tue, 18/06/2019 - 06:47

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Hi everyone i born and brought up in India. India is a big country in south east Asia. it has many states and a few territories. i am from north India. North Indian culture reflects the diversity of traditions and customs of the vast region it encompasses. North Indian culture has been impacted by Greek and Central Asian invaders during the early centuries. the states i belong is utter pradesh where two holi river Ganga and Jamuna flows .