ESL Holiday Lessons.com: World Chocolate Day

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

World Chocolate Day must be one of the best holidays in the world. It’s such a great idea. It could be the most celebrated holiday in the world. Everyone loves chocolate. It is probably the most popular food ever. It is also probably the most popular flavor in the world. No one knows where Chocolate Day came from. Perhaps it was a secret marketing campaign by chocolate makers. On this day, we celebrate our love for this sweet and spoil ourselves. Start the day with chocolate spread on your toast. Take a bag of chocolates to work and give them to your workmates; a bar of chocolate for your boss. Enjoy a piece of chocolate cake for dessert and wash it down with a mug of hot chocolate. You have another 364 days to lose the calories!

Chocolate comes from the seed of the tropical cacao tree. Cacao has been grown for thousands of years in Central America and Mexico. Historians believe chocolate was first produced in Mexico by the Aztecs. The word ‘chocolate’ comes from an Aztec word for a drink made from the cacao seed. The product of the cacao seed has a very bitter taste. The chocolate we know and love contains sugar, milk and milk powder. Chocolate contains chemicals that can be good for us. Scientists say it can lower our blood pressure and make us feel positive. It also gives us a tasty energy boost and makes our brain more active. It’s not all good news though. Too much chocolate can make us fat and give us tooth decay.

Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.

PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	It’s such a	a.	by chocolate makers
2	probably the most popular	b.	on your toast
3.	a secret marketing campaign	c.	of hot chocolate
4.	Start the day with chocolate spread	d.	of chocolate
5.	a bar	e.	great idea
6.	wash it down with a mug	f.	flavor in the world

Paragraph 2

1.	Chocolate comes from the seed of	a.	has a very bitter taste
2	Historians believe chocolate was	b.	boost
3.	The product of the cacao seed	c.	first produced in Mexico
4.	Scientists say it can lower our	d.	decay
5.	It also gives us a tasty energy	e.	the tropical cacao tree
6.	make us fat and give us tooth	f.	blood pressure

LISTENING GAP FILL

World Chocolate Day _________________ the best holidays in the world. It’s _________________. It could be the most celebrated holiday in the world. Everyone loves chocolate. It is probably the most popular food ever. It is also probably the most _________________ the world. No one knows where Chocolate Day came from. Perhaps it was a secret marketing campaign by chocolate makers. On this day, we celebrate our love for this sweet _________________. Start the day with chocolate spread on your toast. Take a bag of chocolates to work and give them to your workmates; _________________ for your boss. Enjoy a piece of chocolate cake for dessert and wash it down with a mug of hot chocolate. You have another 364 days to _________________!

Chocolate comes from the _________________ cacao tree. Cacao has been grown for thousands of years in Central America and Mexico. Historians believe chocolate _________________ in Mexico by the Aztecs. The word ‘chocolate’ comes from an Aztec word for a drink _________________ cacao seed. The product of the cacao seed has a very bitter taste. The chocolate _________________ contains sugar, milk and milk powder. Chocolate contains chemicals that can be good for us. Scientists say _________________ blood pressure and make us feel positive. It also gives us a tasty energy boost and makes our brain more active. It’s not all good news though. Too much chocolate can make us fat and _________________.

WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL

Put the words into the gaps in the text.

World Chocolate Day ____________ be one of the best holidays in the world. It’s such a great idea. It could be the most celebrated holiday in the world. Everyone ____________ chocolate. It is probably the most popular food ever. It is also probably the most popular ____________ in the world. No one knows where Chocolate Day came from. Perhaps it was a ____________ marketing campaign by chocolate makers. On this day, we celebrate our love for this sweet and ____________ ourselves. Start the day with chocolate ____________ on your toast. Take a bag of chocolates to work and give them to your workmates; a ____________ of chocolate for your boss. Enjoy a piece of chocolate cake for dessert and wash it down with a mug of hot chocolate. You have another 364 days to ____________ the calories!

spoil
loves
spread
secret
lose
must
bar
flavor

Chocolate comes from the ____________ of the tropical cacao tree. Cacao has been grown for thousands of years in Central America and Mexico. Historians ____________ chocolate was first produced in Mexico by the Aztecs. The word ‘chocolate’ ____________ from an Aztec word for a drink made from the cacao seed. The product of the cacao seed has a very ____________ taste. The chocolate we know and love contains sugar, milk and milk powder. Chocolate ____________ chemicals that can be good for us. Scientists say it can ____________ our blood pressure and make us feel positive. It also gives us a ____________ energy boost and makes our brain more ____________. It’s not all good news though. Too much chocolate can make us fat and give us tooth decay.

believe
contains
tasty
bitter
active
comes
seed
lower

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.

World Chocolate Day must / have to be one of the best holidays in the world. It’s such a great idea. It could be the most celebration / celebrated holiday in the world. Everyone loves chocolate. It is probably the most popular food never / ever. It is also probably the most popular flavor in the world. No one knows where Chocolate Day came from. Perhaps it was a secret / secretive marketing campaign by chocolate makers. On this day, we celebrate our love for this sweet and spoilt / spoil ourselves. Start the day with chocolate spread on your toast. Take a bag of chocolates to work and give them to your workmates; a rod / bar of chocolate for your boss. Enjoy a piece of chocolate cake for dessert and wash it up / down with a mug of hot chocolate. You have another 364 days to lose / mislay the calories!

Chocolate comes / goes from the seed of the tropical cacao tree. Cacao has been grown / growth for thousands of years in Central America and Mexico. Historians believe chocolate was first produced in Mexico by / from the Aztecs. The word ‘chocolate’ comes from an Aztec word for a drink made from the cacao seed. The produce / product of the cacao seed has a very bitter taste. The chocolate we know and love contains / containing sugar, milk and milk powder. Chocolate contains chemicals that can be good for us. Scientists say it can lower / low our blood pressure and make us feel positive. It also gives us a tasty energy boost and makes our brain more activity / active. It’s not all good news though. Too much chocolate can make us fat and give us teeth / tooth decay.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

World Chocolate Day (1) ____ be one of the best holidays in the world. It’s such a great idea. It could be the most (2) ____ holiday in the world. Everyone loves chocolate. It is (3) ____ the most popular food ever. It is also probably the most popular flavor in the world. No one knows where Chocolate Day (4) ____ from. Perhaps it was a secret marketing campaign by chocolate makers. On this day, we celebrate our love for this sweet and spoil (5) ____. Start the day with chocolate spread on your toast. Take a bag of chocolates to work and give them to your workmates; a bar of chocolate for your boss. Enjoy a piece of chocolate cake for dessert and wash it (6) ____ with a mug of hot chocolate. You have another 364 days to lose the calories!

Chocolate comes from the seed of the (7) ____ cacao tree. Cacao has been grown for thousands of years in Central America and Mexico. Historians believe chocolate was first produced in Mexico by the Aztecs. The word ‘chocolate’ (8) ____ from an Aztec word for a drink made from the cacao seed. The product of the cacao seed has a very (9) ____ taste. The chocolate we know and love contains sugar, milk and milk powder. Chocolate contains chemicals that can be good for us. Scientists say it can lower our (10) ____ pressure and make us feel positive. It also gives us a tasty energy (11) ____ and makes our brain more active. It’s not all good news though. Too much chocolate can make us fat and (12) ____ us tooth decay.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	have to	(b)	need to	(c)	necessary	(d)	must
2.	(a)	celebrated	(b)	celebrations	(c)	celebrate	(d)	celebratory
3.	(a)	probable	(b)	probably	(c)	probability	(d)	probabilities
4.	(a)	went	(b)	going	(c)	came	(d)	goes
5.	(a)	ourselves	(b)	us	(c)	them	(d)	we
6.	(a)	down	(b)	along	(c)	across	(d)	up
7.	(a)	tropics	(b)	tropical	(c)	topical	(d)	tropically
8.	(a)	goes	(b)	does	(c)	gives	(d)	comes
9.	(a)	bitten	(b)	biter	(c)	bitterly	(d)	bitter
10.	(a)	bloody	(b)	blood	(c)	bloodthirsty	(d)	blood type
11.	(a)	boost	(b)	beast	(c)	boast	(d)	bust
12.	(a)	make	(b)	do	(c)	give	(d)	pain

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	the most crdeleaebt holiday in the world
2.	the most pparolu food ever
3.	a etrsce marketing campaign
4.	ospli ourselves
5.	a cpeie of chocolate cake
6.	lose the aiolecrs
Paragraph 2
7.	the poicltra cacao tree
8.	for uhdtaosns of years
9.	a very bitter esatt
10.	Chocolate anonitcs chemicals that can be good for us
11.	lower our blood rsrseuep
12.	give us tooth acyde

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	ourselves. Start the day with chocolate spread on your toast. Take a bag of chocolates to work and give
( )	the Aztecs. The word ‘chocolate’ comes from an Aztec word for a drink made from the cacao seed. The product
( )	be the most celebrated holiday in the world. Everyone loves chocolate. It is probably the most popular food
( )	it was a secret marketing campaign by chocolate makers. On this day, we celebrate our love for this sweet and spoil
( )	all good news though. Too much chocolate can make us fat and give us tooth decay.
( 1 )	World Chocolate Day must be one of the best holidays in the world. It’s such a great idea. It could
( )	Chocolate comes from the seed of the tropical cacao tree. Cacao has been grown for thousands of
( )	years in Central America and Mexico. Historians believe chocolate was first produced in Mexico by
( )	powder. Chocolate contains chemicals that can be good for us. Scientists say it can lower our blood
( )	them to your workmates; a bar of chocolate for your boss. Enjoy a piece of chocolate cake for dessert and wash it
( )	down with a mug of hot chocolate. You have another 364 days to lose the calories!
( )	pressure and make us feel positive. It also gives us a tasty energy boost and makes our brain more active. It’s not
( )	ever. It is also probably the most popular flavor in the world. No one knows where Chocolate Day came from. Perhaps
( )	of the cacao seed has a very bitter taste. The chocolate we know and love contains sugar, milk and milk

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	holidays One in of the the world best
2.	world the in flavor popular most The
3.	campaign marketing secret a was it Perhaps
4.	piece dessert of chocolate Enjoy cake a for
5.	another to calories have days the You 364 lose
6.	first in was produced Mexico Chocolate
7.	has a The very cacao bitter seed taste
8.	us for good be can that Chemicals
9.	can lower Scientists our say blood it pressure
10.	fat us make can chocolate much Too

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

THE WORLD CHOCOLATE DAY SURVEY

Write five questions about World Chocolate Day in the table. Do this in pairs/groups. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

Without your partner, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Return to your original partner(s) and share and talk about what you found out. Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITING

Write about World Chocolate Day for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about World Chocolate Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about World Chocolate Day. Write about what happens around the world. Include two imaginary interviews with people who did something on this day.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. POSTER: Make your own poster about World Chocolate Day. Write about what will happen on this day around the world.