The groundhog |
Groundhog Day is a festival celebrated in the United States and Canada on 2 February. According to folklore, if it is sunny when a groundhog emerges from its burrow, sees its shadow and retreats into its hideaway, the winter will last for six more weeks. On the contrary, if it is cloudy, according to the tale, the spring will come very soon. The festival is accompanied by numerous social gatherings, concerts, plays (usually skits), speeches and tasting of local specialities.
The greatest celebrations are held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. This town was the set of a very popular 1993 film, 'Groundhog Day'. The film stars the Punxsutawney's favourite - groundhog 'Phil'. The marmot, which has a special group of caretakers at its disposal, emerges from its temporary home - an electrically-heated burrow in the presence of thousands of people and TV crews.
The event has been transmitted live today by a Polish news channel - the latest news is that....Phil has predicted six weeks more of winter!
See a video of last year's celebrations :
Last year's prediction was : 'an early spring!'
My next post will concern the film 'Groundhog Day'. You'll have the opportunity to do some listening exercises !
Glossary
groundhog, marmot, woodchuck - świstak
festival - święto
event - wydarzenie
emerge - wyłaniać się
burrow - nora
hideaway - schronienie
retreat back - cofnąć się
on the contrary - przeciwnie
tale - opowieść, przesąd
sth is accompanied by - towarzyszą mu ...
numerous - liczny
gathering - zgromadzenie
play - sztuka (teatralna)
skit - skecz
speech - przemówienie
held - obchodzone
set - sceneria
favourite - pupil
caretaker - opiekun
at sb's disposal - do dyspozycji
temporary - tymczasowy
heated - ogrzewany
in the presence of - w obecności
crew - ekipa
predict - przewidzieć, przepowiedzieć
prediction - przepowiednia
prediction - przepowiednia
fortune-teller - wróżbiarz/wróżka
What do you think about this festival? What fortune-teller animal could we have in Poland? ;)
The photo comes from : http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=3977&picture=marmot
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