Halloween - Exercises

An exercise for you or your kids. Enjoy!!!

adapted from VOA learning english

Halloween’s Real Horror? Its High Cost!

http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/article/1776483.html

Text 1      Costumes, Candy and Mass Consumption

A Pumpkin-Headed Halloween Scarecrow

costumes       pet   candy       all-time        scariest    scary       costly      appearance    pumpkin      princess           adults         character

decorations         dress             average        celebrants      millions

protective           dark

A. Next Thursday is the 1._______________ day of the year in America. No, it’s not tax day. It is Halloween!

                                               

B. Many people, young and old, are busy preparing. They are getting their 2. ________________ ready, looking forward to making a change in 3. __________________on the big day. Others are adding Halloween or seasonal 4. ________________around their home and buying  5. ______________. Like most holidays, Halloween can be a 6. ______________ event.

C. In fact, the National Retail Federation says Americans are expected to spend about $2.6 billion just for 7. _______________. It says the special clothing is not just for children either. Adults also 8. ____________ up and some of them even dress up the 9. ____________dog or cat!

                                               

D. The National Retail Federation gathers information about American shopping and sales of goods. It says Americans on 10. ____________will spend about $75 dollars for the holiday. This includes costumes, candy and decorations. The group says total spending is expected to be $6.9 billion.

                                                                    

E. That is a big number. But, it is less than the amount Americans spent last year. Halloween 2012 cost 11. ________________ about eight billion dollars.

F. The National Retail Federation says fewer Americans are expected to take part in the holiday this year. In 2012, the group says, 170 million people celebrated. That was an 12. _____________ high. This year, it expects fewer than 160 million people will mark the holiday.

G. And what are the 13. ________________ wearing this year? The group says the number one costume for young children is that of a 14. _______________. Animal costumes are next. Batman characters are rated third.The favored look for 15. _____________is the costume of a witch. Batman and vampires come second and third.

                                               

H. The 16. ________________ costume is most popular for dogs and cats.

                                        

I. One new costume this year is based on a 17. _______________ in the popular television show “Breaking Bad.”  The TV series is about a chemistry teacher who starts making the illegal drug methamphetamine to sell. The costume looks like the 18. ________________ suit and gas mask worn in the meth laboratory. But, we do not expect it to be seen on the average trick-or-treater!

Scary Songs

Halloween night in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C.

J. We are going to stay with the Halloween theme as we listen to some 19. ____________ songs. We are not going to play “Ghostbuster” or “Monster Mash.” These are truly unsettling songs about the 20. _____________ side of humanity.