Interviews

High-intermediate

Do you have holiday traditions in your culture that celebrate or remember people who have passed away? If so, describe these topics:

1. What is the name of the holiday or event?
2. How do people celebrate this day or period of time?
3. What specific foods or activities take place during this event?

Here are some words and expressions that appear in the video:

celebration (noun): an event or gathering to mark a special occasion, such as a holiday or achievement

• Our family had a big celebration for my sister’s graduation.
• The town held a parade as part of the Fourth of July celebration.

honor (verb): to show respect or admiration for someone or something

• We honor our veterans by attending the Memorial Day ceremony.
• The community decided to honor the local hero with a plaque in the town square.

memorial (noun or adjective): serving as a remembrance or tribute to someone or something

• The park was built as a memorial to those who lost their lives in the war.
• We visited the memorial garden to pay our respects to our loved ones.

reflect (verb): to think deeply or ponder about something

• On Memorial Day, we reflect on the sacrifices made by our soldiers.
• After the ceremony, I took a moment to reflect on the meaning of the holiday.

tradition (noun): a custom or practice that is passed down from generation to generation

• It’s a tradition in our family to have a barbecue on Memorial Day.
• Lighting candles on the graves has become a tradition in our community.

Now, watch the interview and answer the comprehension questions. You can also turn on the automatically-generated captions for the video once you start it.

Randall: Memorial Day is a time when people remember specifically those that died during military conflicts and wars. And then later on, it’s been a day to remember anyone, a family member, a friend who has passed away. And it’s an opportunity for people to remember their lives. But Aubrey, when you think of Memorial Day, what are some activities that people might observe?

Aubrey: Well, depending on what kind of job you work, you might get the day off. So that’s nice. I like having the day off. Um, I feel like barbecues are pretty common. You know, you go have people come over and make hamburgers, hot dogs, maybe steaks. So it’s a pretty slow day if you work in pizza.

Randall: Okay. And I know there are people when you think about cemeteries and so forth, uh, what do people often do on that day?

Aubrey: Yeah. So they’ll take flowers, you know, maybe something someone liked, maybe like their favorite soda or, you know, something, um, to bring to the person, you know, kind of like an offering, but not really.

Randall: Yeah. And I know I’ve seen a lot of people that go they clean off the grave. They might set up a number of chairs, talk about the person’s life, and so forth. Again, just as a way of remembering whether it was someone who served in the military or just another family member or friend. All right. Thank you, Aubrey, for sharing your thoughts on Memorial Day.

Intermediate:

1. Do other countries have holidays similar to Memorial Day? Why or why not?
2. What are some examples of holidays in other countries that commemorate fallen soldiers or honor the deceased?
3. How do the traditions and customs of Memorial Day in the United States compare to similar holidays in other countries?

Advanced:

1. Explore the cultural and historical contexts that have led different countries to establish holidays similar to Memorial Day. How do these contexts influence the significance and observance of such holidays?
2. Discuss the role of national memory and collective remembrance in shaping the observance of similar holidays in different countries. How do these holidays reflect national narratives and identities?
3. Reflect on the global implications of commemorating the sacrifices of soldiers and honoring the deceased. How do holidays like Memorial Day contribute to international understanding and solidarity?

The following activities deal with related topics to give you additional language practice.

• Memorial Day (broadcast)
• Memorial Day (culture video)