The Race That Stops a Nation
Grammar: Culture class
A Level 4 English lesson exploring culture.
What's in this lesson
A Level 4 (upper intermediate) ESL culture class on culture. The worksheet has a reading and discussion questions.
From the reading: Three Minutes That Stop a Country
On the first Tuesday of November, something remarkable happens across Australia. At about three o'clock in the afternoon, offices fall quiet, classrooms switch on televisions, and shoppers gather around screens in shop windows. For roughly three and a half minutes, a country of more than twenty-five million people holds its breath. The reason is a horse race, the Melbourne Cup, run over two miles at Flemington Racecourse. Locals call it "the race that stops a nation", and for once the slogan is barely an exaggeration.
Discussion questions
- Describe an event in your country that makes everyone stop what they are doing.
- How do other countries celebrate big sporting events differently from what you imagine in Australia?
- Is it fair for workplaces to give a holiday for a horse race?
The Race That Stops a Nation
Grammar: Culture class
What's in this lesson:
Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.
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