National Cathedral Flower Mart  - This is the first part of an episode of American Mosaic.  The audio and transcript include two other stories as well, but you only need to listen to and read the first part for this lesson.

  1. Listening/Reading

    1. Prelistening:

      1. Do you know what a "mart" is?  What is a flower mart?  These stories are all about the United States, so in which city do think the National Cathedral is located?

    2. First time listening to the audio.  

      1. Write down any words you think you many need, then listen to the audio here:  

        1. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/audio/Audio/154009.html

      2. Second time - Listen to the audio again.  This time feel free to use the transcript as well.  Note you can double click on any word to see a definition. Take notes and write down any words you had to look up.

        1. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/national-cathedral-flower-mart-sheep-and-wool-festival/1352004.html

    3. Comprehension - If you understood the text, you should be able to answer the questions below.  If not, refer to the text again.

      1. Who organizes the flower mart?

      2. Which country was honored and helped organize the flower mart in 2012?  What special displays or exhibits did they have?

      3. Why did the National Cathedral and the All Hallows Guild need the money from the flower mart in 2012, even more than most years?

  2. Speaking

    1. Prepare for a conversation with your language partner.  Write down questions about festivals in their country or home town.  What famous festivals do the have?  Are there religious festivals, regional festivals, seasonal festivals?  Describe the festival.  What do people do?  Where and when do they take place?

    2. Meet with your language partner.  Try your best to only speak in English for 30 minutes.  Of course, be sure to then provide your partner with an equal amount of time to practice our native language as well.

  3. Writing

    1. Write a summary of your exchange with your partner on the Mixxer blog.  Write a description about festivals in their country.