Unit 4 Traditions

THEME 4 - TRADITIONS 

Listening 

14

John : Look at these old photos, Zeynep!
Zeynep: What photos?
John : Türkiye photos many years ago!
Zeynep: Oh, people used to live in small mud brick houses. We now live in modern buildings.
John : Did they use to wear traditional costumes?
Zeynep: Yes, they did. Most Turkish people wear modern clothes now. Only in some villages and
ceremonies people wear traditional clothes. Look at this John! It is a shadow theatre. People
used to watch shadow plays in the past. It was a popular entertainment.
John : Oh, I know it! That is Karagöz. What else did they use to do for entertainment?
Zeynep: They used to watch puppet shows, meddah, orta oyunu, etc.”Orta oyunu” is a Turkish folk theatre. People performed it in the open air.
John : Oh, this is a photo of an old coffee house.
Zeynep: People did not use to have TVs or personal computers then, so they came together in coffee houses. You know most men go to coffee houses to chat and talk about the matters of the
day. Women never used to go to coffee houses, but now, in big cities, they go to some
coffee houses.
John : Traditions and lifestyles change. We used to live in a small village when I was a child and
there didn’t use to be a secondary school. So, we moved and now we live in a big city.
Everything is different in a big city. Traffic for example.
Zeynep: My grandfather says there didn’t use to be any traffic jam in the main streets of this city 50 years ago.
John : So, modern life brings both advantages and disadvantages.
Zeynep: I prefer modern life, but we should protect our traditions too.
16

Ramadan Entertainments

If you come to Türkiye during Ramadan, you can see different types of traditional entertainments.
The most popular one is Karagöz and Hacivat. It used to be very popular from the late 15th to the 18thcentury.
Karagöz is a kind of shadow play. You need a thin curtain, a light and shadow puppets to perform it.
One single artist moves the puppets and also imitates their voices. With the help of the light, youcan see the shadows of the puppets on the screen.
Karagöz is a good-natured villager. When there is a fight, his turban usually falls off. Hacivat is aneducated man. There is an interesting language between them. A singer can sing during the show.
Another traditional entertainment is “Meddah”. Meddah is a traditional Turkish storyteller. Meddah stories always teach a lesson.
A Meddah usually talks about the one single topic and plays different characters in the story. In those days, meddahs used to use items such as an umbrella, a handkerchief or different turbans for
their story characters and change their voices to imitate them.
“Orta oyunu” is the origin of Turkish theatre. It used to be popular in the 19th century. There is nowritten text for “Orta oyunu” and players perform it live. Kavuklu and Pişekar are in the lead roles.
Orta oyunu begins with the “curcunabaz” dances and ends with dances again. The actual play takes place between these dances. Stage is round and players always change places.

Writing 

Students will be able to write the things they used to do when they were children.


1

When I was a child, I used to play in the park every afternoon. I would ride my bicycle around the neighborhood with my friends. We used to climb trees and pretend they were castles. On weekends, my family and I would go to visit my grandparents. Grandma used to bake delicious cookies for us, and I loved helping her in the kitchen. I also enjoyed watching cartoons on Saturday mornings. Those were fun and happy times that I remember fondly.


2

When I was a child, I used to play soccer with my friends in the park. Every Saturday, we would meet early and spend hours running and laughing together. I used to have a small collection of toy cars that I loved to play with after school. On rainy days, I used to stay inside and draw pictures with my colored pencils. I also enjoyed visiting the zoo with my family, where we would watch the animals and have picnics. These activities made my childhood very happy and exciting.


Students will be able to write a short paragraph of comparing traditions around the world.


1

In different parts of the world, people have unique wedding traditions. In India, weddings are colorful and can last for several days, with music and dance playing an important role. Many brides wear beautiful red dresses. In Japan, weddings are usually more formal and quiet. The bride often wears a white kimono, and there is a special tea ceremony. In Scotland, the bride and groom might wear traditional tartan clothes, and they often have bagpipes playing. Although these traditions are different, they all show the importance of celebrating love and family.


2

Different countries have special traditions that celebrate the New Year. In Japan, people celebrate with a festival called "Shogatsu." They eat special food called "osechi" and visit temples to pray for good luck. In Spain, people eat twelve grapes at midnight, one for each bell stroke, to bring good fortune in the new year. In Brazil, many people wear white clothes and jump over seven waves at the beach for good luck. Even though these traditions are different, they all show hope and happiness for the coming year.


Reading 


Students will be able to identify the differences between the lifestyles and customs of people in the past and the ones in the 21st century in a written text.


Reading Passage: Lifestyles and Customs Then and Now


1

In the past, people's lifestyles were very different from those in the 21st century. Many families lived on farms and worked together to grow food. Children helped their parents with chores after school. They did not have many toys, so they played outside with simple games like tag or hide and seek. Families often spent time together in the evenings, talking or telling stories without the distraction of technology.


Today, most people live in cities and have different jobs. Technology plays a big role in our lives. Children spend a lot of time on computers, tablets, and smartphones. They play video games and watch movies instead of playing outside. Families often have busy schedules, and they might eat dinner in front of the TV. Although technology helps us communicate with friends and family far away, some people miss the close connections that families had in the past.


Comprehension Questions:


1. How did families spend their time in the past?  

   

2. What types of games did children play outside in the past?  


3. What is a major difference in where people live now compared to the past?  


4. How does technology affect children's playtime today?  


5. What do some people miss about family connections from the past?  


6. Can you name one aspect of life in the 21st century that is better than in the past, and one aspect that might be considered worse?


2

Reading Passage: Comparing Lifestyles and Customs


Throughout history, the lifestyles and customs of people have changed significantly. In the past, many people lived in small villages and worked in agriculture. Families grew their own food and raised animals. Children helped with farm work and learned from their parents. Entertainment often came from storytelling or music played at home, and people spent more time outdoors.


In the 21st century, most people live in cities and work in different jobs. Technology has changed how we live. Many children spend hours on computers and smartphones instead of playing outside. Meals are often eaten quickly or in front of the TV rather than sitting together at a table. People use the internet to communicate with friends and family, no matter where they are in the world. While technology makes life easier in many ways, some people feel that it has made families less connected.


Comprehension Questions:


1. How did people in the past typically obtain their food?  


2. What roles did children have in their families in the past?  


3. What type of entertainment did people enjoy before modern technology?  


4. Where do most people live and work in the 21st century?  


5. How has technology changed children's playtime today?  


6. Describe one positive and one negative effect of technology on family life according to the passage.  


7. In your opinion, what is one custom from the past that should be revived today, and why?  


Students will be able to answer the questions about short texts on social, educational, and technological lives of people in the past around the world.


1

Reading Exercise: Life in the Past


Passage: School Life in the 1950s


In the 1950s, school life was very different from today. Children usually went to school in the morning and wore uniforms. Classes were held in big classrooms with many students. Teachers used chalkboards to write lessons, and students wrote in notebooks. There were no computers or tablets, so children learned by reading books and listening to their teachers. During recess, children played games outside, like hopscotch and tag. 


After school, children helped their parents with chores at home. They did not have many toys, so they played with simple things like balls or dolls. Family time was important, and many families ate dinner together at the table, sharing stories about their day.


Comprehension Questions:


1. What time of day did children usually go to school in the 1950s?  

   

2. What did children wear to school?  


3. How did teachers teach in the classrooms?  


4. What types of activities did children do during recess?  


5. How did students learn without modern technology?  


6. What did children do after school to help their parents?  


7. Why was family time considered important in the 1950s?  


**Answers:**


1. In the morning.  

2. They wore uniforms.  

3. Teachers used chalkboards to write lessons.  

4. They played games like hopscotch and tag.  

5. They learned by reading books and listening to their teachers.  

6. They helped their parents with chores.  

7. Because many families ate dinner together and shared stories.  


2

Reading Exercise: Life in the Past


Passage: Daily Life in the 1800s


In the 1800s, life was much different than it is today. Most people lived in small villages or on farms. They worked hard to grow food and take care of animals. Children helped their families by working on the farm. They did not go to school every day because they had many chores to do.


Schools were small, and only a few children attended. Lessons were taught by one teacher, who used a big board to write important information. Students sat at wooden desks and used pens with ink to write on paper. There were no computers, so children learned to read and write by studying books.


In the evening, families would gather around the fire to talk and share stories. They could not watch television or play video games, so storytelling was a popular activity. People enjoyed music and sometimes played instruments to entertain each other.


**Comprehension Questions:**


1. Where did most people live in the 1800s?  

   

2. What activities did children do to help their families?  


3. How were schools different in the 1800s compared to today?  


4. What did the teacher use to teach the students?  


5. How did children write in school?  


6. What would families do in the evening for entertainment?  


7. What activities were not available to people in the 1800s?  


**Answers:**


1. Most people lived in small villages or on farms.  

2. Children helped their families by working on the farm.  

3. Schools were small and had only a few children, with one teacher.  

4. The teacher used a big board to write important information.  

5. Children wrote with pens that used ink on paper.  

6. Families gathered around the fire to talk and share stories.  

7. People could not watch television or play video games.  



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