IELTS READING LEVEL 4.5 – Food Festivals in South Africa

Food Festivals in South Africa

by ReadWorks

Photograph of oysters

The Knysna Oyster Festival: Oysters are shellfish that can be eaten cooked or raw. Many people like to eat them right out of their shells. Some people don’t even chew the oysters before swallowing. They just swallow them whole! Don’t worry, though. People don’t usually choke on oysters. Oysters are very slippery, so they don’t get stuck in people’s throats.

One town in South Africa hosts an oyster festival every year. The town is called Knysna, and it is located on South Africa’s coast. Can you guess how long the festival is? It’s ten days long! During this festival, Knysna’s restaurants prepare thousands of oysters. They cook them in many different ways too. Some chefs like to serve them raw. Other chefs like to grill them. People from all around the world visit Knysna to eat its oysters.

Prince Albert Olive Festival: Another food festival in South Africa is the Prince Albert Olive Festival. This festival takes place in Karoo village. Karoo village is located in a fertile valley. Can you guess what this valley grows? Olives! An olive is a fruit that grows on trees. The festival is, of course, the perfect place for olive lovers. Many different foods can be found at this festival like olive bread, olive dip, and stuffed olives. Olives are usually stuffed with cheese, nuts, or herbs. Which food would you like to try?

Vocabulary

festival    fes · ti · val

Definition

noun

1. a group of shows, events, or special activities usually planned around a type of food, a season, or a kind of art or music.

We tried maple syrup at the maple festival.

Advanced Definition

noun

1. a day or more of celebration to commemorate a notable occasion, such as a religious holiday.

December 13 is the festival of St. Lucia in Scandinavia.

2. a regularly occurring ceremony or celebration involving special activities or amusements.

We drank apple cider and carved pumpkins at the harvest festival.

3. a series of presentations, or a gathering of exhibitors in one or more of the fine arts, theater arts, or crafts, or such a gathering based on any of various central themes.

Are you going to the folk music festival this weekend?

We saw how they make Swiss cheese at the cheese festival.

adjective

1. of or suited to a festival.

a festival atmosphere

Spanish cognate

festival: The Spanish word festival means festival.

These are some examples of how the word or forms of the word are used:

1. Music and dancing are often part of Hispanic festivals.
2. Osei Tutu started the holiday of Odwira. This festival celebrated the unity of the empire.
3. In the Jewish Religion, Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights. It is a holiday of celebration.
4. The festival is celebrated around May 16th every year and invites visitors from all over the world.
5. During the festival, people light their candles and float their krathongs down rivers. Loy Krathong also includes feasts and fireworks.
6. Ballroom dancing has been around since at least the Middle Ages (from about 500 to 1500). It was especially popular at fairs and festivals in the 1400s.
7. During Mayan religious festivals, the Mayas ate and danced. They also played a sport that involved trying to hit a rubber ball through a stone ring using one’s hips.
8. The ice festival is a popular tourist attraction. It has been drawing crowds for 33 Organizers expect millions of visitors to pour into the city’s parks this year.
9. Native Americans from Alaska to South America united, or came together, for the museum’s A six-day festival followed the opening ceremony. The festival featured Native American dancing, music, foods, and storytelling.

prepare    pre · pare

Definition

verb

1. to make ready.

He prepared his house for guests by cleaning.

2. to make or put something together from different parts.

The chef cut up the meat and vegetables that he needed to prepare the soup.

Advanced Definition

transitive verb

1. to make ready.

The servants prepared the dining room for the evening meal.

The editor is preparing the manuscript for publication.

With great determination, she prepared the students to do well on the exam.

2. to make or manufacture by combining various elements.

When I prepare Thanksgiving dinner, I’m in the kitchen all day long.

intransitive verb

1. to make things or oneself ready.

The situation is serious, and we should prepare for the worst.

She was preparing to leave when the telephone rang.

He knew how ill he was, and he was preparing to die.

Spanish cognate

preparar: The Spanish word preparar means prepare.

These are some examples of how the word or forms of the word are used:

1. In some places, as the weather gets cold, animals start to prepare for winter.
2. People can stay safe during a storm. They need to get ready before the storm arrives. They can prepare an emergency kit.
3. They were called minutemen because they could prepare so quickly. Minutemen came from farms all over the countryside and gathered together in Lexington.
4. Toprepare for her most recent marathon, Lea ran four to five times every week. On weekdays, she completed shorter runs, five or six miles at most.
5. A scrub nurse or tech prepares the surgery area, surgical supplies, and equipment. During surgery, the scrub nurse assists the surgeon by passing instruments, suctioning fluids, and so forth.
6. It is satisfying to see people enjoying delicious, healthy food that she helped prepare. People like the restaurant so much that one of the collective members published a cookbook.
7. They could help prepare meals, serve them, and clean up afterward. And the next time Maggie walked down the block, she packed a granola bar and a banana to give to the man she’d seen on the street.