The April Fair of Seville
Vocabulary
| group | let loose | en masse |
| striped | spritzer | big/bigger/biggest |
| seem | ground | fairground |
| zone | friendly | feel/felt/felt |
| vast | passion | spontaneous |
| real | straight | affair (2) |
| clear | ramrod | private (2) |
| clad | vibrant | sidesaddle |
| fair (3) | sport (2) | drink/drank/drunk |
| clown | brilliant | outlandish |
| get in | senorita | at the same time |
| line (2) | festival | association |
| tent | pack (2) | saddle (2) |
| need | surprise | know/knew/known |
| sherry | wedding | exclusivity |
| seem | lane (2) | celebrate |
Video
Transcript
It’s no surprise that Sevilla is also famous for letting loose in vibrant festivals, and we’re here for the biggest of all, the April Fair.
For seven days each April, it seems much of Sevilla is packed into its vast fairgrounds. The fair feels friendly, spontaneous, very real.
The Andalusian passion for horses, flamenco . . . and sherry is clear. Riders are ramrod straight, colorfully-clad senoritas ride sidesaddle and everyone’s drinking sherry spritzers.
Women sport outlandish dresses that would look clownish all alone, but somehow brilliant here en masse.
Over a thousand private party tents, or “casetas,” line the lanes. Each striped tent is a private party zone of a family, club or association.
To get in, you need to know someone in the group, or make friends quickly.
Concepcion’s well connected and, as a friend of a friend, we’re in.
Rick: This is your caseta?
Woman: This is my caseta.
Rick: Okay.
Because of this exclusivity, it has a real family-affair feeling. Everyone seems to know everyone in what seems like a thousand wedding parties being celebrated all at the same time.
>
Questions
Seville, Andalucia. This video was about a bullfighting tournament. True or false?
Cordoba, Granada, Malaga. Is the mood somber and staid (serious), or exuberant, joyful and festive?
Barcelona, Catalonia. Was everyone wearing blue-jeans, T-shirts and sneakers?
Madrid. Participants and guests came by limousine and taxis. Is this right or wrong?
Galicia. Were people mostly drinking beer and cola?
Basque Country. People ate, drank, danced, partied in a single, huge hall. Is this correct or incorrect? Can guests buy pay an entrance fee to get in?
Ibiza, Majorca, Balleric Islands. I was born in Spain. I am from Spain. I live in Spain. Yes or no? Would you and your friends like to live in Spain?
Canary Islands. Have you and your friends visited Spain? If not would you like to visit Spain?
Valencia. Are there similar festivals in your city, region or country?
Portugal. What do you associate with Spain? What comes to mind when you think of Spain? What are some stereotypes of Spain??
The Rock of Gibraltar. What might happen in the future?
