Valentine's Day

On February 14th, Americans celebrate Valentine's Day, the day of love and affection.
The origin of the name comes from St. Valentine. He was a priest in Rome who helped the
persecuted Christians. So he was sent to prison and was beaten to death on February 14th, about 270
A.D.
The romantic meaning of the day comes from the fact that it coincided with the Romam festival
Lupercalia. This festival was held on February 15th in honor of the birds which would choose their
partners for the mating season on this day. According to the legend, the birds took their big decision
on February 14th. Then human beings were encouraged to follow the example for the birds.
One of the beauties of St. Valentine's Day is that it helps people overcome their shyness. In the
nineteenth century, young people started sending anonymous Valentine cards to the boy or girl or
their dreams.
A "valentine" is a greeting card declaring a person's love for someone usually without giving the
name of the sender. The person to whom a "valentine" is sent is also called "valentine".
Nowadays people still send cards and presents not only to their sweethearts, but also to their
friends an relatives.
Revista Speak up, So Paulo, fev. 2008.
Exercises:
1) Responda s perguntas, em portugus:
a) Qual o significado de Valentine's Day?
b) Quem foi St. Valentine?
c) Quando ele morreu?
2) Procure, no texto, frases equivalentes s seguintes:
a) Este festival (Lupercalia) era realizado no dia 15 de fevereiro, em homenagem aos pssaros que
escolheriam seus parceiros para a poca do acasalamento, nesse dia.
b) De acordo com a lenda, os pssaros tomaram sua grande deciso no dia 14 de fevereiro.
3) Escreva R (right) nas frases que estiverem de acordo com o texto e W (wrong) nas que no
estiverem.
( ) One of the beauties of St. Valentine's Day is that it helps people overcome their sadness.
( ) In the eighteenth century, young people started sending anonymous Valentine cards to the boy
or girl of their dreams.
( ) A "valentine" is a greeting card declaring a person's love for someone usually without givinh
the name of the sender.
( ) Nowadays people still send cards and presents not only to their sweethearts, but also to their
friends and relatives.