TOPIC 1: Look at the photo on pages 58-59.

Hunting with eagles is a

tradition in Mongolia. What sport or hobby is a national tradition in
your country? Describe it.

Boats are items that have been associated with the life, activities, customs and festivals of
the Vietnamese people for a long time. Boat racing festival also comes from here. Boat racing
festival is considered a traditional beauty of the national culture and is a precious asset in the
treasure of traditional indigenous folklore. Boats in folk festivals carry a sacred and solemn
meaning. In particular, at festivals worshiping national heroes, called "boats". He returned to
"sit" on the boat so that everyone could pray for health, happiness, prosperity, and see the
assembly as desired. Nowadays, boat racing is an important content in the program of many
festivals from the North to the South, especially in localities with rivers, lakes or near the sea.
The current boat race in many localities is not simply a religious activity like the original one
but has become an attractive large-scale sporting event attracting many participants. Boat racing
has added the mission of a talent competition and a show of collective strength. A typical
example is the boat racing festival in Da Nang. Da Nang boat racing festival on the Han River
in Lien Chieu district is usually held in the first lunar month every year. Every year, the boat
race in Da Nang attracts over 20 talented teams as a "custom" to pray for favorable weather and
good weather for the people of the river region to have a full life. Dragon Boats The Da Nang
Boat Racing Festival is decorated with colorful and majestic flags in the cheers and sounds of
the people's drums and trumpets. Da Nang Boat Racing Festival not only teams from Da Nang
city but also more teams from neighboring provinces such as Hue, Quang Nam, and Quang
Ngai converging to compete. In recent years, Vietnamese boat racing has won a number of
remarkable achievements in regional and continental arenas. Most recently, the Vietnamese
sailing team won a total of 16 gold medals at the 31st SEA Games. Previously, at the 2021
Asian Rowing Championships, Vietnamese athletes won 2 gold medals. In particular, at the
2018 Asian Games, the Vietnamese sailing team excellently won 1 gold and 1 silver medal in
the rowing content. Boat is a popular means of transportation of Vietnamese people from
ancient times to the present, so boat racing is also considered as a traditional sport of the nation.
That sport is growing and it is hoped that it will be passed on to future generations.