Pumpkins BY ANNA CARUK

WARM UP!

Have you ever done any of the activities presented in the pictures?
If so: Why? When? Did you like it? Why/Why not?
If not: Would you like to try them? Why?/Why not?

EX.1

4.
Match the words with the numbers.
1.
pulp ...... * stem ......
2.
* skin ...... * fibrous strands ......
* seeds ...... 3.
5.

© BY ANNA CARUK 2022

EX.2

Describe a pumpkin seed.

Use the following words:

EDIBLE * FLAT * HUSK

NUTRIENT-RICH * SNACK

Do you like eating pumpkin seeds? Why?/Why not?

Do you agree that eating them can be as 'addictive' as eating sunflower
seeds? Why/Why not?

EX.3

Imagine there's been a pumpkin carving contest in your town. Choose

the winner ;) Justify your choice.

© BY ANNA CARUK 2022

EX.4

Read the text. What is it about? Put the words in brackets into
the gaps in the right form.

California is one of the top five (1) .................. (produce) of pumpkins

in the US. Nearly all California pumpkins are produced for the fresh
market, sold (2) .................. (direct) to stores or right off the farm.
Fresh market pumpkins are (3) .................. (grow) for the Halloween
harvest and fall season. The most popular (4) .................. (vary) are
planted in June or July so they are ready for families and kiddos to
enjoy their (5) .................. (season) glory.
Not only are pumpkins perfect for the Halloween holiday with their
(6) .................. (celebrate) colours and jack o’lantern potential, but
they are packed full of health benefits. Pumpkin is a (7) ..................
(high) nutrient-dense food. It is rich in vitamins and minerals but low
in calories. Pumpkin seeds, leaves, and juices all pack
a (8) .................. (power) nutritional punch.
Pumpkins have antioxidants, such as beta carotene, in them, as well
as potassium which helps regulate blood pressure.
Preparing fresh pumpkin at home will deliver the most benefits for
your health, but (9) .................. (can) pumpkin is also a great choice.
Pumpkin (10) .................. (retain) many of its health benefits in the
canning process.
In other words, you should eat more pumpkin…
Adapted from: https://www.cafarmtrust.org/pumpkins-the-origin-of-jack-olanterns/

EX.5

Which one is a jack o'lantern? Do you know its origin?

© BY ANNA CARUK 2022

EX.6

Read the text. Answer the question from the title with your own
words.

So, where did the whole Jack O’Lantern thing come from?
Every October, pumpkins carved with ghoulish faces and illuminated
by candles are a sure sign of the Halloween season. The practice of
decorating jack o’lanterns originated in Ireland, where they used large
turnips, potatoes, or beets. Irish immigrants brought the tradition to
America, home of the pumpkin, and it became an integral part of
Halloween festivities.
As the Irish legend goes, a guy nicknamed Stingy Jack made a couple
of bad deals with the devil. When his life finally came to an end he was
not welcomed into heaven or hell. His spirit was bound to earth
forever, with only a burning coal to guide his way. He put the coal into
a turnip to carry it and has been roaming the earth ever since.
The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as “Jack of the Lantern,”
and then, simply “Jack O’Lantern.” In Ireland and Scotland, people
began to make their own versions of Jack’s lanterns by carving scary
faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near
doors to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits.
Since pumpkins are native to North America, they are the chosen fruit
to ward off evil on All Hallows’ Eve!… Boo!
Source: https://www.cafarmtrust.org/pumpkins-the-origin-of-jack-olanterns/

EX.7

Match the words with their definitions.

a) to protect or defend sb against danger, etc.
1) ghoulish
b) an informal, often humorous, name for a person that is connected with their
2) turnip real name, their personality or appearance, or with something they have done
3) festivities c) a hard black mineral that is found below the ground and burnt to produce heat
4) a nickname d) to walk or travel around an area without any definite aim or direction
5) to be bound to e) to make objects, patterns, etc. by cutting away material from a piece of wood
6) coal or stone, or another hard material
7) to roam f) typical of an evil spirit
8) carve g) a round white, or white and purple, root vegetable
h) the activities that are organized to celebrate a special event
9) to ward off
to stick together
© BY ANNA CARUK 2022
EX.8

Listen to the song. Fill the gaps with the words your hear.

Chorus:
I love pumpkins in the (1) ....................
Some are (2) .................... and some are (3) ....................
Round and orange, a wonderful (4) ....................
Let me share my pumpkin (5) .................... with you

Now listen (6) ..................... Here's the (7) .................... with

pumpkins:

If you look inside a pumpkin very closely you'll see

In the middle some (8) .................... with many (9) ....................
You can plant those seeds to make more pumpkins grow
or (10) .................... 'em up and eat 'em
They are (11) ...................., you know!

Listen, boys and girls, because I'm going to tell you more:

Pumpkins go in different things. Here's the (12) .................... :

There's pumpkin (13) ...................., pumpkin (14) ....................,
and pumpkin (15) .....................
There's pumpkin (16) ...................., pumpkin (17) ....................,
and pumpkin (18) .....................
Eat some yummy pumpkin (19) .................... in a bowl!

And now a few more final things about pumpkins:

In a pumpkin (20) ...................., pumpkins grow on a (21)

.....................
They start as babies, then grow big, in 4 months' time.
(22) .................... a pumpkin, take it home and (23) ....................a
face.
Now you've got a (24) .................... for your space!

© BY ANNA CARUK 2022

EX.9

The following sentences are supposed to be ''lessons that a

pumpkin can teach you''. How are they related to pumpkins and
our lives?

*muck - waste, dirt, mud or something very unpleasant

EX.10

The biggest pumpkins in the world weigh over 1000kg.

What would you do with such a pumpkin if you got it as
a birthday present?

© BY ANNA CARUK 2022