Theme 1.4: Festivals and Traditions in the Spanish-Speaking World - Worksheets, Questions and Revision

14 original exam-style questions - 7 pages of questions with a full mark scheme - free printable PDF.

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GCSE · Spanish

ES.R8 Theme 1.4: Festivals and Traditions in the Spanish-Speaking World

AQA 8692 · Calculators not allowed · about 40 minutes
Total Marks
Name: _______________________________    Date: ____ / ____ / ______
Read each short Spanish text and answer the questions in English unless instructed otherwise. Note: accents, the enye and inverted question/exclamation marks have been omitted for print compatibility; write them correctly in your answers where needed. Answer every question. Time guidance: 40 minutes.
1
Text A: A short descriptive article about La Tomatina festival in Bunol, Spain. Read the article and then answer matching and comprehension questions. Article: 'La Tomatina es una fiesta que se celebra en Bunol, Valencia, cada ultimo miercoles de agosto. Miles de personas participan en una batalla de tomates en las calles. Antes de empezar hay musica, gente que come en plazas y vendedores que ofrecen proteccion como gafas. La batalla dura una hora y al final se limpia todo con mangueras. La fiesta atrae turistas de todo el mundo y su origen popular se recuerda en cantos y carteles.'
(a)Match each lettered description to the correct fact (1-4). Descriptions: 1) The town where La Tomatina happens. 2) The usual month for the festival. 3) What participants throw. 4) How the streets are cleaned after. Options: A Bunol, B mangueras, C tomates, D agosto. Write the number and the correct letter, e.g. '1 A'.(4)
(Total for Question 1 is 4 marks)
2
Text A: True, False or Not Mentioned questions about the same La Tomatina article above. Answer each in English and give one-word justification from the text where required.
(a)a) True, False or Not Mentioned: La Tomatina lasts for more than one day. (Answer and justify briefly in one word from the article.)(1)
(b)b) True, False or Not Mentioned: The festival includes music before the fight. (Answer and justify briefly in one word from the article.)(1)
(c)c) True, False or Not Mentioned: Visitors must bring their own goggles. (Answer and justify with one word from the article.)(1)
(d)d) True, False or Not Mentioned: The festival attracts international tourists. (Answer and justify with one word from the article.)(1)
(e)e) True, False or Not Mentioned: The origin of the festival is political. (Answer and justify with one word from the article.)(1)
(f)f) True, False or Not Mentioned: Food stalls sell lunch in the plazas. (Answer and justify with one word from the article.)(1)
(Total for Question 2 is 6 marks)
3
Text B: A diary entry describing Semana Santa in a small town in Andalucia. Read the diary and then complete a gap-fill exercise from the box. Diary: 'Esta manana he visto las procesiones de Semana Santa en mi pueblo de Andalucia. Las calles estaban llenas de gente. Las cofradias sacan pasos con imagenes religiosas y hay musica solemne. Muchas familias van a la iglesia y algunas personas llevan nazarenos. Es una celebracion tradicional que ocurre en la semana antes de Pascua.'
(a)Complete the gaps using words from the box: [procesiones, familiares, pasos, semana, musica, iglesia]. Gap 1: 'Esta manana he visto las ______ de Semana Santa.'(1)
(b)Gap 2: 'Las calles estaban llenas de ______.'(1)
(c)Gap 3: 'Las cofradias sacan ______ con imagenes religiosas.'(1)
(d)Gap 4: '...y hay ______ solemne.'(1)
(e)Gap 5: 'Es una celebracion tradicional que ocurre en la ______ antes de Pascua.'(1)
(Total for Question 3 is 5 marks)
4
Text B: Short answer questions in English about the Semana Santa diary. Answer in English.
(a)a) Where did the writer watch the processions? (one phrase in English)(1)
(b)b) What do the cofradias carry in the processions? (one word in English)(1)
(c)c) Give one atmosphere detail from the diary. (one short phrase in English)(1)
(d)d) Who goes to church according to the diary? (one short phrase in English)(1)
(Total for Question 4 is 4 marks)
5
Text C: An informative leaflet about Dia de los Muertos in Mexico City. Read the leaflet and then answer true/false/not mentioned and short questions. Leaflet: 'Dia de los Muertos es una celebracion en Mexico que honra a los difuntos. Se hace el 1 y 2 de noviembre. Familias construyen altares con fotos, velas y ofrendas como pan y flores. La gente visita los cementerios y celebra con comida, musica y disfraces. En la Ciudad de Mexico hay grandes desfiles y mercados con calaveras de azucar.'
(a)a) True, False or Not Mentioned: Dia de los Muertos includes building altars with photos. (Answer in English with one-word justification from the text.)(1)
(b)b) True, False or Not Mentioned: The dates are in December. (Answer in English with one-word justification from the text.)(1)
(c)c) True, False or Not Mentioned: Sugar skulls are sold at markets. (Answer in English with one-word justification from the text.)(1)
(d)d) In the leaflet, do people wear sombre black clothes? (Answer True/False/Not Mentioned and give one-word justification.)(1)
(e)e) Give one example of an ofrenda item mentioned in the leaflet. (one word in English)(1)
(Total for Question 5 is 5 marks)
6
Compare customs: Short matching exercise comparing Spanish and UK Christmas customs. Read the short prompt and match the statements. Prompt: 'Compare Navidad in Spain and Christmas in the UK: in Spain families often celebrate on Nochebuena on 24 December with a big meal; in the UK many open presents on 25 December morning and have christmas crackers at the meal; in some Spanish-speaking countries Los Reyes Magos on 6 January bring gifts.'
(a)1) Presents usually opened on 25 December morning - which country is this? Options: A Spain, B UK, C Mexico. Write the number and the letter.(1)
(b)2) The celebration where Los Reyes Magos bring gifts on 6 January - which option? A Spain, B UK, C some Spanish-speaking countries. Write the number and the letter.(1)
(c)3) A big family meal on Nochebuena (24 December) is typical of: A Spain, B UK, C Mexico. Write the number and the letter.(1)
(Total for Question 6 is 3 marks)
7
Short answer comprehension from a new mini-text about Los Sanfermines in Pamplona. Text: 'Los Sanfermines son famosos por el encierro de toros en Pamplona cada julio. Personas corren delante de los toros por las calles hasta la plaza. Hay una semana de fiestas con conciertos y eventos tradicionales.' Answer two questions in English.
(a)a) In which month do Los Sanfermines take place? (one word in English)(1)
(b)b) What is the main event people talk about in Pamplona? (short phrase in English)(1)
(Total for Question 7 is 2 marks)
8
Vocabulary multiple-choice from festival contexts. Choose the correct English meaning for the Spanish word used in festival texts.
(a)What does 'ofrendas' mean in the context of Dia de los Muertos? Options: A decorations, B offerings, C dances, D tickets. Choose the letter.(1)
  • A decorations
  • B offerings
  • C dances
  • D tickets
(Total for Question 8 is 1 mark)
9
Short translation comprehension: Translate the short Spanish phrase into English. Phrase context: a quinceanera announcement. Spanish: 'La quinceanera sera en junio y las invitadas llevaran vestidos elegantes.' Translate into English in one sentence.
(a)Translate the sentence into English.(3)
(Total for Question 9 is 3 marks)
10
Short comprehension/inference: From the three texts (La Tomatina, Semana Santa diary, Dia de los Muertos leaflet), answer briefly in English: Which festival explicitly mentions markets selling items? One-word answer.
(Total for Question 10 is 1 mark)
11
Short written comparison: Give two simple differences between how Navidad is often celebrated in Spain and in the UK, based on earlier comparison prompt. Answer in English; one difference per sentence.
(a)Sentence 1: Difference 1 (one full sentence in English).(1)
(b)Sentence 2: Difference 2 (one full sentence in English).(1)
(Total for Question 11 is 2 marks)
12
Identify the festival: Short clues in English; name the festival in one word (Spanish name is acceptable) based on the clues below. Clue: 'A festival in Valencia where people throw fruit at each other.'
(Total for Question 12 is 1 mark)
13
Short summary question: From any of the texts, give three typical things people do during a festival mentioned in this pack. Answer in English as a list of three short bullets or phrases; each correct item = 1 mark.
(Total for Question 13 is 3 marks)
14
Quick inference: Which festival in the pack explicitly mentions protective items like goggles being offered by vendors? Answer with the festival name in English or Spanish.
(Total for Question 14 is 1 mark)
Mark scheme · ES.R8 Theme 1.4: Festivals and Traditions in the Spanish-Speaking World

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Question 5

Question 6

Question 7

Question 8

Question 9

Question 10

Question 11

Question 12

Question 13

Question 14