In the UK Remembrance Day is observed every year on the 11th of November. This is the day when people who have died in war are remembered. There is also Remembrance Sunday which always falls on the second Sunday in November. Sometimes Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday fall on the same day.
The main ceremony is always held on Remembrance Sunday. It takes place in the centre of London at a war memorial called The Cenotaph. The ceremony is attended by members of the Royal Family and politicians. Many other people attend as well including people who are currently serving in the armed forces. Also there are members of the armed forces who have retired because they have been injured in battle or because they have reached retirement age. These people are usually called veterans. Members of the armed forces wear their uniforms and take part in a parade. The other people tend to wear black or dark clothing in order to show respect.
As well as the main ceremony in London smaller ceremonies and memorial services are held in towns and cities all over the UK. In Edinburgh there is a parade which starts outside the Castle and ends outside St Giles Cathedral.
The symbol of Remembrance Day is the red poppy. This is because after World War One the only flowers to grow on the battlefields were poppies. World War One ended at 11am, on the eleventh day of the eleventh month and this is why people who have been killed in wars and conflicts are remembered at this exact time every year. They are remembered with a two minute silence.
Other countries around the world have their own Remembrance Days. The countries which belong to The Commonwealth of Nations (which used to be known as The British Commonwealth) have ceremonies similar to those held in the UK. The Commonwealth of Nations includes India, Australia, Canada and many countries in Africa and the Caribbean.
Exercises suitable for A2 – B2
1)Find and underline the following verbs in the text:
observe attend serve retire injure reach belong
2) What are the meanings of the verbs in the context of the article?
3) What verbs or phrases mean that ‘something happens’?
4) Find and underline any adverbs/adverbial phrases of time/frequency.
5) Do you have a Remembrance Day in your country? When is it? What happens?
Here’s a PDF version of the above with answers. Remembrance Day PDF
Links and further information:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/15492228
https://www.edinburghguide.com/events/remembrancesunday
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