English Reading Practice
Ireland
It is known for its beautiful green countryside, which is why it is sometimes called "the Emerald Isle."
Click Here for Step-by-Step Rules, Stories and Exercises to Practice All English Tenses
It is also often called Eire, which means Ireland in Gaelic, the ancient language of the Irish people.
Today, all Irish people speak English and only a few speak Gaelic as well.
The origins of Ireland
Many people have lived in Ireland over its history. The native people
of Ireland are called the Celts. Romans, Normans (people from France),
and English people have also lived in Ireland. Today, many Irish have ancestors who were Roman, Norman, or English. "Ancestor" means someone in your family like a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent.
Ireland was one country until 1921, when it split into two separate countries: Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland is a part of Great Britain.
The Republic of Ireland is its own country. The capital of Northern Ireland is Belfast. The capital of the Republic of Ireland is Dublin.
The landscape
and climate of Ireland
Ireland has many different kinds of geography including mountains,
beaches, lakes, rivers, and plains. "Plains" are large flat areas that
often have lots of grass. Because of its location in the northern part
of Europe and its geography, it rarely gets very hot or very cold in
Ireland. It rains often, which is one of the reasons that the landscape in Ireland is so green. This rain also helps the many farmers who live in Ireland. They need the rain to grow their crops, including potatoes, cabbage, barley, apples, and berries.
The culture
of Ireland
Ireland has a rich culture. Music and dancing are very important parts
of Irish culture. Irish dance is a kind of step dance that is performed
around the world. In Ireland, many towns hold traditional dances called ceilis. At the ceili townspeople spend the evening dancing traditional dances and talking with each other.
Traditional Irish music is played at the ceilis as well as at festivals and other gatherings throughout Ireland. The fiddle is often used in traditional Irish songs, which tell the stories of Ireland’s history and people.
Famous people of
Ireland
Ireland has produced many influential artists, writers, and musicians
who are known worldwide. One of the most famous Irish writers is James Joyce. He lived from 1882-1941 and wrote many novels that have been printed in languages all over the world. His most famous novel is called "Dubliners." A "novel" is a book.
One of the most famous bands to come out of Ireland is U2. U2 has four members and has produced 12 albums since 1980. Their music is loved around the world.
Many famous actors come from Ireland including Daniel Day Lewis and Liam Neeson.
Irish contributions to society
The Irish culture and people have contributed a lot to society. The
greatest contributions have been to the arts. Irish music, dance,
poems, novels are enjoyed by people all over the world. 
And now, practice:
Ireland - Exercises
Vocabulary Questions
1. What color is "emerald"?a) Red
b) Yellow
c) Green
d) Blue
b) Yellow
c) Green
d) Blue
2. Which person would be an "ancestor"?
a) Friend
b) Brother
c) Cousin
d) Grandmother
b) Brother
c) Cousin
d) Grandmother
3. What is a good way to describe "plains"?
a) A large, flat area
b) A desert
a) An area of mountains
b) An ocean
b) A desert
a) An area of mountains
b) An ocean
Grammar Questions
Change the following sentences into the past tense1. Farmers need rain to grow their crops.
_______________________________________________________________
2. Traditional Irish music is played at ceilis.
_______________________________________________________________
3. All Irish people speak English.
_______________________________________________________________
Comprehension Questions
1. What is the ancient language of the Irish people called?_______________________________________________________________
2. What is one crop that is grown in Ireland?
_______________________________________________________________
3. What is the name of a famous Irish author?
_______________________________________________________________
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