1. SLOVAKIA – MY HOMELAND 1. Country and its people 2. Recommended places
3. Customs, traditions, conventions
4. Stereotypes and prejudices
5. Membership in the European Union

2. Comment on the following quotation.
Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it. George Bernard Shaw

3. Brainstorm the vocabulary connected with the following subtopics:
LOCATION
HISTORY
TOWNS AND
PLACES TO VISIT
NATIONAL
SYMBOLS, FACTS
TRADITIONS,
HABITS
SLOVAKIA
STEREOTYPES ABOUT
SLOVAKS
SYSTEM OF
GOVERNMENT
MEMBERSHIP
IN THE
EUROPEAN
UNION
SOUVENIRS

4. Look at the pictures and describe our national symbols.
STATE EMBLEM
FLAG
ANTHEM
SEAL

5. Look at the maps and describe Slovakia’s location.
Which countries does Slovakia border ?
What are its natural borders?

6. These are the events that played an important role in the history of Slovakia. Comment on some of them.
● The Great Moravian Empire (830 – 896) ● The Austrian-Hungarian Empire (10th cent. – 1918) ● World War I. ( ) ● World War II. (1939 – 1945) ● Slovak National Uprising (1944) ● Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (1960 – 1990) ● Prague Spring (1967 – 1968) ● Velvet Revolution (November 1989) ● Independent Slovak Republic (1993) ● Membership in the European Union (2004)

7. Can you recognise the places in the pictures below?
Which of them have you visited?
What are they famous for? 3. 1. 2. 6. 5. 4.
10. 9. 7. 8.
13.
11.
12.

8. What holidays do Slovaks celebrate?
What traditions are kept during these festive days?
How do you spend these holidays?

9. Describe the lifestyle of the Slovak people in the pictures below.1. 3. 5. 2. 4. 8. 7. 6.
How are Slovaks perceived by foreigners?

10. (The National Council)
Explain the system of government in Slovakia.
LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH
(The National Council)
The Parliament
EXECUTIVE
Vice-prime ministers
Prime Minister
Government
Ministers
Commander –in-chief
President
JUDICIAL
Constitutional
Court
Supreme
Regional, district
courts

11. What food and drinks are typical for Slovakia?
How would you describe them to foreigners?

12. Who are the people in the pictures below?2. 3. 4. 1.
Cyril and Methodius
Ľudovít
Štúr
Alexander Dubček 6. 7.
Peter Dvorský 5. 8. 9.
Ladislav
Chudík
M.R.Štefánik
Marta Siracká
Jánošík
Andrej Hlinka
What are (were) they famous for?

13. Which would you give as a present to a foreigner?
Name the souvenirs.
Which would you give as a present to a foreigner? 3. 1. 2. 4.
Zmeniť supolie figurky, mozno aj keramiku 6. 5.

14. Comment on the changes which were brought by the European Union entry in May 1st, 2004.
Slovak – one of the official languages of EU
EU funded projects
exchange programmes, study abroad
better conditions for travelling
market economy
job opportunities
multiculturalism
brain-drain
Which of them are positive and which negative?
How can Slovakia contribute to the European Union?

15. Plan a week summer stay for a group of foreign teenagers in Slovakia
Plan a week summer stay for a group of foreign teenagers in Slovakia. Choose the ideas from the list below.
PLACES TO VISIT
ACTIVITIES
CULTURAL EVENTS
HOW TO GET THERE
ACCOMODATION
Bojnice castle
Vlkolínec
Bratislava
Liptovská Mara
Levoča
The High Tatras
swimming
sightseeing
dancing
hiking
sunbathing
climbing
theatre performance
exhibition
pilgrimage
festival
couch
car
train
bicycle
walking
campsite
hotel
private place
youth hostel
dormitory
tent