Hi everyone, I'm Georgiana, founder of speakenglishpodcast.com.

My mission is to help you to speak English fluently.

In today's episode, I'll be talking about one of the most celebrated holidays in the United

States, Halloween.

After that, you'll practice your speaking with a new mini-story.

Very well, let's get started.

Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the last day of October. I would say it's very popular

because everybody is excited about it, especially children. The word Halloween comes from an

old English expression, All Hallows Eve, and it means the day before All Saints Day. Children of all

ages really love Halloween because they can dress up in funny costumes and knock on their

neighbors' doors shouting, trick or treat. The neighbors usually give them candies. The meaning of the phrase

trick or treat is interesting. In this context, treat means getting the candies, and trick

implies the consequence of not getting the sweets.

It's like an innocent threat children make.

Of course, kids get really excited when they knock on strangers' doors in their neighborhood.

Since Halloween originated as a celebration connected with evil spirits, the most common

symbols are witches flying on broomsticks, ghosts, skeletons, black cats, etc. And the black

color is one of the traditional Halloween colors. Of course, pumpkins are also a Halloween symbol. I'm sure you've seen them in movies. People empty pumpkin and put a candle inside to make a lamp. And how do you make a Halloween pumpkin?

The first step is hollowing out the pumpkin.

After, we use a keyhole saw to cut the hole.

When using a candle for illumination,

you can cut the hole in the pumpkin's top.

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