VETERANS' DAY -A DAY TO REMEMBER AND TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SACRIFICE! ENL Lesson for Learners of English to Practice their English skills.

 

Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. Unlike Memorial Day, Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans—living or dead—but especially gives thanks to living veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime.

When Is Veterans Day?

• Veterans Day occurs on November 11 every year in the United States.
• In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower officially changed the name of the holiday from Armistice Day to Veterans Day.
• In 1968, the Uniform Holidays Bill was passed by Congress, which moved the celebration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. The law went into effect in 1971, but in 1975 President Gerald Ford returned Veterans Day to November 11, due to the important historical significance of the date.
• Great Britain, France, Australia and Canada also commemorate the veterans of World War I and World War II on or near November 11th: Canada has Remembrance Day, while Britain has Remembrance Sunday (the second Sunday of November).
• In Europe, Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries it is common to observe two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. every November 11.

Veterans Today

The military men and women who serve and protect the U.S. come from all walks of life; they are parents, children, grandparents, friends, neighbors and coworkers, and are an important part of their communities. Here are some facts about the veteran population of the United States:

• 16.1 million living veterans served during at least one war.
• 5.2 million veterans served in peacetime.
• 2 million veterans are women.
• 7 million veterans served during the Vietnam War.
• 5.5 million veterans served during the Persian Gulf War.
• Of the 16 million Americans who served during World War II, about 558,000 are still alive.
• 2 million veterans served during the Korean War.
• 6 million veterans served in peacetime.
• As of 2014, 2.9 million veterans received compensation for service-connected disabilities.
• As of 2014, 3 states have more than 1 million veterans among their population: California (1.8 million), Florida (1.6 million) and Texas (1.7 million).
• The VA health care system had 54 hospitals in 1930, since then it has expanded to include 171 medical centers; more than 350 outpatient, community, and outreach clinics; 126 nursing home care units; and 35 live-in care facilities for injured or disabled vets.

Source: http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/veterans-day-facts


 

VETERANS DAY ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS    & CLOSE RHYMING WORDS           

 ENL (English as a New Language) By Ottavio Lo Piccolo

Name: _______________________________ Date: ______________

Directions. Read the question, chose the correct word/s, and then write them on the lines.

                   At the end of this lesson/close quiz, make a list of rhyming words!

1. What are veterans? Veterans are people who have served in the _________________

                                                                                        (diner, show, military :)

1a. Another word for military is armed _________________. 

                                                  (Forces, BOCES, roses :)

2. Other names for our veterans are _______________ and _____________________.

                                                          (self-service, servicemen, service women)

                                                         

3. Why do we celebrate Veterans Day?  We celebrate it because we _____________                                                                                                    (humor, donor, honor :)

  3a. We do because veterans (serve, nerve) ___________ and still serve in the armed forces.       

3b. Serve in the military means to __________ (dork, work, fork) for the armed forces/services.

4. How do Americans celebrate veterans Day? 

 Some people watch __________________,

                                (parades, charades :)

other people go to __________________, and put flowers and ___________ on the graves

                          (cemeteries, obituaries :)                    (bags, flags, rags :)

other people go ____________; others stay home and ___________ (breast, rest, pest:).

                       (shopping, hopping:)

5. Veterans in the US Air Force you must believe and apply these three rules/ideals in their life:

    Integrity, Service before self and excellence in all they do. These ideals mean Vets   should:

___ 1. Integrity First.  ____ 2. Service Before Self.  ____ 3. Excellence in all we do.

a. Do their very best at all times.

b. Do the right thing at all times, even when no one is watching them.

c. Accomplish (do) their jobs first and then relax and have fun.