Last summer, my sister Arevik and I had the most brilliant holiday! Our parents sent us to the summer camps run by the Mkhitar Sebastatsi Educational Complex. We were ever so excited when we found out we’d be spending time at both their Arates camp and the one by Lake Sevan.
The first two weeks, we stayed at Arates. I woke up every morning to the lovely sound of birds singing. The fresh air was quite different from the city! Each day brought new adventures. We went on long hikes through the countryside, and our group leaders taught us about all the plants and wildlife. I particularly enjoyed learning how to build a proper campfire – Arevik was rather impressed with my skills!
After Arates, we moved to the Lake Sevan camp. Oh, it was gorgeous there! The water was a brilliant blue color, and we could see mountains all around us. Arevik and I spent hours swimming in the lake. The water was a bit chilly at first, but we got used to it quickly. We also learned to sail small boats, which was a bit frightening at first but soon became my favorite activity. In the evenings at both camps, we sat around campfires singing songs and telling stories. We made so many new friends! There was a brilliant boy called Aram who could play the duduk beautifully, and he taught me a few notes. Arevik joined the dance group and performed a traditional Armenian dance at the final concert. The food at the camps was delicious too – we had fresh fruits and vegetables every day, and on special nights, we cooked khorovats (barbecue) outdoors. I helped collect wood for the fire, and Arevik helped prepare the vegetables. When it was time to go home, we felt a bit sad..
Those weeks in nature had been absolutely wonderful. Mum and Dad said we looked healthier and happier when they came to collect us. I can’t wait until next summer when hopefully we can return to the camps again!
Vocabulary
brilliant – փայլուն, հրաշալի complex – համալիր, կոմպլեքս excited – հուզված, ոգևորված adventures – արկածներ countryside – գյուղական վայրեր particularly – մասնավորապես campfire – բաց կրակ impressed – տպավորված gorgeous – վայելուչ, գեղեցիկ chilly – սառնամանիկ, հով frightening – վախեցնող, սարսափելի activity – գործունեություն beautifully – գեղեցիկ, հրաշալի traditional – ավանդական performed – կատարեց, ելույթ ունեցավ delicious – համեղ vegetables – բանջարեղեն collect – հավաքել absolutely – բացարձակապես, լիովին healthier – առողջ, ավելի առողջ
Exercise 1:
Fill in the missing words Complete each sentence by filling in the missing word.
- Last summer, my sister Arevik and I had the most __________ holiday! 2. Our parents sent us to the summer camps run by the Mkhitar Sebastatsi __________ Complex. 3. We were ever so __________ when we found out we’d be spending time at both camps. 4. I woke up every morning to the lovely sound of birds __________. 5. The __________ air was quite different from the city! 6. After Arates, we moved to the Lake __________ camp. 7. The water was a brilliant __________ color. 8. Arevik and I spent hours __________ in the lake. 9. We also learned to sail small __________. 10. In the evenings, we sat around __________ singing songs and telling stories.
Exercise 2: Rearrange the words to make correct sentences.
holiday brilliant a had we last summer 2. camps two to went we different 3. morning birds of I sound the woke to up 4. countryside the through went hikes we on long 5. blue lake the brilliant was a color 6. at first was water chilly the bit a 7. boats small sail to learned we 8. stories and songs singing we enjoyed 9. play could duduk the Aram brilliantly 10. home sad to we felt go when bit a
Exercise 3: Read the text carefully and answer these questions.
1. Who are the main characters in the story?
2. Where did they spend their summer holidays?
3. What did the narrator learn to build at the Arates camp?
4. What color was the water at Lake Sevan?
5. What activity became the narrator’s favorite at Lake Sevan?
6. What did they do in the evenings at the camps?
7. What musical instrument did Aram play?
8. What did Arevik join at the camp?
9. What special food did they cook outdoors?
10. How did the children look when their parents came to collect them?
