Australians celebrate the Winter Solstice with a nude swim

When it’s summer in the northern half of the world, it’s winter in the southern half. That’s why Australians recently celebrated the Winter Solstice by jumping in cold water – without any clothes on.

Words:

• To gather is to come together as a group.
• The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year, because there are fewer hours of sunlight. The sun rises later in the day, and sets earlier in the evening.
• Something that’s exhilerating is fun, exciting, and gives you energy.
• A throng of people is a busy crowd of people moving together.
• When something is a sellout, it means all the tickets have sold out.
• You get frost when it’s freezing.
• The inception of something is its beginning.
• Getting your kit off and to strip off are both ways of describing taking your clothes off.
  

Video:

Watch the whole video.

1. What do the people in the video do during the Winter Solstice in Australia?

A: They gather at sunset to swim until sunrise.

B: They swim in the nude to celebrate the start of winter.

C: They gather at sunrise to swim together naked.

D: They swim across the river at night.

2. Which of these statements are false? There are two.

A: 3,000 people joined the swim this year.

B: The event is the start of the Dark Mofo festival.

C: The people swim into the river Derwent.

D: The weather this year was bitterly cold.

E: The number of participants grew over the last few years.

F: All the tickets sold out.

3. Why does the group of friends from Queensland come every year?

4. What does research say about the benefits of the Winter Solstice dive?

A: It is a detox for the body, which helps you stay healthy. 

B: It gives people pleasure and helps them connect to each other.

C: The change in temperature is good for your heart health.   

E: His mother took him running with her instead.

5. Is there a similar event to the Winter Solstice Dive in the Netherlands? Explain your answer. If you’re not sure, do some research online.

6. Australia’s seasons are the opposite to ours: when it’s summer in the northern half of the world, it’s winter in the southern half. What do you think a winter celebration (such as Christmas) looks like in Australia?

Van de makers van All Right!, Of Course! en Taalblokken Engels