BBC Learning English

News about Britain

February 2009
Valentine's Day, or Love is in the Air
It’s that time of the year when couples show their love for each other by sending cards, flowers
and chocolates. But Valentine’s Day is not only about public displays of affection: in recent
years it has also become big business. In the UK alone, more than £20 million is spent on flowers,
whilst in the United States over $1 billion is forked out on chocolates.

Although Valentine’s Day has become a global industry with more than 80 million roses sold
worldwide, the origins of the day are unclear and hidden in the mists of time. Nobody knows
exactly who St Valentine was, although some historians suggest he was a Roman martyred in the
third century AD by a Roman Emperor. It is said that the first recorded Valentine’s card was sent
by the imprisoned Duke of Orleans in 1415. It is believed that he sought solace from his
confinement by writing love poems to his wife.

Valentine’s Day, or its equivalent, is now celebrated in many countries around the world.
However, the traditions often differ from place to place. In Japan, for example, it is customary for
the woman to send chocolates to the man, whilst in Korea April 14th is known as ‘Black Day’ and
is when the unfortunate men who received nothing on Valentine’s Day gather to eat noodles and
commiserate with each other.

Technological developments have also played their part in keeping Valentine’s Day relevant in
the 21st century. Valentine’s e-cards have been all the rage in recent years. However, internet
security experts urge web users to be wary as malicious hackers could use e-cards to spread
viruses and spyware.

Valentine’s cards can also be used for less than romantic purposes. Police in the UK city of
Liverpool sent Valentine’s cards to criminals who failed to appear in court or have not paid fines.
The cards contained the verse, “Roses are red, violets are blue, you’ve got a warrant, and we’d
love to see you.” Who says romance is dead?

News about Britain © British Broadcasting Corporation 2009

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Glossary

public displays of affection – showing your forked out – forced to spend (colloquial)
feelings of liking or love for someone in
public

hidden in the mists of time – too old for martyred – killed because of his beliefs
anyone to remember/confirm/clarify

recorded – known, documented imprisoned – put in jail

sought solace – tried to find comfort confinement – imprisonment

equivalent – here, a special occasion that has customary – normal, usual

the same meaning and purpose

commiserate with – show sympathy for e-cards – short for electronic cards, i.e.
virtual cards that are sent via the internet

all the rage – very popular wary – here, careful

malicious hackers – people who access other viruses – here, computer programs which can
people's computers with bad intentions (e.g. make copies of themselves, preventing the
to look for their personal information, like computer from working properly
credit card details, or to stop their computers
working properly)

spyware – computer programs that reveal the warrant – a document that gives police
identity of a computer user specific powers, e.g. the right to search or
arrest somebody

Read and listen to the story online:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/britain/090210_valentine.shtml

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1. Reading Quiz

Are these sentences true or false? Or is the answer not given in the text? Circle the correct
answer.

1. St Valentine was a famous Roman Emperor who was famous as a romantic.

True / False / Not given

2. The very first Valentine’s card was sent over 500 years ago.
True / False / Not given

3. Disappointed Korean men who have received no Valentine's cards eat a special dish in
April.
True / False / Not given

4. Some Valentine’s cards are now sent through cyberspace.

True / False / Not given

5. Lonely policemen in Liverpool are looking for love by sending out many Valentine’s cards.
True / False / Not given

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2. Love idioms: guess their meanings!

See if you can match these commonly used idioms connected to love with the correct
definition:

1. to be head over heels in love a. to be attracted to someone without publicly

showing it
2. to fall for b. to get married

3. to tie the knot c. to fall in love to with somebody

4. to have a crush on someone d. to be very much in love

Now try and complete the following sentences using one of the above idioms in the
correct form:

1. My fiancée and I have been engaged for nearly a year so we’re going to
________ in the summer.

2. I ________ one of my workmates but I’m too shy to tell him.

3. She is __________ in love with her new boyfriend. She talks about him all
the time. It’s getting quite boring now.

4. I ________ my girlfriend the first time I saw her and I’m still crazy about
her now.

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3. Wordsearch

Try to find the words associated with Valentine's Day in the puzzle below.

There are ten words to find. Words can be written horizontally (g), vertically (i) or
diagonally (m)

a s v r h j c u p i d t

s h e a r t g r w u h k

c h r y l o n c r n u c

h t e h l n i o g r s e

o f e r o x z u b a b a

c c l o v t i p c r a m

o s w a e n c l k e n r

l f e i t f y e r s d t

a d f g f a h r b j e r

t w e r t e n c a r d o

e s l a t e r e e m d s

c o r o m a n c e w h e

love chocolate romance wife cupid

couple card husband rose heart

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Answers
1. Reading Quiz 2. Love idioms: guess their meanings!

1. St Valentine was a famous Roman Emperor who See if you can match these commonly used idioms connected to love
was famous as a romantic. with the correct definition:
False
1. d
2. The very first Valentine’s card was sent over 500 years 2. c
ago. 3. b
True 4. a

3. Disappointed Korean men who have received no Now complete the following sentences using one of the above idioms in
Valentine's cards eat a special dish in April. the correct form:
True

4. Some Valentine’s cards are now sent through cyberspace. 1. My fiancée and I have been engaged for nearly a year so we’re going to
True tie the knot in the summer.

5. Lonely policemen in Liverpool are looking for love 2. I have a crush on one of my workmates but I’m
by sending out many Valentine’s cards. too shy to tell him.
False
3. She is head over heels in love with her new
boyfriend. She talks about him all the time. It’s
getting quite boring now.

4. I fell for my girlfriend the first time I saw her

and I’m still crazy about her now.

3. Wordsearch

c u p i d
h e a r t h
c c u
h l o s
o o u b
c v p a
o w e l n
l i e d
a f r
t e c a r d o
e s
r o m a n c e e

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