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Level 2 – Pre-intermediate
St Valentine’s Day
The 14 February is an important day for lovers around the world. They send each other valentine cards, gifts and flowers. Today, Valentine’s Day is an important commercial festival but it has its origins in the distant past.
There are different opinions about the origin of the festival but most people agree that it dates from Roman times. Some believe that Valentine was a martyr who refused to give up Christianity and was killed on 14 February 269 AD. The legend says that before his death he sent a note to his loved one and signed it “from your Valentine”.
Another explanation dates the origins even earlier. In ancient Rome, the 14 February was a holiday to honour Juno the Queen of the Roman Gods. She was also the Goddess of women and marriage and the 14 February gradually evolved into a festival of lovers. The tradition of sending valentine cards started much later in the United States and has grown into a major commercial industry.
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Answer the questions below to check how well you understand the text.
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C2 Mastery
