August - easy reading

August is named after Emperor Augustus, the first Roman emperor, because he did many great things in this month. It’s the last month of summer in England. It is usually hot but it's different every year.

​All the schools and universities are closed. A lot of families go on holiday in August but it's an expensive time to travel. English people like to go to another country for good weather. People from other countries come to England in summer. Famous cities like London and Cambridge get very crowded.

English people also like to go to the beach in England. They relax on the sand, play in the water, and build sandcastles. Kids can ride donkeys and eat food like fish and chips or ice cream. Just be careful of seagulls because they might try to take your food!

August is an important month for young people who are waiting for their exam results. 18-year-olds get their A level* results in the middle of the month. They need good results to get into university. A week later, 16-year-olds get their GCSE* results. These are usually less important but they might need good grades to go to a new school or a college.
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The last Monday in August is a national holiday (or bank holiday). A lot of special events take place during this long weekend. The most famous  is the Notting Hill Carnival. This is a celebration of Caribbean culture. Notting Hill is an area of London. People dance and play music in the streets and they wear colourful costumes. You can also buy Caribbean food. Over a million visitors go to see the carnival every year.
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* A levels = Advanced level exams
GCSE = General Certificate of Secondary Education


If you enjoyed reading this, you may also like my e-book "A Year in England". This book will give you a chance to practise your reading skills, learn new vocabulary and find out about life in England. The e-book is a higher level than this blog post but it does provide a vocabulary list for each text.  Get your copy here.