• three days of boat races, lights, and festival fun
• in 2026: November 23 to November 25

Subject: My trip to Phnom Penh for Bon Om Touk!

Dear Oum,

How are you? I hope you are well. I want to tell you about my trip to Phnom Penh last November. I visited the capital city with my brother for the Bon Om Touk festival. It was a 3-day event from November 4 to November 6. It was a wonderful holiday, and we had a lot of fun together!

We arrived in Phnom Penh early on November 4th. The city was very busy, and there were many happy people in the streets. Every afternoon, we walked to the big river to watch the dragon boat races (Om Touk). The boats were long, wooden, and painted in bright colors. More than forty rowers sat in each boat. They worked hard, hit loud drums, and moved very fast on the water. We stood in the crowd, cheered for our favorite team, and clapped our hands. It was very exciting to see them win!

In the evening, we ate delicious street food near the river bank. On the night of the full moon, we tried a famous festival snack called Ambok. Cooks fry fresh rice and smash it with wooden tools. Then, they mix it with sweet bananas and fresh coconut. It was sweet and very good! We also saw families put fruit and candles on small tables to thank the moon (Sampeas Preah Khe).

After dinner, we watched the night boat parade (Bandaet Pratip). Large boats covered in thousands of colorful lights floated slowly on the dark water. People put small paper boats with candles on the river. On the second night, we saw loud and beautiful fireworks in the sky. Local musicians played traditional drums, and people danced near the food stalls.

On November 6th, the final day of the festival, we bought fresh fruit and a small carved wooden boat at the local market as a gift for you. I hope you like it! We stayed in a small, cheap hotel near the royal palace. I took many nice photos on my phone, and I want to show them to you when we meet next weekend.

Please write back to me soon!

Best wishes,

Indra

_____________________________

Vocabulary:

Word or phrase	Definition
a capital city	the main city of a country
an event	something special that happens
a dragon boat race	a race with long boats and many people who row
to be painted	to have colour on something
a rower	a person who moves a boat with oars
to cheer for a team	to shout and show that you want a team to win
to clap one’s hands	to hit your hands together to show you like something
to smash something	to hit something hard and break it into small pieces
a tool	something you use to do a job
a candle	a stick of wax that gives light when you burn it
a food stall	a small place where people sell food
a carved wooden boat	a small boat made of wood with shapes cut into it
a gift	something you give to another person

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Match the words with the definitions

Words

1. a capital city
2. an event
3. a dragon boat race
4. to be painted
5. a rower
6. to cheer for a team
7. to clap one’s hands
8. to smash something
9. a tool
10. a candle
11. a food stall
12. a carved wooden boat
13. a gift

Definitions

A. Something you give to another person.

B. A person who moves a boat with oars.

C. To hit your hands together to show you like something.

D. A small place where people sell food.

E. The main city of a country.

F. To hit something hard and break it into small pieces.

G. A race with long boats and many people who row.

H. Something you use to do a job.

I. To shout and show that you want a team to win.

J. Something special that happens.

K. A stick of wax that gives light when you burn it.

L. To have colour on something.

M. A small boat made of wood with shapes cut into it.

_________________________________

Answer key:
1–E, 2–J, 3–G, 4–L, 5–B, 6–I, 7–C, 8–F,
9–H, 10–K, 11–D, 12–M, 13–A
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Match the definitions with the words

Definitions

1. The main city of a country.
2. Something special that happens.
3. A race with long boats and many people who row.
4. To have colour on something.
5. A person who moves a boat with oars.
6. To shout and show that you want a team to win.
7. To hit your hands together to show you like something.
8. To hit something hard and break it into small pieces.
9. Something you use to do a job.
10. A stick of wax that gives light when you burn it.
11. A small place where people sell food.
12. A small boat made of wood with shapes cut into it.
13. Something you give to another person.

Words

A. a candle

B. a food stall

C. to smash something

D. a rower

E. a gift

F. to be painted

G. a capital city

H. a tool

I. to clap one’s hands

J. a carved wooden boat

K. an event

L. to cheer for a team

M. a dragon boat race

_____________________________

Answer key:
1-G, 2-K, 3-M, 4-F, 5-D, 6-L, 7-I,
8-C, 9-H, 10-A, 11-B, 12-J, 13-E

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Multiple-choice

1. Where is Phnom Penh?

A. In Cambodia

B. In Thailand

C. In Vietnam

2. How long was the festival?

A. Two days

B. Five days

C. Three days

3. When did Indra arrive in Phnom Penh?

A. On November 6

B. On November 4

C. On November 5

4. Who went to Phnom Penh with Indra?

A. His teacher

B. His friend

C. His brother

5. Where did they watch the boat races?

A. At the local market

B. At the big river

C. Near the hotel

6. What were the boats like?

A. Long and colorful

B. Small and white

C. Short and black

7. How many rowers sat in each boat?

A. More than twenty

B. More than sixty

C. More than forty

8. What did the rowers do?

A. They sold fresh fruit.

B. They hit loud drums.

C. They cooked street food.

9. What did Indra and his brother do during the races?

A. They took a boat ride.

B. They watched from their hotel.

C. They cheered for their favorite team.

10. What did they eat near the river in the evening?

A. Street food

B. Food from home

C. Hotel breakfast

11. What is Ambok?

A. A wooden boat

B. A festival snack

C. A river parade

12. What did the cooks do to the rice?

A. They boiled it.

B. They baked it.

C. They fried and smashed it.

13. What did the cooks mix with the rice?

A. Sweet bananas and coconut

B. Fish and vegetables

C. Apples and milk

14. Why did families put fruit and candles on small tables?

A. To sell the fruit

B. To thank the moon

C. To light the streets

15. What floated on the river during the night boat parade?

A. Small fishing boats

B. Large wooden houses

C. Boats with colorful lights

16. What did people put on the river?

A. Small paper boats with candles

B. Flowers in glass bowls

C. Fruit in wooden boxes

17. What did Indra and his brother see on the second night?

A. A school show

B. Fireworks

C. A football match

18. What did local musicians play?

A. Violins

B. Electric guitars

C. Traditional drums

19. Where did they stay?

A. In a small, cheap hotel

B. In a large house

C. In a tent near the river

20. What did Indra buy for Oum?

A. A candle and some rice

B. A phone and some photos

C. Fresh fruit and a carved wooden boat

______________________________

Answer key:
1-A, 2-C, 3-B, 4-C, 5-B, 6-A, 7-C, 8-B,
9-C, 10-A, 11-B, 12-C, 13-A, 14-B, 15-C,
16-A, 17-B, 18-C, 19-A, 20-C

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True or false

1. Indra visited Phnom Penh with his brother.
2. The festival lasted five days.
3. Indra arrived in Phnom Penh on November 4.
4. The dragon boats were short and white.
5. More than forty rowers sat in each boat.
6. The rowers moved slowly on the water.
7. Indra and his brother cheered for their favorite team.
8. They ate street food near the river in the morning.
9. Ambok was made with rice, sweet bananas, and coconut.
10. Families put fruit and candles on small tables to thank the sun.
11. The night boat parade took place on the river.
12. People put small paper boats with candles on the river.
13. Indra and his brother saw fireworks on the first night.
14. Local musicians played traditional drums.
15. They stayed in an expensive hotel near the royal palace.
16. Indra bought fresh fruit and a carved wooden boat for Oum.

______________________________

Answer key:
1-T, 2-F, 3-T, 4-F, 5-T, 6-F, 7-T, 8-F, 9-T,
10-F, 11-T, 12-T, 13-F, 14-T, 15-F, 16-T

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Match the sentence halves

Sentence beginnings

1. Indra visited Phnom Penh with his
2. The Bon Om Touk festival lasted
3. Every afternoon, they walked to the big river to
4. More than forty rowers sat
5. Indra and his brother cheered for
6. On the night of the full moon, they tried
7. The cooks mixed the rice with
8. Families put fruit and candles on small tables to
9. On the second night, they saw
10. Indra bought a small carved wooden boat

Sentence endings

A. sweet bananas and fresh coconut.

B. watch the dragon boat races.

C. three days, from November 4 to November 6.

D. to thank the moon.

E. fireworks in the sky.

F. as a gift for Oum.

G. brother.

H. in each boat.

I. their favorite team.

J. the festival snack called Ambok.

______________________________

Answer key:
1-G, 2-C, 3-B, 4-H, 5-I, 6-J, 7-A, 8-D, 9-E, 10-F

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Fill in the missing words

1. Indra visited Phnom Penh with his __________ for the Bon Om Touk festival.
2. The festival was a wonderful holiday, and they had a lot of __________ together.
3. Early on November 4th, they __________ in Phnom Penh.
4. The city was very busy, and there were many happy __________ in the streets.
5. Every afternoon, they walked to the big river to watch the dragon boat __________.
6. The boats were long, wooden, and painted in bright __________.
7. More than forty rowers sat in each __________.
8. They worked hard, hit loud drums, and moved very __________ on the water.
9. They stood in the crowd, cheered for their favorite team, and clapped their __________.
10. In the evening, they ate delicious street food near the river __________.
11. Cooks fried fresh rice and smashed it with wooden __________.
12. Then, they mixed it with sweet bananas and fresh __________.
13. Large boats covered in thousands of colorful lights floated slowly on the dark __________.
14. On November 6th, they bought fresh fruit and a small carved wooden boat at the local __________.
15. Indra took many nice photos on his phone and wanted to show them to Oum when they met next __________.

—————————————————

Answer key:
1. brother, 2. fun, 3. arrived, 4. people, 5. races, 6. colors, 7. boat,
8. fast, 9. hands, 10. bank, 11. tools, 12. coconut, 13. water,
14. market, 15. weekend
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Match the questions with the answers

Questions

1. Where did you travel last November?
2. Why did you visit Phnom Penh?
3. What were the dates of the festival?
4. What was your afternoon activity?
5. How many rowers sat in each boat?
6. How did the rowers move their boats?
7. What festival snack did you try?
8. How did the cooks prepare the rice for Ambok?
9. Why did families put fruit and candles on small tables?
10. What could you see during the night boat parade?
11. What present did you choose for Oum?
12. Where did you stay during the festival?

Answers

A. They wanted to thank the moon.

B. We slept in a small, cheap hotel near the royal palace.

C. They fried fresh rice and smashed it with wooden tools.

D. We went to the big river for the dragon boat races.

E. I bought fresh fruit and a small carved wooden boat for Oum.

F. It lasted from November 4 to November 6.

G. They worked hard, hit loud drums, and moved very fast.

H. We wanted to enjoy the Bon Om Touk festival.

I. More than forty rowers sat in each boat.

J. Large boats with thousands of colorful lights floated on the dark water.

K. I went to Phnom Penh with my brother.

L. We tried a famous snack called Ambok.

________________________________

Answer key:
1-K, 2-H, 3-F, 4-D, 5-I, 6-G, 7-L, 8-C,
9-A, 10-J, 11-E, 12-B

_______________________________

Correct version:

1. Where did you travel last November?
I went to Phnom Penh with my brother.

2. Why did you visit Phnom Penh?
We wanted to enjoy the Bon Om Touk festival.

3. What were the dates of the festival?
It lasted from November 4 to November 6.

4. What was your afternoon activity?
We went to the big river for the dragon boat races.

5. How many rowers sat in each boat?
More than forty rowers sat in each boat.

6. How did the rowers move their boats?
They worked hard, hit loud drums, and moved very fast.

7. What festival snack did you try?
We tried a famous snack called Ambok.

8. How did the cooks prepare the rice for Ambok?
They fried fresh rice and smashed it with wooden tools.

9. Why did families put fruit and candles on small tables?
They wanted to thank the moon.

10. What could you see during the night boat parade?
Large boats with thousands of colorful lights floated on the dark water.

11. What present did you choose for Oum?
I bought fresh fruit and a small carved wooden boat for Oum.

12. Where did you stay during the festival?
We slept in a small, cheap hotel near the royal palace.

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BONUS TEXT – email in C2

Dear Oum,

I hope you are keeping well. I thought I would share some highlights of my trip to Phnom Penh last November, when my brother and I travelled to the Cambodian capital to immerse ourselves in the festivities surrounding Bon Om Touk, the country’s celebrated Water Festival. Spanning three days, from 4 to 6 November, the event offered a fascinating glimpse into Cambodia’s cultural heritage and proved to be an exceptionally memorable experience.

We arrived early on 4 November and were immediately swept up in the city’s infectious energy. The streets were teeming with people, and an atmosphere of palpable excitement prevailed as residents and visitors alike converged on the riverfront. Every afternoon, we joined the throngs of spectators lining the banks to witness the fiercely contested dragon boat races, known as Om Touk. The long, brightly painted wooden vessels, each manned by more than forty rowers, hurtled across the water in a remarkable display of speed, stamina and synchronisation. The rhythmic pounding of drums provided an exhilarating soundtrack as the crews strained in unison, their movements reflecting an impressive degree of discipline and coordination. Caught up in the collective enthusiasm, we cheered on our preferred teams and applauded their efforts with considerable gusto.

As dusk descended, we wandered among the numerous street-food stalls lining the riverbank, sampling some of the local delicacies on offer. On the night of the full moon, we tried Ambok, a traditional speciality prepared by roasting freshly harvested rice and flattening it with wooden implements before combining it with ripe bananas and freshly grated coconut. The resulting combination of textures and flavours was surprisingly delicious. We also witnessed Sampeas Preah Khe, a traditional observance during which families arrange offerings of fruit and light candles as an expression of gratitude to the moon.

Another highlight was Bandaet Pratip, the spectacular nocturnal boat procession. Elaborately adorned with thousands of multicoloured lights, the vessels moved serenely across the inky waters, their reflections shimmering on the river’s surface. The scene was almost dreamlike. Along the riverbanks, people released small paper boats bearing flickering candles, adding a further layer of symbolism and visual splendour to the proceedings. On the second evening, a dazzling fireworks display illuminated the sky, while the resonant beat of traditional drums and the sight of people dancing near the food stalls lent the celebrations an unmistakably festive character.

On 6 November, the final day of the festival, we explored a local market, where we purchased some fresh fruit and a beautifully carved miniature wooden boat as a keepsake for you. I hope you will appreciate it! Throughout our stay, we lodged in a modest, inexpensive hotel near the Royal Palace, which proved to be a convenient base from which to explore the city. I also took a wealth of photographs on my phone, and I am particularly looking forward to showing them to you when we meet next weekend.

Looking back, what made the experience so rewarding was not merely the spectacle itself, but also the opportunity to witness a living cultural tradition that brings communities together and reflects the enduring significance of Cambodia’s customs. The combination of exhilarating competition, time-honoured rituals and exuberant public celebrations made the festival far more than just a holiday; it was an insight into the cultural fabric of the country.

I wish you could have accompanied us and experienced the atmosphere first-hand. I am sure you would have found it just as captivating as we did.

Do write back when you have a moment. I look forward to catching up with you next weekend!

Warmest wishes,

Indra

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Remember how babies
learn a language:

Babies learn a language by listening.
They use their ears to hear sounds.
Their brain remembers these sounds.
Babies connect sounds with people and things.
They listen to their parents.
Then they copy the sounds they hear. They imitate words.
Slowly, babies learn to speak.

So,
LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN………………

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