July 11-15

Naadam Festival (Mongolia)

An annual national festival, held from 11 to 15 July in Mongolia, dedicated to the country's rich nomadic heritage and independence. It serves as the most important celebration of the year, bringing the entire nation together to honour its history and culture. Beyond the vibrant parades and traditional music, the festival is famous for the "Three Manly Games"—wrestling, horse racing, and archery—which test skills that have been essential to Mongolian life for centuries. It is an opportunity for people to wear traditional deel clothing, share local food like khuushuur, and celebrate the community spirit and resilience that define the Mongolian identity.

A young rider during the Naadam Festival horse races in Mongolia

Speaking Discussion

Which of the three sports (wrestling, horse racing, archery) do you think requires the most skill?
How do traditional sports help preserve a country's history and nomadic culture?
Do you think modern sports like football have ruined the popularity of ancient sports?
Have you ever ridden a horse? Was it harder or easier than you expected?
Would you rather be incredibly physically strong, or have perfect aim and precision?

Activity 1: The Great Debate

Motion: "Traditional sports that involve risks to animals (like long-distance horse racing) or lack modern safety gear should be banned or changed to meet international Olympic standards."

Split the class into two sides. Team A defends the absolute importance of cultural authenticity and tradition; Team B argues for modern ethics, safety, and animal welfare.

Activity 2: Rapid Fire Sentences

Complete the sentence and justify it in 20 seconds.

"If I had to live a nomadic lifestyle for one month, the thing I would miss most is..."
"The most physically demanding thing I have ever done is definitely..."
"I think archery is more impressive than wrestling because..."

Key Vocabulary

Nomadic (Adj) Living the life of a nomad; wandering from place to place without a fixed home.
Authenticity (Noun) The quality of being authentic; being original and true to its roots.
Precision (Noun) The quality, condition, or fact of being exact and accurate.
Midsummer (Noun) The middle part of summer, often associated with specific festivals and solar events.
Endurance (Noun) The fact or power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way.

Need Expert Correction?

Master your fluency with a 1-on-1 session with a British Native speaker.

✅ Live 1-on-1 Lessons
✅ Instant Error Correction

GET CORRECTED NOW

Fluency Catalyst

Describing Skill: Instead of saying "he is good at," try using phrases like "He has a knack for," "He is highly proficient in," or "He has mastered the art of." These make you sound far more articulate!