Lesson 80: A New Year's Promise
A New Year's Promise Reading & Cultural Fluency (B1) Key Vocabulary Scorching Adj ក្តៅខ្លាំង /ˈskɔːr.tʃɪŋ/ Chore Noun កិច្ចការផ្ទះ /tʃɔːr/ Guilt Noun វិប្បដិសារី /ɡɪlt/ Ingredients Noun គ្រឿងផ្សំ /ɪnˈɡriː.di.ənts/ Tradition Noun ប្រពៃណី /trəˈdɪʃ.ən/ Determination Noun ការប្តេជ្ញាចិត្ត /dɪˌtɝː.mɪˈneɪ.ʃən/ Reading Passage Chapter 1: The Heat of April
It was mid-April in Phnom Penh, and the midday sun was scorching . The air was thick with the excitement of the upcoming Khmer New Year. Despite the intense heat, Sophea’s house was buzzing with energy. Her mother was scrubbing the windows until they sparkled, and her father was hanging colorful star lanterns on the porch.
Usually, Sophea was quite lazy during these household chores . She preferred to sit in the shade of the mango tree, scrolling through her social media feed instead of helping her family prepare.
🏮 Cultural Note: In Cambodia, cleaning the house before the New Year is essential. It is believed to sweep away the bad luck of t…