La Tomatina · Worksheet C1
Read the passage and answer the questions. (CEFR B1–B2)
1Every August, photos of La Tomatina spread around the world, and so do complaints. Critics say that throwing more than 100 tons of food is hard to defend when many people go hungry. The organizers answer that the tomatoes are grown for the event and are too ripe to be sold or eaten. Whether that answer is enough is a question each visitor has to decide.
2The festival also shows how a local custom can be changed by global attention. After a national TV report in 1983, crowds grew so large that the town began selling tickets in 2013, cutting attendance roughly in half. In recent years, about 40 percent of participants have come from abroad, partly thanks to a 2011 Bollywood film that featured the fight. Tourism brings income to a town of only about 10,000 people, but it also raises questions about who the festival is really for.
3In 2025, the 80th edition took the slogan "Tomato Therapy," after floods had damaged the region the previous October. For many residents, the hour of chaos had become a way to heal together, which is perhaps the strongest argument for keeping it.
What is the passage mainly about?
How do the organizers answer the critics?
What happened after the town began selling tickets in 2013?
What does the phrase who the festival is really for suggest?
In paragraph 1, what does defend mean in hard to defend?
What does the writer seem to think in the last paragraph?
La Tomatina · Worksheet C2
Match the words with the definitions. Then rewrite and summarize.
1. “Critics say that throwing more than 100 tons of food is hard to defend when many people go hungry.”
Hint: Use People who are against it, and difficult to accept.2. “Tourism brings income to a town of only about 10,000 people, but it also raises questions about who the festival is really for.”
Hint: Use makes money for and makes people ask.3. “For many residents, the hour of chaos had become a way to heal together, which is perhaps the strongest argument for keeping it.”
Hint: Split it into two sentences. Use helped and maybe the best reason.Summarize the passage in about 50 words.
La Tomatina · Worksheet C3
Prepare for a debate. Then write your opinion (100–150 words).
Add your own reason:
Add your own reason:
| Opinion | I believe / I think that … |
|---|---|
| Reason 1 | First, … For example, … |
| Reason 2 | Second, … In fact, … |
| Counter | Some people say … However, … |
| Conclusion | In conclusion, … |