EASY EXERCISES

Queen of hearts

Happy birthday to Her Majesty

August 12 is Her Majesty Queen Sirikit's birthday and a day of celebration for all Thais. In this issue of Student Weekly, we are celebrating the life of Her Majesty with features and these easy exercises. Read the following story and then answer the questions that follow, and join with us in wishing Her Majesty a long life and good health.

Her Majesty Queen Sirikit is regarded as the spiritual mother of all Thai people, which is why her birthday is also Mother's Day. Her Majesty was born Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara, and is the daughter of His Highness Prince Chandaburi Suranath (Mom Chao Nakkhatra Mangkala Kitiyakara) and Mom Luang Bua Kitiyakara.

The Queen was born on August 12, 1932 and attended kindergarten class at Rajini School and moved to St Francis Xavier Convent School at Samsen District in Bangkok. Coming from a distinguished family, her father held many important positions, among them Thai Minister to France and Belgium and later Ambassador to the Court of St James in England. Queen Sirikit accompanied him on all his jobs and was educated in all three countries.

wedding bells

While her father was working in Paris, Queen Sirikit first met His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The meeting turned into friendship and then love. When His Majesty was involved in a motor accident in Switzerland, Her Majesty was often at his bedside. When His Majesty recovered, he arranged for Queen Sirikit to continue her studies in Lausanne, Switzerland.

On July 19, 1949, Their Majesties were engaged to be married and on April 28 the following year, the two were married at Pathumwan Palace. At the wedding Her Majesty the Queen was given her full title of Somdetch Phra Nang Chao Sirikit Phra Baromma Rajini.

Questions

1. Why do Thais celebrate Mother's Day on August 12th?

2. In which country did Her Majesty Queen Sirikit meet His Majesty the King?

3. In which year were Their Majesties married?

Did You Know

In 1990, Her Majesty received the Center for Migration Studies Immigration and Refugees Policy Award from the Center for Migration Studies (CMS) for her efforts in assisting homeless refugees.

Vocabulary

spiritual (adj): connected with the human spirit, rather than the body or physical things
ambassador (n): an official who lives in a foreign country as the senior representative there of his or her own country
accompany (v): to travel or go somewhere with somebody
recover (v): to get well again after being ill/sick, hurt, etc.
engaged (adj): having agreed to marry somebody