This children’s article, It’s Cheese Rolling Day! Let the madness begin, has been written for native English speakers and learners of English as a second or foreign language. It helps children practise reading and comprehension, learn exciting vocabulary, and discover a fun tradition from the UK. Written by Mark Pulley, a teacher and writer who creates fun and informative news articles for English learners.
Chasing cheese down a hill? Yes, really!
Roll up, roll up! Today, May 26, is Cheese Rolling Day in the UK. It’s a crazy tradition that takes place once a year in the countryside near a town called Gloucester. The aim of the game is to chase a huge round cheese down a very steep hill.
The whopper 3kg cheese races down the hill at speeds of up to 110kph, that’s as fast as a car on a motorway.
The winner is the person who can either catch the cheese or reach the bottom of the hill first. And the prize for the winner? It is, of course, the big cheese.
When did it begin?
Although we don’t know for sure when it started, experts believe it started around 600 years ago as part of a spring festival.
If you want to take part, the only rule is that you must be at least 18 years old. That’s because the hill is too dangerous for children to run down, and people often get injured.
No ticket? No problem
The races begin at noon on May 26, with a new race starting every 15 minutes. People can just turn up and take part. Some people will do it more than once! They must really want to win that cheese!
The hill, called Coopers Hill, is 180m high and has the steepest slope in the whole of Gloucestershire. I recommended watching it on YouTube before giving it a go, it looks very painful.
Article vocabulary list
- Tradition – A special activity that people do again and again over many years
- Whopper – Something very big or large
- kph – Kilometres per hour, a way of measuring speed
- Prize – A reward for winning something
- Festival – A fun event with celebrations
- Dangerous – Something that might hurt you
- Slope – The side of a hill or mountain
Comprehension questions
Just click the plus (+) to see the answer
1. When is Cheese Rolling Day held?
A) May 26
B) June 15
C) July 4
Answer: A) May 26
2. What do people chase down the hill?
A) A ball
B) A round cheese
C) A pumpkin
Answer: B) A round cheese
3. How fast can the cheese go?
A) 50kph
B) 110kph
C) 180kph
Answer: B) 110kph
4. How old must you be to take part?
A) 12
B) 16
C) 18
Answer: C) 18
5. What is the name of the hill?
A) Cheese Hill
B) Coopers Hill
C) Gloucester Hill
Answer: B) Coopers Hill
Mark is a writer and EFL teacher from England with eight years’ experience. He’s passionate about travel, sport (especially football), animals, nature, and history, and enjoys helping children explore the world through language and learning.
