56 dIrITTO 3. Lo Stato clil - national flag AUDIO A national flag is a flag that symbolises a country. The flag is flown by the government, but it can also be flown by citizens of the country. Both public and private buildings such as schools and courthouses may fly the national flag. A form of identification, flags were first used in battles both on land and at sea. Simple geometric shapes were key to a flag s design because of their high visibility from a distance. This ensured soldiers could easily identify who was on their side or not. The colours and designs of national flags are not arbitrarily selected but rather stem from the history, culture or religion of a country. What do the colours of the flag mean? According to custom and tradition: yellow: a symbol of generosity; white: a symbol of peace and honesty; red: a symbol of hardiness, bravery and strength; blue: a symbol of vigilance, truth and loyalty, perseverance and justice; green: a symbol of hope, joy and love; in many cultures have a sacred significance; black: a symbol of determination, often reflecting the ethnic heritage of the people. 1. Answer the following questions. 1. What are the colours of the Italian flag? 2. Where are flags used today? 2. What is a synonym for courthouse? A. city centre B. town house c. city government 3. When did countries start using flags? 4. In your opinion, which country has the most beautiful flag? d. municipal building E. municipal centre F. municipal government 3. Complete the sentences with the following words. G. town government H. all of the above I. none of the above stars enlargements unity harmony flag symbol The European 1. is not only the symbol of the European Union, but also of Europe s 2. and identity in a wider sense. The circle of gold 3. represents solidarity and 4. between the peoples of Europe. The number of stars has nothing to do with the number of the member States. There are 12 stars because the number 12 is traditionally the 5. of perfection, completeness and unity. The flag therefore remains unchanged regardless of EU 6. .