Holiday Reading Skills
In this famous story, "__________ the Snowman," who is the protagonist?
a) Karen, the child who helps Frosty escape the town
b) Professor Hinkle, who wants the magic hat back
c) Frosty the Snowman, who comes to life and tries to avoid melting
d) the townspeople who build Frosty in the beginning
c) Frosty the Snowman, who comes to life and tries to avoid melting
If an author writes a holiday editorial encouraging people to donate food, what is the author's purpose?
To persuade.
What winter holiday did soldiers celebrate during the harsh winter at Valley Forge?
Christmas (though conditions were bleak)
What does the root "lum" mean in the word illuminate?
Light
In the 1600s, Russian rulers often had a geographic advantage during wartime? What was it?
They often hid inside thick stone fortresses while their enemies froze from the cold.
Which detail best supports the inference that Santa is tired at the end of the story?
a) Santa laughs and promises to return again next Christmas
b) Santa flies off quickly after helping Frosty
c) Santa says he must hurry and rest before his long Christmas night
d) Santa needs milk and cookies every stop
Correct answer: Santa says he must hurry and rest before his long Christmas night
If a student has to write about "How my family celebrates New Year's?", what type of writing are they creating?
Personal Narrative
True or False?
Thanksgiving became a national holiday in the U.S. during the Civil War as a way to promote unity among Americans?
True
During the holiday season, the town square was filled with festive decorations.
What is a synonym for festive?
Cheerful, celebratory, merry, etc.
Which ancient civilizations built winter "ice houses" to store food and snow long before refrigerators existed?
Persians
In a famous winter song, the author repeatedly mentions bells jingling. What two types of figurative language is in this song's title?
Alliteration and onomatopoeia
Early in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the other reindeer make fun of him for his glowing nose. What does this detail most clearly foreshadow?
a. Rudolph will choose to leave the North Pole and never return
b. Rudolph's difference will later become important to the team
c. The reindeer will never accept Rudolph
d. Rudolph will learn how to hide his nose
Correct answer: Rudolph's difference will later become important to the team
Which Native American group helped the Pilgrims survive that first winter?
The Wampanoag.
Choose the correctly punctuated sentence:
A. "We made cocoa decorated cookies and wrapped presents."
B. "We made cocoa, decorated cookies, and wrapped presents."
C. We made cocoa decorated cookies, and wrapped presents.
D. We made: cocoa, decorated cookies, and wrapped presents.
Correct answer: B. "We made cocoa, decorated cookies, and wrapped presents."
In 1914, during World War I, soldiers from opposing sides paused fighting, shared songs, and even played soccer. What was this rare event called?
The Christmas Truce.
A holiday poem uses a comparison "The snow drifted down like feathers." What type of figurative language is this?
Simile
What type of figurative language is this?
"The snowflakes performed a ballet in the light of the moon."
Personification
Which GROUP (must be more than one person) of holiday travelers made a famous December crossing of the Delaware River in 1776?
George Washington and the Continental Army
Which sentence has a correctly used non-essential clause?
A. The snowman who had stolen my scarf melted overnight.
B. The snowman who had stolen my scarf, melted overnight.
C. The, snowman who had stolen, my scarf, melted overnight.
D. The snowman, who had stolen my scarf, melted overnight.
Correct answer: D. The snowman, who had stolen my scarf, melted overnight.
A Mongol army once tried to invade Japan but was stopped by a massive winter storm that destroyed their ships. What did the Japanese call this "divine" storm?
Kamikaze--which means the divine wind in Japanese
You read an article discussing the differences in holiday celebrations in ancient Rome vs. modern America. What text structure is this?
Compare and contrast
Read the sentence below:
On Christmas Eve Santa deliver presents to children all around the world.
Which revision best corrects the sentence?
a. On Christmas Eve Santa deliver presents, to children all around the world.
b) On Christmas Eve, Santa delivers presents to children all around the world.
c) On Christmas Eve Santa delivers present to children all around the world.
d) On Christmas Eve, Santa deliver presents to children all around the world.
Correct answer: B
Why did President Lincoln proclaim Thanksgiving a national holiday during the Civil War?
a) to celebrate a military victory over the Confederacy
b) to encourage unity and reflection during a time of national conflict
c) to honor the Pilgrims for founding the first colonies
d) to replace existing state holidays with a federal one
Correct answer: b) to encourage unity and reflection during a time of national conflict
"The glittering snowflakes drifted down into the lonely town." What part of speech (think dictionary skills) is glittering?
Adjective
Two part question:
Which famous army froze their socks off crossing icy terrain in 218 BCE while marching to Rome with Elephants? Also, what type of figurative language is "froze their socks off?"
Hannibal's Army and an idiom