1
At the beginning of the passage, what is Makayla getting ready to do?
A. open Christmas presents
B. go trick-or-treating on Halloween
C. go on an Easter egg hunt
D. eat Thanksgiving dinner
B.
Read the following sentences: "Makayla remembered her class earlier that day, when her teacher talked about the origins of Halloween. Mrs. Narula told Makayla and her classmates that the holiday started with an ancient festival called Samhain, 2,000 years ago in Ireland."
As used in this sentence, what does the word "origin" most nearly mean?
A. the celebration
B. the length
C. the end
D. the start
D.
Throughout the story, Makayla remembers information Mrs. Narula taught in class. What does this information describe?
A. the history of Halloween
B. the history of Ireland and Scotland
C. the way different holidays are researched
D. the importance of wearing costumes
A.
Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below.
_________ the celebration of Halloween has changed over time, it has also kept some traditions from ancient festivals.
A. Meanwhile
B. Although
C. Therefore
D. For instance
B.
Halloween traditions have changed over time. What evidence from the passage supports this conclusion?
A. Trick-or-treating began before Irish immigrants came to America.
B. People dressed up as angels or saints during All Saints' Day.
C. Samhain celebrated the end of summer and beginning of winter.
D. Playing pranks was not always a part of Halloween celebrations.
D.
Halloween started as an ancient festival. What was it called?
Samhain.
Based on the passage, what conclusion can you make about how Halloween has changed?
A. Halloween has become a more serious holiday.
B. Halloween is now more focused on preparing for winter.
C. Halloween has become a more lighthearted holiday.
D. Halloween is now more focused on bonfire rituals.
C.
What is one reason why we might dress up in costumes on Halloween today?
We might dress up in costumes on Halloween because of the ancient Samhain ritual where people dressed in animal furs to disguise themselves so that the dead spirits would not be able to recognize them.
What is this passage mostly about?
A. the history of Halloween
B. the ancient people who celebrated Samhain
C. research at the American Folklife Center
D. how the tradition of trick-or-treating began
A.
Explain how Halloween has both changed and kept traditions from the past. Support your answer using information from the passage.
Halloween has changed because it began as a festival called Samhain (“summer’s end”), which celebrated the end of summer and beginning of winter; it is now focused around trick-or-treating and dressing in costumes. Halloween has kept traditions from the past. During Samhain, people dressed in animal furs to disguise themselves so that the dead spirits would not be able to recognize them, and for All Saints’ Day, people dressed as angels or saints. People still dress in costumes for Halloween today.