Vocabulary
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
What does “stirring” mean?
A. Swirling a spoon around in a cup
B. Moving about the house
C. Turning their bodies around
What is B. Moving about the house?
he children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
What does it mean to have “visions of sugar-plums” dance in their heads?
A. The children were dreaming of candies
B. The children saw plums dancing
C. The children like to dance
What is A. The children were dreaming of candies?
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap
What does the author mean when he writes they “Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap”?
A. The parents were taking a nap
B. The parents were hibernating
C. The parents were sleeping through the night
What is C. The parents were sleeping through the night?
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot
Why do you think Santa’s clothes were “tarnished with ashes and soot”?
A. Because Santa was lighting fires
B. Because his suit was black
C. Because Santa come into the house through the chimney
What is C. Because Santa come into the house through the chimney?
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound
What does “bound” mean?
A. A thud
B. A leather bound book
C. A bounce
What is A. A thud?
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Where does Santa want the reindeer to fly to?
A. The top of the porch
B. To a wall
C. Onto the rooftop
What is C. Onto the rooftop?
Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash
What does the author mean when he writes “tore open the shutters and threw up the sash”?
A. To rip up the curtains
B. To open the window and look outside
C. Stay in bed and put the covers over his head
What is B. To open the window and look outside?
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
What does this mean?
A. He had a bow on his face
B. He was smiling and his beard was white
C. He has snow in his beard
What is B. He was smiling and his beard was white?
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack
What is a “peddler”?
A. A salesman or vendor who sells the goods he carries in his sack
B. A person who asks others for money
C. Someone who rides a bike
What is A. A salesman or vendor who sells the goods he carries in his sack?
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky
What does this mean?
A. Hurricanes blow leaves
B. They are in an obstacle course
C. The sleigh flew up high
What is C. The sleigh flew up high?
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
What does the author mean when he writes the moon “gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below”?
A. The moon was so bright it looked like daytime outside
B. It was cloudy out that night
C. It was a full moon
What is A. The moon was so bright it looked like daytime outside?
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath
What does this mean?
A. He smoked a pipe
B. He had a wreath on his head
C. The smoke from his pipe made a circle around his head
What is C. The smoke from his pipe made a circle around his head?
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
Who is “St. Nick”?
A. A man name St. Nick
B. A saint that lived a long time ago
C. Santa Claus
Who is C. Santa Claus?
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
What does this mean?
A. There was an animal on the roof
B. They heard Santa and the reindeer land on the roof
C. The reindeer were dancing on the roof
What is B. They heard Santa and the reindeer land on the roof?
Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash
Why was he tearing open the shutters and throwing up the sash?
A. He was looking out the window to see what made the loud noise
B. He hated the curtains he had on the windows
C. Because it was morning time
What is A. He was looking out the window to see what made the loud noise?
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!
What does “shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly” mean?
A. When Santa laughed, his belly shook
B. Santa likes jelly
C. His face was big and his belly was round
What is A. When Santa laughed, his belly shook?
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!
What does “dash away” mean?
A. Go away
B. Fly quickly
C. Turn around in the sleigh
What is B. Fly quickly?
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
What does this mean?
A. He had flowers and fruit on his face.
B. He brought some fruit with him
C. His cheeks and nose were red from the cold
What is C. His cheeks and nose were red from the cold?
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
What does the author mean when he writes “more rapid than eagles”?
A. Eagle fly fast
B. Santa and the reindeer were flying faster than eagles can fly
C. The reindeer fly like eagles fly
What is B. Santa and the reindeer were flying faster than eagles can fly?
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread..
What does this mean?
A. Santa winked and turned his head
B. Santa reassured him, there was nothing to worry about
C. Santa’s eye was twitching so he had to turn away
What is B. Santa reassured him, there was nothing to worry about?