Unseen Passage for Class 5 – Festivals and Places

Reading comprehension lesson 18: Festivals and places of India · Set 177 · 12 questions

Reading tip (Facts by place and time): Find the place, the time of year and what people do. Answer from the passage, even if you know more about it. For word meanings, read the sentence around the word.

1. 1.Meghalaya is a hilly state in north-east India. Its name means “the abode of clouds”. Some places in Meghalaya get more rain than almost anywhere else on Earth. In the villages near Cherrapunji, people have made living root bridges. They guide the roots of rubber fig trees across streams. Over many years, the roots grow thick and strong enough to walk on. Some bridges are hundreds of years old. Unlike wooden bridges, they grow stronger with time.
   
   How are root bridges different from wooden ones? (a) They float (b) They are painted (c) They grow stronger (d) They break quickly
2. 2.Ganesh Chaturthi is a ten-day festival, celebrated with great joy in Maharashtra. It usually falls in August or September. Families bring home clay idols of Lord Ganesha, who has the head of an elephant. The idol is decorated with flowers and worshipped every day. A sweet dumpling called modak is offered to him. Many neighbourhoods set up large public pandals. On the last day, the idols are taken in processions and immersed in water. Many families now choose clay idols that do not harm rivers.
   
   How many days does Ganesh Chaturthi last? (a) Ten (b) Seven (c) Two (d) Five
3. 3.Ganesh Chaturthi is a ten-day festival, celebrated with great joy in Maharashtra. It usually falls in August or September. Families bring home clay idols of Lord Ganesha, who has the head of an elephant. The idol is decorated with flowers and worshipped every day. A sweet dumpling called modak is offered to him. Many neighbourhoods set up large public pandals. On the last day, the idols are taken in processions and immersed in water. Many families now choose clay idols that do not harm rivers.
   
   Why do many families choose clay idols now? (a) They do not harm rivers (b) They are cheaper (c) They are bigger (d) They shine more
4. 4.The Hornbill Festival is held in Nagaland every year from 1 to 10 December. It is named after the hornbill, a large bird with a big curved beak. The bird is important in the stories and songs of the Naga people. The festival takes place at a heritage village called Kisama, near Kohima. Many tribes of Nagaland come together to show their dances, songs and crafts. Visitors can watch traditional games and taste local food. The festival helps keep old traditions alive.
   
   Where does the festival take place? (a) At Imphal (b) At Kisama (c) At Guwahati (d) At Shillong
5. 5.Diwali is called the festival of lights. It is celebrated in October or November, on the darkest night of the month. Before Diwali, people clean their homes and buy new clothes. In the evening, rows of small clay lamps called diyas are lit everywhere. Many families draw rangoli patterns with coloured powder at the door. People share sweets with neighbours and friends. Many people now choose green celebrations without loud crackers. The lights stand for the victory of good over evil.
   
   What do people do before Diwali? (a) Plant trees (b) Go to school (c) Clean their homes (d) Fly kites
6. 6.Eid ul-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims at the end of Ramzan, the month of fasting. During Ramzan, people do not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset. Eid begins when the new moon is seen in the sky. On Eid morning, people wear new clothes and offer special prayers. Families give food and money to the poor. Friends hug one another and say “Eid Mubarak”. A sweet dish called sheer khurma is made with milk, vermicelli and dates. Children receive gifts called Eidi from elders.
   
   True or false: During Ramzan, people fast from sunrise to sunset. (a) False (b) True
7. 7.Kaziranga National Park is in Assam, on the banks of the Brahmaputra river. It is famous for the one-horned rhinoceros. More than half of all one-horned rhinos in the world live here. The park has tall elephant grass, swamps and forests. Tigers, wild elephants and wild buffaloes also live in the park. Every year, floods cover parts of the park, and animals move to higher ground. Visitors can see the animals from an open jeep.
   
   What do animals do during floods? (a) Climb trees (b) Swim to the sea (c) Hide in caves (d) Move to higher ground
8. 8.Diwali is called the festival of lights. It is celebrated in October or November, on the darkest night of the month. Before Diwali, people clean their homes and buy new clothes. In the evening, rows of small clay lamps called diyas are lit everywhere. Many families draw rangoli patterns with coloured powder at the door. People share sweets with neighbours and friends. Many people now choose green celebrations without loud crackers. The lights stand for the victory of good over evil.
   
   What is Diwali called? (a) The festival of colours (b) The festival of kites (c) The festival of lights (d) The harvest festival
9. 9.Meghalaya is a hilly state in north-east India. Its name means “the abode of clouds”. Some places in Meghalaya get more rain than almost anywhere else on Earth. In the villages near Cherrapunji, people have made living root bridges. They guide the roots of rubber fig trees across streams. Over many years, the roots grow thick and strong enough to walk on. Some bridges are hundreds of years old. Unlike wooden bridges, they grow stronger with time.
   
   Near which place are these villages? (a) Gangtok (b) Cherrapunji (c) Shillong (d) Kohima
10. 10.Holi is the festival of colours, usually celebrated in March. It marks the end of winter and the coming of spring. On the night before Holi, people light a bonfire called Holika Dahan. The bonfire stands for good winning over evil. Next morning, friends throw coloured powder, called gulal, at one another. Children fill water guns, called pichkaris, with coloured water. Many people now use colours made from flowers, which are safe for the skin. Later, everyone washes up and shares sweets like gujiya.
    
    What is gujiya? (a) A water gun (b) A colour (c) A sweet (d) A dance
11. 11.In Goa, Christmas is a big festival celebrated on 25 December. Weeks before, families clean and paint their homes. They hang paper stars outside their windows. Many homes make a crib, a small model of the place where Jesus was born. On Christmas Eve, people go to church for midnight Mass. Families share special sweets like kulkuls and neureos with neighbours. Streets glow with lights, and choirs sing carols. Friends of all faiths join in the fun.
    
    What is a crib? (a) A song (b) A church (c) A sweet (d) A small model
12. 12.Pongal is a harvest festival of Tamil Nadu. It is celebrated in the middle of January and lasts for four days. Families thank the Sun God for a good harvest. They boil fresh rice with milk and jaggery in a new clay pot. When the pot boils over, people shout, “Pongalo Pongal!” The overflowing pot is a sign of plenty. On the third day, cattle are washed and decorated with paint and bells. Houses are decorated with colourful kolams at the door.
    
    What happens on the third day? (a) Kites are flown (b) Boats race (c) Lamps are lit (d) Cattle are decorated

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