Unseen Passage for Class 5 – Festivals and Places

Reading comprehension lesson 18: Festivals and places of India · Set 24 · 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.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.
   
   When do people go for midnight Mass? (a) On Christmas Eve (b) On New Year (c) On Christmas noon (d) On Sunday morning
2. 2.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.
   
   What is sheer khurma? (a) A gift (b) A new dress (c) A sweet dish (d) A prayer
3. 3.Onam is the harvest festival of Kerala. It falls in August or September, after the monsoon. People believe that the kind King Mahabali visits his people at this time. To welcome him, families make pookalam, a carpet of flower petals, in front of their homes. A grand meal called sadya is served on a banana leaf. It has more than twenty dishes. Snake boat races are held on the rivers. Everyone wears new clothes, and the whole state is full of joy.
   
   Who do people believe visits during Onam? (a) King Mahabali (b) A sea king (c) Their teacher (d) The Sun God
4. 4.The Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world. It lies where the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers meet the sea, in West Bengal and Bangladesh. Mangrove trees can grow in salty water. Their roots stick up out of the mud to breathe. The forest is home to the Royal Bengal tiger, which can swim well. Crocodiles, deer and many birds also live there. The mangroves protect the land from strong storms from the sea. People travel through the forest by boat.
   
   How do the mangroves help the land? (a) Give it gold (b) Bring snow (c) Make it dry (d) Protect it from storms
5. 5.The Thar Desert lies mostly in Rajasthan, in the north-west of India. It is a land of sand dunes, thorny bushes and very little rain. Days in summer are extremely hot, but nights can be cool. Camels are useful here because they can walk on sand and go without water for days. That is why the camel is called the ship of the desert. People store rainwater in tanks and step-wells. Jaisalmer, a city of golden stone, stands in this desert.
   
   Where do people store rainwater? (a) In rivers (b) In the sand (c) In tanks and step-wells (d) In clay lamps
6. 6.Bihu is the main festival of Assam. There are three Bihus in a year, linked to the seasons of farming. Rongali Bihu, in April, marks the Assamese New Year and the start of spring. Young people perform the lively Bihu dance in bright clothes. The beat of the dhol and the sound of the pepa, a buffalo-horn pipe, fill the air. People give one another a gamosa, a white cloth with red borders. Homes make sweets called pitha from rice. Bihu is a time to welcome new crops and new hope.
   
   What is a gamosa? (a) A white cloth (b) A dance (c) A drum (d) A rice sweet
7. 7.The Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world. It lies where the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers meet the sea, in West Bengal and Bangladesh. Mangrove trees can grow in salty water. Their roots stick up out of the mud to breathe. The forest is home to the Royal Bengal tiger, which can swim well. Crocodiles, deer and many birds also live there. The mangroves protect the land from strong storms from the sea. People travel through the forest by boat.
   
   How do people travel through the forest? (a) By camel (b) By bus (c) By train (d) By boat
8. 8.The backwaters of Kerala are a network of calm lakes, rivers and canals near the sea. Coconut palms line their banks. Many villages lie along the water, and people use boats to go to school, work and market. Houseboats called kettuvallams carry visitors slowly along the canals. Long ago, these boats carried rice and spices. Ducks swim beside the boats, and fishermen throw their nets. Alappuzha is one of the best places to see the backwaters. The quiet waters make it a peaceful place to visit.
   
   What did these boats carry long ago? (a) Cattle (b) Coal (c) Rice and spices (d) Cars
9. 9.The backwaters of Kerala are a network of calm lakes, rivers and canals near the sea. Coconut palms line their banks. Many villages lie along the water, and people use boats to go to school, work and market. Houseboats called kettuvallams carry visitors slowly along the canals. Long ago, these boats carried rice and spices. Ducks swim beside the boats, and fishermen throw their nets. Alappuzha is one of the best places to see the backwaters. The quiet waters make it a peaceful place to visit.
   
   What are kettuvallams? (a) Rice fields (b) Coconut trees (c) Fishing nets (d) Houseboats
10. 10.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.
    
    In which state is the Hornbill Festival held? (a) Manipur (b) Assam (c) Mizoram (d) Nagaland
11. 11.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.
    
    The festival is named after what? (a) A mountain (b) A king (c) A river (d) A bird
12. 12.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 are kulkuls and neureos? (a) Lights (b) Decorations (c) Songs (d) Sweets

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