Unseen Passage for Class 5 – Festivals and Places

Reading comprehension lesson 18: Festivals and places of India · Set 526 · 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.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
2. 2.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 harvest festival (b) The festival of kites (c) The festival of colours (d) The festival of lights
3. 3.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.
   
   Why are camels useful in the desert? (a) They can walk on sand (b) They run very fast (c) They can climb trees (d) They are very small
4. 4.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
5. 5.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.
   
   Which place does the passage name for seeing the backwaters? (a) Kochi (b) Munnar (c) Kozhikode (d) Alappuzha
6. 6.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) Nagaland (c) Mizoram (d) Assam
7. 7.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
8. 8.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.
   
   When is Eid ul-Fitr celebrated? (a) On a full moon (b) At the end of Ramzan (c) In the middle of winter (d) At the start of Ramzan
9. 9.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.
   
   How many days does the festival last? (a) Five (b) Fifteen (c) Two (d) Ten
10. 10.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.
    
    True or false: Meghalaya gets very little rain. (a) True (b) False
11. 11.Shimla is a hill station in Himachal Pradesh. It is built on the slopes of green hills covered with pine and deodar trees. In summer, the weather is cool, so many families visit to escape the heat of the plains. In winter, snow often covers the roofs and roads. A small toy train climbs up to Shimla from Kalka. It passes through more than a hundred tunnels. The main street, called the Mall Road, has no cars. People walk there and enjoy the views of the mountains.
    
    What often covers the roofs in winter? (a) Flowers (b) Leaves (c) Sand (d) Snow
12. 12.Shimla is a hill station in Himachal Pradesh. It is built on the slopes of green hills covered with pine and deodar trees. In summer, the weather is cool, so many families visit to escape the heat of the plains. In winter, snow often covers the roofs and roads. A small toy train climbs up to Shimla from Kalka. It passes through more than a hundred tunnels. The main street, called the Mall Road, has no cars. People walk there and enjoy the views of the mountains.
    
    In which state is Shimla? (a) Sikkim (b) Punjab (c) Uttarakhand (d) Himachal Pradesh

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