New Year's Day: A Global Celebration of Renewal

Questions: 5

Grade: 8

Words: 178

Text

Text & Questions

Text, Questions & Answers

New Year's Day, celebrated on January 1st, marks the beginning of a new calendar year. It has been observed as a holiday since 45 B.C. when the Julian calendar took effect. Traditionally, it is seen as a time for renewal and resolutions, a chance to make changes and improvements. The way it is celebrated varies globally. In Spain, people eat 12 grapes at midnight, each for good luck in the coming months. In Japan, families gather for a late-night feast and visit shrines or temples the next day. In America, people often watch football games and parades. The tradition of making New Year's resolutions goes back to the Babylonians. They made promises to their gods at the start of each year to earn favor. Today, people make resolutions as a way to motivate personal growth. However, achieving these goals can be challenging. Psychologists suggest setting small, attainable goals and focusing on the process rather than the end result for success. New Year's Day is not just a date change, but a global celebration of renewal and aspiration for betterment.

Question 1

What is the significance of eating 12 grapes at midnight on New Year's Day in Spain?

Each grape symbolizes good luck for the coming months

Explanation. In Spain, it is a tradition to eat 12 grapes at midnight on New Year's Day. Each grape symbolizes good luck for each of the coming months.

Each grape represents a person's age

Each grape represents a day in the year

Each grape is for a specific family member

Each grape is a reminder of the past year

Question 2

What does it mean to make 'resolutions' during New Year?

Promising to do something bad

Promising to do something good

Explanation. Making resolutions is a tradition where people promise to do something good or beneficial for themselves or others, often in an attempt to improve their life in the coming year.

Making big life changes

Writing a business deal

Throwing a big party

Question 3

What is the purpose of visiting shrines or temples on New Year's Day in Japan?

To meet friends

For a family gathering

For a late-night feast

For religious reasons

Explanation. In Japan, it's a common tradition to visit shrines or temples for religious reasons on New Year's Day to welcome the new year.

To watch football games

Question 4

Why is achieving New Year's resolutions challenging?

Because they are often too easy

Because they often involve difficult changes

Explanation. New Year's resolutions often involve making difficult changes or improvements in one's life, which can be challenging to maintain throughout the year.

Because people don't want to achieve them

Because they are often unrealistic

Because people forget about them

Question 5

What did the Babylonians do at the start of each year to earn favor?

They threw big parties

They made promises to their gods

Explanation. The Babylonians made promises or resolutions to their gods at the start of each year to earn their favor. This is believed to be the origin of the tradition of New Year's resolutions.