BM2: "We Need More Holidays" and "New Years in Nepal"

BM2 "We Need More Holidays"

and "New Years in Nepal"

Review

We Need More Holidays!

1. Don't you deserve a break? Homework, sports, and clubs leave many students stressed
out. Adults often work long hours. Driving to and from work may keep them away from
home and family even longer. Both kids and adults need more holidays. This would help
people in many important ways.

2. In the United States, federal law recognizes eleven public holidays. They include
Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Most government employees get these days
off with pay. Most school districts also take these days off. However, some private
businesses do not offer paid time off on these holidays. So many adults still wind up
working.

3. Some argue that many businesses could not afford more holidays with paid time off.
Additional holidays, however, would benefit these companies. Holidays are important for
well-being. Kathryn Isham is a doctor of psychology. She writes, "Time off can be like
getting a tune-up for the brain." Everyone benefits from a mental break from work.
Holidays provide a time to relax and pursue other interests. Then people return more
energized and productive.

4. The first new official holidays to consider should be religious ones. After all, the word
holiday originates from roots that mean “holy” and “day.” Since most Christians
celebrate Christmas, should we not also celebrate important holidays in other religions?
For example, Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. Muslims observe Eid al-Fitr. This
day marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. And Hindus celebrate Diwali. It's also
known as the Festival of Lights. Official recognition of these non-Christian holidays
would be a wonderful way to acknowledge and celebrate diversity in our nation.

5. Since most U.S. households have at least one pet, we should celebrate our animal
companions, too. January 2 is currently Happy New Year for Cats Day. Make a resolution
with your cat. Commit to more playtime on this potential new holiday. Or pledge to trim
your cat’s nails more regularly. A holiday to celebrate dogs might be August 26, currently
Dog Appreciation Day. According to the Center for Disease Control, pet ownership has
many health benefits. Walking your dog, playing with your cat, or getting some fuzzy
cuddles can help build fitness, lower stress, and lessen feelings of loneliness and anxiety.
A day set aside for companionship would be good for the well-being of you and your pet!

6. Other possible new holidays could be about both having fun and learning. They
might celebrate science or math. Some teachers already celebrate Pi Day on March
14. This date was chosen to honor the number known as pi, whose first three digits
are 3.14. We could honor this irrational number by doing irrational things. Wear
socks on your hands. Eat breakfast for dinner. Or maybe just use the holiday as an
excuse to eat pie! We could also celebrate Meteor Watch Day, which is on June 30.
However, the next day would be the best for a break from work because we will all
be tired after staying up late to look for shooting stars.

7. The calendar has plenty of truly weird unofficial holidays, like National Bubble
Wrap Appreciation Day (January 30), Alien Abduction Day (March 20), and National
Lost Sock Memorial Day (May 9). In the Huffington Post, James McCrae writes, "It's
okay to be weird. Weirdness usually is, in fact, potential strength waiting to be
harnessed." By celebrating weird holidays, you can harness that strength.

8. We cannot expect to have all of these special days off from school or work, of
course. But we could still enjoy them while at school or work. They would make an
otherwise dull day a bit more interesting. Any new, official holiday would refresh us,
making us happier, more productive, and more appreciative of others, human or pet.

Multiple Choice

14. The author begins the article with a leading question most likely to-

• A. Highlight the similarities between the beliefs of the author and the reader

• B. Draw readers into the article by making them reflect on their own experience

• C. Introduces a problem that the author will solve through the course of the article

• D. Force the reader to accept the author's opinions as facts

Multiple Choice

15. Read the dictionary entry for the word observe. Which definition best matches the way observe is used in paragraph 4?

• A. Definition 1

• B. Definition 2

• C. Definition 3

• D. Definition 4

Multiple Choice

16. Use "We Need More Holidays!" to answer the following question. What primary claim does the author make in this article?

• A. Being weird helps build character

• B. Individuals should spend more time outside.

• C. Children should have shorter school days.

• D. People would benefit from having more holidays.

Multiple Choice

17. Use "We Need More Holidays!" to answer the following question. Who is the intended audience of the article?

• A. Students and workers

• B. Lawmakers and lawyers

• C. Parents and grandparents

• D. Teachers and principals

Multiple Select

18. Use "We Need More Holidays!" to answer the following question. Which sentences from the article support the idea that holidays are good for people's health? Select TWO correct answers.

• A. She writes, "Time off can be like getting a tune-up for the brain." (paragraph 3)

• B. After all, the word holiday originates from roots that mean “holy” and “day.” (paragraph 4)

• C. A day set aside for companionship would be good for the well-being of you and your pet! (paragraph 5)

• D. However, the next day would be the best for a break from work because we will all be tired after staying up late to look for shooting stars. (paragraph 6)

• E. "Weirdness usually is, in fact, potential strength waiting to be harnessed." (paragraph 7)

New Years in Nepal

1 Everybody loves holidays. One favorite in the United States is New Year's Day.
We say goodbye to the old year and hello to the new. We have parties. We make
resolutions to improve ourselves. And we watch fireworks after dark. Similar
festivities take place around the world. But not all countries celebrate the new year
on the same day. The first day of the new year varies depending on which calendar
a country follows.

2 Most parts of the world use the Gregorian calendar. It is named after Pope
Gregory XIII. He introduced the calendar in the year 1582. It is a solar calendar.
That means it follows the position of the sun. It takes a little over 365 days for
Earth to orbit the sun, so a solar year lasts 365 days. Every fourth year is a leap
year. It has 366 days. In the Gregorian calendar, the new year begins on January 1.

3 This is not the case in Nepal, a country located between India and Tibet. Its
people observe several different calendars other than the Gregorian one.

4. Nepal is home to a mountain range called the Himalayas. Eight of the world's
ten highest mountain peaks are in Nepal, including the tallest, Mount Everest.
Nepal has a population of nearly 31 million people. It is a nation of many cultures
and religions. The official language is Nepali. But there are 123 first languages
spoken in the country. First languages are those spoken by the family in which a
person grows up.

5. The official calendar of Nepal is based on an ancient solar calendar of the Hindu
tradition. It is approximately 56 years and 8 months ahead of the Gregorian
calendar. Therefore, the year known as 2020 in the United States was known as
2077 in Nepal. Before Nepal adopted its official calendar, the people there used a
lunar calendar. According to that calendar, 2020 was 1141. Nepalis still use this old
calendar for traditional ceremonies and festivals and for marking historical dates.
The Sherpa people live in the Himalayas and come from nearby Tibet. They follow
a Tibetan calendar. For them, 2020 was the year 2147. Some Nepalis also follow
the Gregorian calendar. That means that the year we call 2020 in the United States
might be known as 2020, 2077, 1141, or 2147 in Tibet. It all depends on the
calendar!

6. Because of the different calendars, Nepal celebrates New Year's Day on nine separate
dates throughout the year. Navavarsha is New Year's Day on the country’s official
calendar. It usually falls on April 14. Most Nepalis celebrate with family gatherings,
including picnics. Many visit Hindu temples to receive blessings for a happy, peaceful
new year. In some places, they celebrate with festivals, parades, and parties. It is a day of
joy. People offer good wishes to each other and forgive past wrongs.

7. Using another calendar, the Newar people of central Nepal celebrate the new year in
late October or early November. The day, called Nhu Dan, is the fourth day of Tihar, their
yearly festival of lights, flowers, and sweets. The Gurung people are We Need More
Holidays! and New Years in Nepal 15 Linked Items also from central Nepal. They
welcome the new year on Tamu Lhosar in December or January. Around mid-January,
the Tharu people of southern Nepal celebrate their New Year's Day, Maghi. They take
early morning baths and pray for good fortune and health for the coming year. The
Tamang people follow an ancient Chinese lunar calendar. They celebrate their new year,
Sonam Lhosar, in January or February. In February or March, the Sherpa people
celebrate Gyalpo Lhosar, the Tibetan New Year.

8. If you love holidays, Nepal may be the
place for you. It is the country with the
second most public holidays, with 30 each
year. Only nearby Myanmar has more,
with 32. Nepalese holidays include
International Women's Day in March and
Buddha's Birthday in May. The festival of
Tihar, mentioned previously, covers five
days in October. The second day of the
festival is the Day of the Dogs. Dogs are
blessed with a red dot on their foreheads.
They are also decorated with flowers and
offered delicious foods. Even stray dogs
are included. Keep your calendar—or
calendars—handy if you ever visit Nepal!

Multiple Choice

19. Use "New Years in Nepal" to answer the following question. What can the reader infer based on the information in paragraphs 3 and 4?

• A. The world's tallest mountain is in Nepal.

• B. Nepal's many cultures have created much internal conflict.

• C. Nepalese people cannot speak with each other because of the many languages.

• D. Nepal's unique history and culture led to its having different calendars.

Multiple Choice

20. Use "New Years in Nepal" to answer the following question. Which statement best expresses the controlling idea of the entire selection?

• A. Nepal is a diverse country with many unique and fascinating traditions.

• B. New Year's Day is celebrated many times throughout the year in Nepal.

• C. Nepal has a problem since it does not follow the Gregorian calendar that is used throughout the world.

• D. Travelers can expect to celebrate a holiday while visiting Nepal since the country has so many of them.

Multiple Choice

22. Use "New Years in Nepal" to answer the following question. The selection's descriptive organizational structure contributes to the author's purpose by —

• A. providing background about Nepal's many calendars and details about the multiple New Year's Days

• B. showing how much Nepalis pay to throw their many New Year's Day celebrations

• C. highlighting problems created by the differences between the Gregorian calendar and other calendars used in Nepal

• D. explaining that Nepal has more holidays than nearly all other countries in the world

Multiple Choice

23. Use "New Years in Nepal" to answer the following question. What is the best summary of the selection?

• A. Nepal is a country that lies between Tibet and India. The people of Nepal speak 123 different languages. Because of these facts, they do not follow the same calendar as the rest of the world. When it was 2020 elsewhere, it was 2077, 1141, and 2147 in Nepal. Some people in Nepal do use the Gregorian calendar.

• B. Nepal celebrates New Year's Day nine times each year. The official Nepalese New Year's Day is called Navavarsha, and it is usually celebrated on April 14. The Nepalese people celebrate with picnics, parades, parties, and festivals. They also visit Hindu temples. The other New Year's Day celebrations are similar.

• C. In much of the world, including the United States, New Year's Day is celebrated on January 1. But in other parts of the world, people celebrate the holiday on a different day. In Nepal, they officially celebrate the new year on April 14. However, there are eight other days throughout the year when they also mark the holiday.

• D. Much of the world uses the Gregorian calendar, but Nepal uses several calendars because of its history and cultural diversity. Observing the different calendars, Nepal celebrates nine different New Year's Days throughout the year. Including Nepalese New Year's Day on April 14, the country celebrates thirty holidays each year.

Multiple Choice

24. Use "We Need More Holidays!" and "New Years in Nepal" to answer the following question. In what way is the focus of the selections "We Need More Holidays!" and "New Years in Nepal" DIFFERENT?

• A. "We Need More Holidays!" focuses on nonreligious holidays while "New Years in Nepal" focuses on religious holidays.

• B. "We Need More Holidays!" discusses many holidays, while "New Years in Nepal" mentions only one holiday, New Year's Day.

• C. "We Need More Holidays!" assumes that all of the readers use the same calendar, while "New Years in Nepal" discusses different calendars.

• D. "We Need More Holidays!" talks about food-oriented holidays, while "New Years in Nepal" does not mention food as a part of holiday celebrations

Multiple Choice

25. Use "We Need More Holidays!" and "New Years in Nepal" to answer the following question. How is paragraph 4 of "We Need More Holidays!" SIMILAR to paragraph 6 of the selection "New Years in Nepal"?

• A. Both paragraphs present information about the religious aspect of holidays

• B. Both paragraphs explain what happens during Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.

• C. Both paragraphs say that delicious foods are eaten at holiday celebrations

• D. Both paragraphs describe traditions celebrated on New Year's Day throughout the world.

Multiple Choice

26. Use "We Need More Holidays!" and "New Years in Nepal" to answer the following question. Read this sentence from paragraph 5 of the selection "We Need More Holidays!"

Which sentence from the selection "New Years in Nepal" includes a SIMILAR idea?

• A. Before Nepal adopted its official calendar, the people there used a lunar calendar. (paragraph 5)

• B. Most Nepalis celebrate with family gatherings, including picnics. (paragraph 6)

• C. They take early morning baths and pray for good fortune and health for the coming year. (paragraph 7)

• D. They are also decorated with flowers and offered delicious foods. (paragraph 8)

Multiple Choice

27. Use "We Need More Holidays!" and "New Years in Nepal" to answer the following question. What is one DIFFERENCE between the holidays described in "We Need More Holidays!" and those described in "New Years in Nepal"?

• A. Only "We Need More Holidays!" mentions official public holidays.

• B. Only "We Need More Holidays!" discusses holidays where people have fun

• C. Only "New Years in Nepal" describes holidays observed by different cultures

• D. Only "New Years in Nepal" explains why one holiday is celebrated on many days.

Open Ended

21. SCR: What is the most likely reason the author wrote the selection "New Years in Nepal"? Support your answer with evidence from the article.

Open Ended

ECR: Use "New Years in Nepal" to answer the following question.

Write an essay in which you argue whether the U.S. should or should not use more than one calendar.

Write a well-organized argumentative essay that uses specific evidence from the selection to support your answer.