A Country With Two Christmases

Which sentence does the author include to help the reader

imagine what Sinterklaas looks like?

• They hope that he will climb down the chimney or through

  a window and leave their gifts for them in the shoes during

  the night.

• Sinterklaas travels around wearing a red robe on his white

  horse.

• On the night that Sinterklaas arrives, churches ring their

  bells and people sing songs in their houses.

What does the caption tell you about the bottom photograph?

• That Sinterklaas leaves coal for naughty children and

  brings presents for good children.

• That children give their shoes to Sinterklaas for Christmas.

• That Sinterklaas puts gifts into children’s shoes.

Reread this excerpt from paragraph 3:

Children leave a wooden shoe out by the fireplace or windowsill.

They hope that he will climb down the chimney or through a

window and leave their gifts for them in the shoes during the

night.

How does the first sentence connect to the second?

• The first sentence shows the effect of the cause in the

  second sentence.

• The first and second sentence compares and contrasts the

  way he gets into the children’s houses.

• The second sentence solves the problem from the first

  sentence.

The author wrote this article to –

• Describe the Netherlands.

• Entertain with a story about Sinterklaas and Chimney Pete

  going on a trip.

• Tell about the ways Christmas is celebrated in the

  Netherlands.

What does Sinterklaas mean?

• St. Nicholas

• Chimney Pete

• Santa Claus

Reread paragraph 1:

For children in the Netherlands, Christmas Day isn’t the only exciting

day. December 5th is the most important day around Christmas time!

Wait, what? Why is December 5th more important? On this day, St.

Nicholas, or Sinterklaas, travels to their country to bring the children

presents!

How does the first underlined sentence connect to the second?

• The first and second underlined sentences compare and

  contrast December 5th and Christmas Day.

• The second underlined sentence explains the cause of

  December 5th being the most important day.

• The second underlined sentence describes the solution to

  the problem of Christmas in the Netherlands.

Reread this excerpt from paragraph 2:

The children are told that Chimney Pete keep a book that he checks as

they go through the town. If you have been a good boy or girl, then

Schoorsteen Piet marks you down on the good list and he lets

Sinterklaas know to give you presents. If you have been naughty, Piet

lets Sinterklaas know, and you will receive coal.

Fill in the blanks below to describe each sentence part as a

cause or an effect.

Chimney Pete keeping a book to check is the

____________________ of why he is Sinterklaas’ important

Fill in the blank below to describe each sentence part as a

cause or an effect.

Sinterklaas giving a child presents is the

____________________ of their good behavior.

Fill in the blank below to describe each sentence part as a

cause or an effect.

Children being naughty is the ____________________ of them

receiving coal from Sinterklaas.

Which of the following is an antonym to the word quieter?

• louder

• softer

• hushed