The History and Origins of Easter

After reading the article, which statement best explains why Easter has both religious and non-religious traditions associated with it?

• Easter traditions have stayed the same for centuries, so both types naturally belong together.

• The holiday combines Christian beliefs with older cultural customs that existed before Christianity spread.

• Non-religious traditions were created to replace religious ones over time.

• Modern celebrations ignore the religious meaning and only focus on fun activities.

Based on the article, why might the changing date of Easter be confusing for people, especially when compared to other holidays?

• Because Easter is based on religious rules rather than the fixed calendar dates.

• Because the article says that the church doesn't know the exact date of Jesus's resurrection.

• Because the government changes the date every year to suit public holidays.

• Because the moon cycle and Spring equinox vary, affecting Easter's date each year.

What can you infer about the author's purpose for including the history of the word "Easter" and its possible connection to a pagan goddess?

• The author wants readers to focus only on the language history of Easter.

• The author wants readers to understand that the name of the holiday shows how traditions mix over time.

• The author wants the reader to question whether Easter is a real Christian holiday.

• The authors want readers to prefer non-religious Easter celebrations over religious ones.

Why does the author include both Christian and non-Christian customs when describing modern Easter celebrations?

• To prove that non-Christians have more fun during Easter

• To show how Easter's meaning has been shaped by different groups and beliefs over time

• To convince readers to adopt non-religious Easter traditions

• To criticize how modern society celebrates Easter

How does the structure of the article - beginning with history and ending with modern traditions - help the reader understand Easter more deeply?

• It shows how the modern holiday developed from its historical and religious roots.

• It lists important church rules for Easter celebrations.

• It makes it easier for the reader to focus only on the fun parts of the holiday.

• It separates important facts from unimportant ones.

Explain how the connection between Easter and Passover helps deepen the meaning of the Easter story for Christians in at least 3 complete sentences.

Why do you think that the author chose to include both historical facts and modern traditions in this article? How does this choice affect how readers understand the significance of Easter? Explain your answer in at least 5 - 7 complete sentences, using examples from the text.