The origins of Easter Traditions - Reading Comprehension and ... - Free Printable

Let’s go through each question one by one using the text provided. I’ll read carefully and find the answers right in the passage.

---

1. Where does the tradition of dyeing Easter eggs come from?

The text says: “The traditions are a mix of ideas including ostrich eggs, can be traced back to the ancient pagan culture.” It also mentions that Christians later adopted it — but the origin is ancient pagan culture.

✔ Answer: Ancient pagan culture

---

2. What do eggs symbolize?

In the section “DYING EASTER EGGS”, it says: “Eggs represent rebirth and life…”

✔ Answer: Rebirth and life

---

3. How does legend associate Mary with Easter eggs?

Under “DYING EASTER EGGS”: “According to legend, it is either Mary or Mary Magdalene who is responsible for this custom... she would have carried eggs with her to son's crucifixion and these eggs would have changed color when they were red.”

Also: “Mary Magdalene brought a basket of cooked eggs to share with other members of his family.”

✔ Answer: Legend says Mary (or Mary Magdalene) carried eggs to Jesus’ crucifixion, and they turned red — or she brought cooked eggs to share after his death.

---

4. Where does the Easter bunny come from?

In “THE EASTER BUNNY” section: “One theory speculates that the symbol of the rabbit originates in the pagan tradition... specifically it can be traced back to the festivals of Eostre.”

✔ Answer: From pagan traditions, especially festivals of Eostre.

---

5. What are eggs representative of?

Same as Q2 — “Eggs represent rebirth and life”

✔ Answer: Rebirth and life

---

6. What did churchgoers have to do during Lent many years ago?

In “HOLLOW CHOCOLATE BUNNIES”: “It is believed that the tradition began in the 17th century when a monk decided to mark its role in commemoration of Good Friday. The first written record in which this tradition appears dates back to an issue of Poor Robin’s Almanac from the year 1780...”

Wait — actually, look at “HOT CROSS BUNS”: “It is not feasible to precisely determine how long the tradition of making hot cross buns during the week leading up to Easter Sunday had emerged. However, it is believed that the tradition began in the 17th century when a monk decided to mark its role in commemoration of Good Friday.”

But the question is about *churchgoers* during *Lent*. Let’s check again.

Actually, under “HOLLOW CHOCOLATE BUNNIES”: “Many Christians abstain from eating meat products and dairy foods during Lent.”

And under “HOT CROSS BUNS”: “It is believed that the tradition began in the 17th century when a monk decided to mark its role in commemoration of Good Friday.”

Hmm — maybe we need to infer. But wait — in “HOLLOW CHOCOLATE BUNNIES”: “Many Christians abstain from eating meat products and dairy foods during Lent.”

That’s what churchgoers did — they gave up certain foods.

But let’s see if there’s something more direct.

Actually, in “HOLLOW CHOCOLATE BUNNIES”: “Many Christians abstain from eating meat products and dairy foods during Lent.”

So during Lent, they avoided those foods.

✔ Answer: They abstained from eating meat and dairy products.

---

7. How did aristocrats celebrate Easter in Russia?

Look at “THE EASTER BUNNY” section: “Additionally, in 19th century Russia high society members started exchanging ornately decorated eggs – even jewel-encrusted – on Easter.”

✔ Answer: They exchanged ornately decorated, sometimes jewel-encrusted eggs.

---

8. How did the Easter Bunny custom arrive in America?

In “THE EASTER BUNNY”: “How did the tradition of the Easter bunny delivering eggs emerge in America? According to evidence, the fox-squirrel became bearer of candy migrated to Pennsylvania, America in the 1700s with German settlers. The immigrants brought with them their tradition of ‘Osterhase’ or ‘Oschter Haws’ — an egg-laying hare.”

✔ Answer: German settlers brought the tradition of the “Osterhase” (egg-laying hare) to Pennsylvania in the 1700s.

---

9. Why are chocolate bunnies empty inside?

In “HOLLOW CHOCOLATE BUNNIES”: “To avoid choking hazards, producers choose to make hollow chocolate bunnies instead of solid ones. Hollow bunnies use less material, so they’re cheaper to produce — and you get more bang for your buck!”

Also: “A larger-size bunny and it was sold chocolate. It would be like a brick, you’d be breaking your teeth.”

✔ Answer: To avoid choking hazards and because they’re cheaper to make (use less chocolate).

---

10. How are hollow bunnies related to marketing?

In “HOLLOW CHOCOLATE BUNNIES”: “Mark Schmitt, executive vice-president of operations at the R.M. Palmer company, once told the oldies chocolate bunnies producers in the U.S. —‘If we had a larger-size bunny and it was sold chocolate. It would be like a brick, you’d be breaking your teeth.’ So promotion and marketing are also taken into consideration. Confectioners can craft larger, jaw-dropping bunnies for a reasonable price.”

So — marketing uses hollow bunnies to make bigger-looking treats without high cost or risk.

✔ Answer: Marketing uses hollow bunnies to create large, impressive-looking treats that are affordable and safe to eat.

---

11. What are hot cross buns?

In “HOT CROSS BUNS”: “Sweet rolls studded with raisins or currants and marked with a cross on top have been an Easter staple for centuries.”

✔ Answer: Sweet rolls with raisins/currants and a cross on top, eaten around Easter.

---

12. Where and when did the making of hot cross buns begin?

In “HOT CROSS BUNS”: “It is believed that the tradition began in the 17th century when a monk decided to mark its role in commemoration of Good Friday. The first written record in which this tradition appears dates back to an issue of Poor Robin’s Almanac from the year 1780...”

Also: “Good Friday comes this Month, the old woman ran, with one or two a Penny, hot cross-Buns…”

So — began in 17th century, first written record in 1780 in England (Poor Robin’s Almanac is English).

✔ Answer: Began in the 17th century; first written record in 1780 in England.

---

Now True/False questions:

1. Pagans celebrated Easter with colored eggs.

Text says: “The traditions are a mix of ideas including ostrich eggs, can be traced back to the ancient pagan culture. Eggs represent rebirth and life...”

But — pagans didn’t celebrate “Easter” — that’s a Christian holiday. They celebrated spring festivals where eggs symbolized rebirth.

So — FALSE. Pagans didn’t celebrate “Easter” — they had spring festivals with eggs.

✔ False

---

2. Mary Magdalene took eggs to Christ’s crucifixion.

Text: “According to legend, it is either Mary or Mary Magdalene who is responsible for this custom... she would have carried eggs with her to son's crucifixion...”

Yes — legend says she did.

✔ True

---

3. It is believed that the first Christian eggs were dyed from Christ’s blood.

Text: “...these eggs would have changed color when they were red. Alternatively, it is rumored that three days after Jesus’ death, Mary Magdalene brought a basket of cooked eggs to share with other members of his family. When the guards closed the stone block to enter the tomb and found it empty, the eggs turned red.”

So — yes, legend says eggs turned red (like blood) at resurrection.

✔ True

---

4. When Jesus was resurrected, the eggs in his tomb became red.

Text: “When the guards closed the stone block to enter the tomb and found it empty, the eggs turned red.”

Wait — that doesn’t make sense. Guards closed the tomb? And eggs inside turned red?

Actually, reread: “it is rumored that three days after Jesus’ death, Mary Magdalene brought a basket of cooked eggs to share with other members of his family. When the guards closed the stone block to enter the tomb and found it empty, the eggs turned red.”

This seems confused. Probably means: when the tomb was opened and found empty, the eggs Mary brought turned red.

But the sentence says: “When the guards closed the stone block to enter the tomb...” — that might be a typo. Likely meant “when the guards rolled away the stone” or “when they entered”.

But based on text: it says eggs turned red when tomb was found empty.

So — TRUE according to the text.

✔ True

---

5. The rabbit was considered a god in Pagan tradition.

Text: “One theory speculates that the symbol of the rabbit originates in the pagan tradition and more specifically it can be traced back to the festivals of Eostre. Eostre was a goddess of fertility and the rabbit which reproduces at a prolific rate was her symbol animal.”

So — rabbit was symbol of goddess Eostre, not a god itself.

✔ False

---

6. The congregation was not allowed to eat eggs during lent.

Text: “Many Christians abstain from eating meat products and dairy foods during Lent.”

Eggs are dairy? Technically no — eggs are not dairy. Dairy = milk products.

But historically, some churches forbade eggs during Lent.

Check text: In “HOLLOW CHOCOLATE BUNNIES”: “Many Christians abstain from eating meat products and dairy foods during Lent.”

Doesn’t mention eggs.

But in “THE EASTER BUNNY”: “Eggs are also of new life and the custom of decorating eggs for Easter dates back to the 13th century. Hundreds of years ago churches had their parishioners abstain from the consumption of eggs during Lent and consumed again on Easter.”

Ah! There it is.

✔ True

---

7. “Osterhase” is a rabbit that lays multicolored eggs.

Text: “The immigrants brought with them their tradition of ‘Osterhase’ or ‘Oschter Haws’ — an egg-laying hare.”

It doesn’t say “multicolored” — just egg-laying.

But in context, since they’re talking about colored eggs, maybe implied.

But strictly — text says “egg-laying hare”, not specifying color.

However, in same paragraph: “exchanging ornately decorated eggs” — so likely multicolored.

But the definition given is just “egg-laying hare”.

I think we should stick to text: it doesn’t say “multicolored”.

✔ False — text doesn’t say multicolored.

Wait — let me check again.

No, it just says “an egg-laying hare”. No mention of color.

So — FALSE.

---

8. German settlers’ children made baskets for Easter bunny to lay eggs in.

Text: “The immigrants brought with them their tradition of ‘Osterhase’ or ‘Oschter Haws’ — an egg-laying hare. Their children would make nests for the creature to lay its colorful eggs.”

“Nests” — not necessarily “baskets”.

Question says “baskets”.

Text says “nests”.

Are nests and baskets the same? Not exactly.

But in common understanding, kids made little nests (maybe out of grass or cloth) — which could be called baskets.

But text says “nests”.

So — probably FALSE, because it says “nests”, not “baskets”.

Unless we interpret loosely.

But let’s be precise.

✔ False — text says “nests”, not “baskets”.

---

9. Chocolate bunnies are made from solid chocolate.

Text: “producers choose to make hollow chocolate bunnies instead of solid ones.”

So — most are hollow, not solid.

✔ False

---

10. Hollow chocolate bunnies can be bigger, more impressive and cheaper.

Text: “Confectioners can craft larger, jaw-dropping bunnies for a reasonable price.” and “Hollow bunnies use less material, so they’re cheaper to produce”

✔ True

---

11. We know exactly when the tradition of hot cross buns began.

Text: “It is not feasible to precisely determine how long the tradition of making hot cross buns during the week leading up to Easter Sunday had emerged.”

So — we don’t know exactly.

✔ False

---

12. The cross on buns was added to celebrate the Good Friday.

Text: “It is believed that the tradition began in the 17th century when a monk decided to mark its role in commemoration of Good Friday.”

And: “marked with a cross on top”

So — yes, cross added to commemorate Good Friday.

✔ True

---

Now let’s compile all answers clearly.

──────────────────────────────────────

Final Answer:

1. Ancient pagan culture
2. Rebirth and life
3. Legend says Mary (or Mary Magdalene) carried eggs to Jesus’ crucifixion, and they turned red — or she brought cooked eggs to share after his death.
4. From pagan traditions, especially festivals of Eostre.
5. Rebirth and life
6. They abstained from eating meat and dairy products.
7. They exchanged ornately decorated, sometimes jewel-encrusted eggs.
8. German settlers brought the tradition of the “Osterhase” (egg-laying hare) to Pennsylvania in the 1700s.
9. To avoid choking hazards and because they’re cheaper to make (use less chocolate).
10. Marketing uses hollow bunnies to create large, impressive-looking treats that are affordable and safe to eat.
11. Sweet rolls with raisins/currants and a cross on top, eaten around Easter.
12. Began in the 17th century; first written record in 1780 in England.

True/False:
1. False
2. True
3. True
4. True
5. False
6. True
7. False
8. False
9. False
10. True
11. False
12. True