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Step-by-step solution for: St. Patricks Day History and Traditions - Reading Comprehension ...
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Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: St. Patricks Day History and Traditions - Reading Comprehension ...
Let’s go through the reading passage and answer each question step by step. We’ll use only the information given in the text — no guessing!
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Section A: Read the passage and answer the questions below.
1. On what day is Saint Patrick’s Day celebrated every year?
→ The first sentence says: “St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated every year on March 17...”
✔ Answer: March 17
---
2. In which country is Saint Patrick’s Day celebrated?
→ It says: “...in honor of the patron saint of Ireland.” Also, later it talks about Boston (USA) celebrating too — but the main country is Ireland.
The question asks where it is celebrated — and since it started in Ireland and is still big there, that’s the best answer.
✔ Answer: Ireland
*(Note: It’s also celebrated in other countries like the USA, but the passage focuses on Ireland as the origin and main place.)*
---
3. What was Saint Patrick’s religion before he became a Christian?
→ Look at paragraph 2: “While not much is known about his early life, we do know that he was captured as an adolescent slave...” Then paragraph 3: “He eventually escaped slavery and returned to Britain. He then traveled to France where he studied for the priesthood.”
Wait — let’s read more carefully.
Actually, paragraph 2 says: “Patrick, the ‘Apostle of Ireland’, was originally pagan in religion.”
“Pagan” means not Christian — so before becoming Christian, he was pagan.
✔ Answer: Pagan
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4. Where was Saint Patrick born? Why?
→ Paragraph 2: “He was born in Roman Britain around 385 AD...”
Why? Because his father was a deacon and grandfather was a priest — they were Christians living in Roman Britain.
So he was born in Roman Britain because that’s where his family lived.
✔ Answer: He was born in Roman Britain because that’s where his Christian family lived.
---
5. When did Saint Patrick die? How old was he when he died?
→ Last paragraph: “In Ireland, St. Patrick’s feast day is a national holiday... Since 1903, it has been an official public holiday in Ireland. During the 1970s many pubs in Ireland were closed on St. Patrick’s Day due to licensing laws. This changed in 1961. Today, over 100 million people all over the world celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with parades, parties, music, food, and drink. Many wear green clothes or shamrocks. Some dye their hair green or paint their faces green. Green is the color associated with Ireland and St. Patrick’s Day.”
Wait — that doesn’t say when he died.
Go back to paragraph 3: “Legend has it that after St. Patrick’s death, his body was buried at Downpatrick in County Down, Northern Ireland, alongside two other Irish saints, Brigid and Columba. His grave became a popular pilgrimage site. The exact date of his death is unknown, but tradition holds that he died on March 17, 461 AD.”
Ah! So he died on March 17, 461 AD.
How old was he? Born around 385 AD → 461 - 385 = 76 years old.
✔ Answer: He died on March 17, 461 AD. He was 76 years old.
---
6. What did Saint Patrick use a shamrock for?
→ Paragraph 4: “Another popular legend is that St. Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity — God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit — to the pagan Irish. Each leaf represented one person of the Trinity, while the single stem showed they are one God.”
✔ Answer: He used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity — three persons in one God.
---
7. How did Saint Patrick get rid of snakes from Ireland?
→ Paragraph 5: “One famous legend says that St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland. Scientists believe there never were any snakes in Ireland to begin with — the island was covered by ice during the last Ice Age, and snakes couldn’t survive. But the story symbolizes how St. Patrick drove out paganism and brought Christianity to Ireland.”
So according to the legend, he drove them out — but scientists say there were never any snakes.
The question is asking what the legend says — not science.
✔ Answer: According to legend, he drove all the snakes out of Ireland.
---
8. Which city in the United States has held the largest Saint Patrick’s Day parade since 1762?
→ Paragraph 6: “New York City has held the largest Saint Patrick’s Day parade since 1762. Over 150,000 marchers take part, and nearly 2 million spectators line the streets.”
✔ Answer: New York City
---
9. When and where was the first Saint Patrick’s Day parade held?
→ Same paragraph: “The first recorded Saint Patrick’s Day parade took place in New York City in 1762.”
✔ Answer: In 1762, in New York City.
---
10. How many people participate in Saint Patrick’s Day parades in Boston nowadays?
→ Paragraph 7: “In Boston, the South
---
Section A: Read the passage and answer the questions below.
1. On what day is Saint Patrick’s Day celebrated every year?
→ The first sentence says: “St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated every year on March 17...”
✔ Answer: March 17
---
2. In which country is Saint Patrick’s Day celebrated?
→ It says: “...in honor of the patron saint of Ireland.” Also, later it talks about Boston (USA) celebrating too — but the main country is Ireland.
The question asks where it is celebrated — and since it started in Ireland and is still big there, that’s the best answer.
✔ Answer: Ireland
*(Note: It’s also celebrated in other countries like the USA, but the passage focuses on Ireland as the origin and main place.)*
---
3. What was Saint Patrick’s religion before he became a Christian?
→ Look at paragraph 2: “While not much is known about his early life, we do know that he was captured as an adolescent slave...” Then paragraph 3: “He eventually escaped slavery and returned to Britain. He then traveled to France where he studied for the priesthood.”
Wait — let’s read more carefully.
Actually, paragraph 2 says: “Patrick, the ‘Apostle of Ireland’, was originally pagan in religion.”
“Pagan” means not Christian — so before becoming Christian, he was pagan.
✔ Answer: Pagan
---
4. Where was Saint Patrick born? Why?
→ Paragraph 2: “He was born in Roman Britain around 385 AD...”
Why? Because his father was a deacon and grandfather was a priest — they were Christians living in Roman Britain.
So he was born in Roman Britain because that’s where his family lived.
✔ Answer: He was born in Roman Britain because that’s where his Christian family lived.
---
5. When did Saint Patrick die? How old was he when he died?
→ Last paragraph: “In Ireland, St. Patrick’s feast day is a national holiday... Since 1903, it has been an official public holiday in Ireland. During the 1970s many pubs in Ireland were closed on St. Patrick’s Day due to licensing laws. This changed in 1961. Today, over 100 million people all over the world celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with parades, parties, music, food, and drink. Many wear green clothes or shamrocks. Some dye their hair green or paint their faces green. Green is the color associated with Ireland and St. Patrick’s Day.”
Wait — that doesn’t say when he died.
Go back to paragraph 3: “Legend has it that after St. Patrick’s death, his body was buried at Downpatrick in County Down, Northern Ireland, alongside two other Irish saints, Brigid and Columba. His grave became a popular pilgrimage site. The exact date of his death is unknown, but tradition holds that he died on March 17, 461 AD.”
Ah! So he died on March 17, 461 AD.
How old was he? Born around 385 AD → 461 - 385 = 76 years old.
✔ Answer: He died on March 17, 461 AD. He was 76 years old.
---
6. What did Saint Patrick use a shamrock for?
→ Paragraph 4: “Another popular legend is that St. Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity — God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit — to the pagan Irish. Each leaf represented one person of the Trinity, while the single stem showed they are one God.”
✔ Answer: He used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity — three persons in one God.
---
7. How did Saint Patrick get rid of snakes from Ireland?
→ Paragraph 5: “One famous legend says that St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland. Scientists believe there never were any snakes in Ireland to begin with — the island was covered by ice during the last Ice Age, and snakes couldn’t survive. But the story symbolizes how St. Patrick drove out paganism and brought Christianity to Ireland.”
So according to the legend, he drove them out — but scientists say there were never any snakes.
The question is asking what the legend says — not science.
✔ Answer: According to legend, he drove all the snakes out of Ireland.
---
8. Which city in the United States has held the largest Saint Patrick’s Day parade since 1762?
→ Paragraph 6: “New York City has held the largest Saint Patrick’s Day parade since 1762. Over 150,000 marchers take part, and nearly 2 million spectators line the streets.”
✔ Answer: New York City
---
9. When and where was the first Saint Patrick’s Day parade held?
→ Same paragraph: “The first recorded Saint Patrick’s Day parade took place in New York City in 1762.”
✔ Answer: In 1762, in New York City.
---
10. How many people participate in Saint Patrick’s Day parades in Boston nowadays?
→ Paragraph 7: “In Boston, the South
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of st patrick day reading worksheet.
