Christmas Reading Skills Exam

Name:

Date:

📖 Part 1: Reading Comprehension

Text A: Christmas Pudding Tradition

Dyslexia-friendly option: Ask your teacher for the audio version or larger font text.

Christmas pudding has been a British tradition for over 400 years. Originally called "plum pudding," it contains no plums but gets its name from the dried fruits used. Families traditionally make their pudding on "Stir-up Sunday" - the last Sunday before Advent begins. Each family member stirs the mixture clockwise and makes a secret wish. The pudding is then aged for several weeks, allowing the flavours to develop. On Christmas Day, the pudding is served flambéed with brandy, creating a spectacular blue flame that delights children and adults alike.

1. How long has Christmas pudding been a British tradition?

200 years

300 years

Over 400 years

500 years

2. Why is Christmas pudding called "plum pudding" when it contains no plums?

Text B: Boxing Day Origins

Boxing Day, celebrated on 26th December, has fascinating origins dating back to medieval times. Wealthy families would give their servants a day off and present them with gift boxes containing food, money, or leftover presents. Churches also opened their collection boxes for the poor on this day, distributing the contents to those in need. Today, Boxing Day is a bank holiday in the UK and many Commonwealth countries. It's become synonymous with football matches, shopping sales, and visiting extended family members who weren't seen on Christmas Day.

3. Which of these are mentioned as Boxing Day traditions? (Select all that apply)

Football matches

Shopping sales

Visiting extended family

Making Christmas pudding

4. Compare how Christmas pudding and Boxing Day traditions both show care for others. Use evidence from both texts.

🎯 Part 2: Language Skills

5. Put these Christmas words in alphabetical order:

Words: tinsel, reindeer, angel, pudding, mistletoe, crackers

1. _______________ 2. _______________ 3. _______________

4. _______________ 5. _______________ 6. _______________

6. Match the Christmas vocabulary to its definition:

Advent

Flambéed

Commonwealth

Medieval

Set on fire with alcohol

Countries linked to Britain

Period before Christmas

From the Middle Ages

7. Find 6 Christmas words in this word search (words go horizontally and vertically):

Words to find: HOLLY, SNOW, GIFTS, CAROL, SANTA, BELLS

H O L L Y T R

S A N T A Q W

N B E L L S E

O P R T Y U R

W G I F T S T

C A R O L M Y

8. Write a paragraph explaining which Christmas tradition from the texts you find most interesting and why. Use formal language suitable for a workplace email.

⭐ Success Criteria & Extension

To achieve Level 3, you should:

• Identify main ideas and supporting details from complex texts

• Make comparisons between different texts

• Use context clues to understand vocabulary

• Write clearly using appropriate formal language

Extension Activity: Research another Christmas tradition from a different country. Write a 150-word summary comparing it to British traditions, using the same formal style as the texts above.