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Children's Day · Worksheet C1

Whose Day Is It?

Read the passage and answer the questions. (CEFR B1–B2)

ClassNo.Name
🔊 音声を聞こう

1For centuries, May 5 in Japan was associated with boys. Families displayed armor and warrior dolls, partly because the word for the iris-like shobu plant sounds the same as a word meaning respect for martial values. When lawmakers created a new holiday on this date in 1948, they faced an awkward question: could a boys' festival become a day for every child?

2Some members of the upper house worried that girls would feel left out and that the date carried a military image. They even proposed October 1 instead. One member also pointed out that the court festival of the Heian period, about a thousand years earlier, had no such warlike meaning. In the end, May 5 won because of its pleasant weather and long tradition, but the law was written for all children and added gratitude to mothers.

3Other countries answer the question differently. Turkey lets children sit in the seats of national leaders for a day, while Taiwan once celebrated children together with women. A holiday's name may change quickly, yet the customs people practice at home often change much more slowly.

Comprehension

  1. What is the main question the passage discusses?

    A How to make carp streamers at homeB Whether a festival that was once for boys could become a day for all childrenC Why Turkey has more holidays than JapanD When the Heian period started

  2. Why did some members of the upper house propose October 1?

    A Because October 1 was the emperor's birthdayB Because children in Kobe asked for October 1C Because they worried that girls would feel left out and that May 5 had a military imageD Because the weather in May was too hot

  3. According to the passage, what did the 1948 law add to Children's Day?

    A Gratitude to mothersB A parade of samuraiC A day off for fathersD A rule to display armor

  4. Why did one member mention the court festival of the Heian period?

    A To show that May 5 had always been a military dayB To argue that the holiday should move to the Heian capitalC To explain why carp streamers are blackD To show that the date did not originally have a warlike meaning

  5. In paragraph 1, the word "awkward" in "an awkward question" is closest in meaning to

    A easy and simpleB difficult to deal withC funnyD old-fashioned

  6. What does the writer suggest in the last sentence?

    A Holiday names never change.B Families stopped displaying armor right after 1948.C Even when a law changes a holiday's meaning, home customs may stay the same for a long time.D Turkey and Taiwan should copy Japan's customs.
© 原田英語 ｜ 世界の行事・祝日ナビ ｜ haradaeigo.com/holiday/Children's Day · C1
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Children's Day · Worksheet C2

Vocabulary, Paraphrase & Summary

Match the words with the definitions. Then rewrite and summarize.

ClassNo.Name
  1. associate
  2. armor
  3. martial
  4. awkward
  5. left out
  6. propose
  7. gratitude
  8. practice
  1. the feeling of being thankful
  2. to do something regularly as a custom or habit
  3. to connect one thing with another in your mind
  4. a hard covering, often made of metal, that soldiers wore long ago to protect their bodies
  5. connected with fighting or war
  6. difficult to deal with and making people feel uncomfortable
  7. not included in a group or activity
  8. to suggest a plan or idea for people to think about

Paraphrase — say it in your own words

1. “For centuries, May 5 in Japan was associated with boys.”

Hint: Start with "For hundreds of years, people thought of".

2. “In the end, May 5 won because of its pleasant weather and long tradition, but the law was written for all children and added gratitude to mothers.”

Hint: Split it into two sentences. Use "was chosen" and "also says".

3. “Turkey lets children sit in the seats of national leaders for a day, while Taiwan once celebrated children together with women.”

Hint: Use two sentences. Start the second one with "In Taiwan".

Summary

Summarize the passage in about 50 words.

© 原田英語 ｜ 世界の行事・祝日ナビ ｜ haradaeigo.com/holiday/Children's Day · C2
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Children's Day · Worksheet C3

Debate & Opinion Essay

Prepare for a debate. Then write your opinion (100–150 words).

ClassNo.Name
Motion: March 3, the Doll Festival, should also become a national holiday.
FOR 賛成
  • May 5 was a boys' festival for centuries, so making March 3 a holiday too would treat girls and boys equally.
  • In 1948, lawmakers worried that girls would feel left out, and a March 3 holiday would answer that worry.
  • A day off would give families time to display dolls and enjoy the festival together, helping the tradition survive.

Add your own reason:

AGAINST 反対
  • The 1948 law already made May 5 a day for all children, so another holiday for one group is not needed.
  • Japan already has many national holidays, and adding one more in March would make the school and work calendar harder to plan.
  • Hinamatsuri has continued at home for a long time without being a holiday, so it does not need a day off to stay alive.

Add your own reason:

OpinionI believe / I think that …
Reason 1First, … For example, …
Reason 2Second, … In fact, …
CounterSome people say … However, …
ConclusionIn conclusion, …
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