ESL Birthday Reading

This ESL birthday reading page has a reading passage and multiple choice comprehension questions for you to do. This task will help you get better at understanding birthday words.

A good way to start to learn and understand vocabulary is to do reading tasks. When you read you can work slowly and take your time to find the meanings of all the words. This is something you cannot do when speaking or listening as you need to keep up with the other people involved, but when reading you can work by yourself.

Read the following ESL birthday reading passage and try to understand as much as you can. You should look up any words that you do not know on the ESL birthday vocabulary page. That page has a list of words and their definition. Once you understand the ESL birthday reading passage fully you should try to answer the multiple choice comprehension questions that follow it. Then when you have finished you can use the get score button to see how many you got correct and what the answers really are.

ESL Birthday Reading Comprehension Passage

Birthday Parties

After a 9 month wait, the day a baby is born is the most traumatic and emotional time in the life of any parent. It is a life changing situation for the family. The parents now have to be focussed on the nurture of this small infant. It takes precedent over their priorities. This is a commitment that lasts for years, until the child becomes independent and can look after itself.

As each year passes and a birthday comes around it is a time to celebrate and enjoy each important milestone. The baby's first birthday will not be remembered by the infant, but for the family it is a very happy time. As children grow older and learn to socialise with other boys and girls, the planned party causes great excitement. The child can decide who to invite, where to hold the event and what sort of food to prepare.

Busy pre-school children love lots of activity. Climbing, running and jumping is a way to use up excessive amounts of energy. A party in the garden, if the weather is fine, is ideal. Alternatively a local community hall could be hired. Some parents organise a visit from a children's entertainer, magician or puppeteer.

When school age is reached, party games are enjoyed. Pass the parcel is popular with parents as the children have to sit down in a circle whilst the parcel is handed from one person to the next. When the music plays the parcel moves around from hand to hand. The person holding it when the music stops takes off one wrapping. When the last wrapping is removed the lucky winner keeps the prize.

Music at parties is very important. Games such as musical bumps, musical chairs and musical statues are firm favourites. While another quieter game is spin the plate. The children sit in a circle and are given a number. An adult spins a plate or circular tin tray and calls out a number. The plate has to be 'caught' before it falls down. If it falls over before being grabbed, a forfeit is required, which maybe reciting a poem or singing a song.

In the early teenage years, girls may only invite girls to their parties as they become self-conscious and shy in the company of boys. However as the years pass, birthday parties become an opportunity to get to know your school friends and develop deeper relationships.

ESL Birthday Reading Comprehension

Reading comprehension questions that go with the above reading passage.

1) Who enjoys a first birthday the most?

    A) The baby.
    B) The parents.
    C) The baby's friends.
    D) The baby's toys.

2) According to the passage at what age do children love lots of activity?

    A) They love being active before they are old enough to go to school.
    B) They are active at bedtime.
    C) They are most active in their teens.
    D) They are very active when they are 8 years old.

3) What seating position is adopted for the game, pass the parcel?

    A) The children sit on chairs.
    B) The children jump around and then sit down.
    C) The children sit on the floor in a circle.
    D) The children sit on top of each other.

4) In the 'spin the plate' game, what are the children 'given' before the game starts?

    A) They receive a biscuit.
    B) They get a balloon.
    C) They are given a packet of crisps.
    D) They get a number.

5) Why are some teenage parties for girls only?

    A) It is because girls don't like boys.
    B) Sometimes girls are shy and self-conscious in the company of boys.
    C) Girls want to giggle and boys don't like silly girls.
    D) Girls think boys are pompous at this age.

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