Christmas in Australia

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Christmas in Australia, Part 1
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"That's a lake?" asked Jeff as his family got out of the car.
Aunt Jess nodded. "It's a saltwater lake. It's twice as big as Sydney Harbor."
"We were there and saw the Opera House," said Nina as she pulled on her mother's arm.
"We did," said her mom. "This whole visit to Australia has been exciting."
"Bob and I are thrilled to have you all here for Christmas," said Aunt Jess. "It's such a
treat to have family here from America, even though all of this heat doesn't make it
seem very Christmassy to you."
The whole family walked toward the jetty that jutted out into the lake. Crowds of parents and children in t-shirts
and shorts gathered near the shore.
Jeff and Nina followed their parents, unsure of what to expect. Uncle Bob and Aunt Jess seemed really nice. They
lived near Sydney and had planned this Christmas Eve trip to Lake Macquarie.
"Santa Claus sails around the lake on an old show boat, the...." Aunt Jess stopped and tapped her forehead.
"It's the Wangi Queen," offered Uncle Bob.
Aunt Jess smiled at him. "Thank you, dear. The name escaped me for a moment. Anyway, they play all kinds of
Christmas music as they go. It's really quite a sight!"
Jeff and Nina tried to work their way closer to the jetty. The crowds were increasing as the time for Santa's boat to
arrive drew near.
Sound travels fast over the water. When the first sounds of Christmas songs were heard, everyone knew that the
Wangi Queen Show Boat was about to arrive.
Jeff and Nina stretched up on their toes to be first to catch a glimpse. Dad picked up Jeff, and Uncle Bob picked
up Nina so the kids could get a better view.
Suddenly, cheers erupted from all of the children and many of the parents who waited for Santa's arrival. The red
and white show boat was in view!

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The boat pulled alongside the jetty and docked. Santa Claus got off with a big red bag in his hands.
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"What's in the bag, Uncle Bob?" asked Nina.
"He's got lollies for all of you kids," said Uncle Bob.
"What are lollies?" asked Nina with a perplexed look on her face.
"Sweets; candies," said Uncle Bob.
Nina smiled. Candy was always nice. She licked her lips.
them.
Santa slowly made his way through the crowd, giving out small bags of lollies to all the children who wanted
When he came to Nina and Jeff, they were almost too awe-struck to take the sweets, but they finally did. As the
family traveled back to Sydney, the two children settled back and dozed in the car. Who would have thought that
they would actually meet Santa Claus in Australia?
Christmas in Australia, Part 1
Questions
1. Lake Macquarie is a ______ lake.
A. freshwater
B. fish-free
C. railway-safe
D. saltwater
2. Jeff and Nina were visiting from ______.
A. Japan
B. India
C. Canada
D. America
3. They were visiting family members near ______.
A. Melbourne
B. Sydney
C. Canberra
D. Atlanta
4. The show boat docked at the jetty.
A. false
B. true

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5. The name of the show boat was ______.
A. Queen of the Nile
B. Wangi Queen
C. African Queen
D. Macquarie Queen
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6. Everyone cheered when they heard ______. (multiple word answer)
7. Lollies are small dolls.
A. false
B. true
8. What did Santa do with the lollies?

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How many of these can you write about? Think! Write! Check all the ones you answered.
If you could go anywhere for Christmas, where would you go and why?
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If you could meet Santa Claus somewhere, where would it be and why?
Don't stop writing. Use a blank piece of paper to continue.