You will read a text about the most uncommon birthdays. Read the text and answer the questions.

Why aren’t babies born on certain days?

Do you know anyone whose birthday is Christmas Day? You may know a few, but actually, having a birthday on that day is quite rare.

December 25th is the least common birthday in the USA, Australia and New Zealand. In England, Wales and Ireland, Christmas Day is the second rarest day for a birthday. There, the fewest birthdays are on December 26th, the national holiday called Boxing Day. Other festival dates are also uncommon. In the USA, the four least common birthdays are Christmas, New Year, Thanksgiving and Independence Day.

So why does this happen? Actually, there is a very logical reason. A third of babies in the USA are born by caesarean. Obviously, doctors can plan the date for these operations. They don’t schedule them for the national holidays because they want to be celebrating, not working. Also, if babies don’t arrive on time, doctors give the mothers drugs to make them give birth. However, they probably won’t do this during holidays.

Some times of year are more common for birthdays than others. In the USA and New Zealand, the most popular month is September. In the UK, it’s September or early October. The reason for this is because many babies are conceived in the cold, winter months when days are short. Australia, where it is warm in February and March, doesn’t show this pattern. In countries further north than the UK, like Norway and Russia, the peak months are earlier: in July or August.

True or false: In England, Wales and Ireland the most uncommon date for a baby to be born on is December 25th (Christmas Day)

Oefening: Reading A2 - All about birthdays

Goed zo!