Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Second Sunday of May
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Mother's Day is a widely celebrated occasion dedicated to honouring mothers, motherhood, and the influence of mothers in society. Different countries may follow different dates, but many nations, including India, the United States, and several European countries, observe Mother's Day on the same pattern each year. This question focuses on the commonly accepted international pattern and asks learners to identify which specific day description correctly matches that observance.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
In many parts of the world, Mother's Day is not fixed to a particular date like 10 May but is instead tied to a weekday pattern. The standard practice in countries such as the United States and India is to observe Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May every year. This allows families to celebrate on a weekend and keeps the holiday within the same month while letting the exact date change slightly from year to year. For exam purposes, this pattern is commonly asked as a direct general knowledge question.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Mother's Day in India and many other countries falls in May, not in December, November, or January.Step 2: Remember that it is generally described as the second Sunday of May, which means the weekday pattern is important.Step 3: Compare this pattern with the options and identify the one that explicitly states Second Sunday of May.Step 4: Recognise that the other options either give fixed dates or place the observance in different months.Step 5: Select Second Sunday of May as the correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
Media coverage, greeting card promotions, and school functions around Mother's Day all emphasize that it falls on the second Sunday of May. If you look at calendars for different years, the actual numerical date of Mother's Day shifts, but the position as the second Sunday remains constant. This matches the description in the correct option and confirms that this is the pattern expected in international general knowledge questions.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
11 December: This date is not associated with the widely observed Mother's Day tradition in most countries mentioned in exam contexts.
29 November: While some nations have different local celebrations, 29 November is not the standard international pattern for Mother's Day in general knowledge questions.
Second Wednesday of October: This mixes a weekday pattern with another month, but Mother's Day is associated with May in common international practice, not October.
First Sunday of January: This date might be convenient for a new year celebration but is not used for Mother's Day in standard exam oriented references.
Common Pitfalls:
Some learners incorrectly assume that Mother's Day has a fixed date, such as 10 May, because advertisements highlight a particular date each year. Others confuse International Mother's Day with dates used in specific countries that follow different traditions. To avoid such mistakes, it is helpful to remember that for general competitive exams based on Indian and similar syllabi, Mother's Day is best represented as the second Sunday of May.
Final Answer:
Second Sunday of May
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