英语阅读理解高级——圣诞节的一封信

1. Match the following words to their meanings:a) endearing - an example from a group or a collection ofobjectsb) sweeping - to destroy or damage somethingc) hijinks - troublesome, having fun making things thatyou’re not supposed to dod) to dote on - lovely, making you feel affectione) sample - mischief and merrymaking that is oftendisruptive, but not too serious, like pranks or gaggiftsf) mischievous - to love someone very much, to adore themg) awful - very broad, extensive, vasth) to spoil - terrible, very bad2. Read the following article about the “Letters From Father Christmas”by J. R. R. Tolkien. Then answer the questions below.Read J. R. R. Tolkien’s “Letter From Father Christmas” ToHis Young Childrenby Ilia BlindermanJ.R.R. Tolkien is best known for thesweeping fantasy landscapes of Lord ofThe Rings and The Hobbit. Apart frombeing a celebrated author, the OxfordUniversity professor of Anglo-Saxon wasalso a devoted father who doted on hischildren.In 1920, a few short years after Tolkienreturned from World War I, he began anendearing family Christmas tradition that would continue for the next 23 years. Afterthe birth of his firstborn son, John, Tolkien began to write his four children letters from Father Christmas. These North Poles tales chiefly concern Father Christmas’ struggles against the north’s bat-riding goblins, as well as the mischievous hijinks of his helper, North Polar Bear. An adept illustrator whose original drawings accompanied many ofhis writings (see his book cover designs for Lord of the Rings), Tolkien included with many of his Christmas letters a set of charming pictures.The many letters were eventually collected in a beautiful volume called Letters From Father Christmas. Thanks to the good work of Letters of Note, we bring to you a sample letter from 1925:Cliff HouseTop of the WorldNear the North PoleXmas 1925My dear boys,I am dreadfully busy this year —it makes my hand more shakythan ever when I think of it —and not very rich. In fact, awfulthings have been happening, andsome of the presents have gotspoilt and I haven't got the NorthPolar Bear to help me and Ihave had to move house justbefore Christmas, so you canimagine what a state everythingis in, and you will see why I havea new address, and why I canonly write one letter between youboth. It all happened like this:one very windy day lastNovember my hood blew off andwent and stuck on the top of the North Pole. I told him not to, but the N.P.Bear climbed up to the thin top to get it down — and he did. The pole broke in the middle and fell on the roof of my house, and the N.P.Bear fell through the hole it made into the dining room with my hood over his nose, and all the snow fell off the roof into the house and melted and put out all the fires and ran down into the cellars where I was collecting this year's presents, and the N.P.Bear's leg got broken. He is well again now, but I was so cross with him that he says he won't try to help me again. I expect his temper is hurt, and will be mended by next Christmas. I send you a picture of the accident, and of my new house on the cliffs above the N.P. (with beautiful cellars in the cliffs). If John can't read my old shaky writing (1925 years old) he must get his father to. When is Michael going to learn to read, and write his own letters to me? Lots of love to you both and Christopher, whose name is rather like mine.That's all. Goodbye.Father Christmas- Who are the main characters in the letters from Father Christmas?- Who illustrated the letters?- Why had Father Christmas changed his address on Christmas 1925?- How did the North Polar Bear break his leg?- Why did some of the presents in the cellars get spoilt?- Where are the new cellars?- What are the names of the Tolkien children? How old do you think they were?3. Write an answer to Father Christmas’s letter to tellhim about the Christmas traditions in your town orcountry. (If you don’t celebrate Christmas, you cantalk about another holiday or tradition you enjoy.)The Letters from Father Christmas were written by J. R. R. Tolkien between 1920 and 1943.ANSWER KEYi) endearing - lovely, making you feel affectionj) sweeping - very broad, extensive, vastk) hijinks - mischief and merrymaking that is oftendisruptive, but not too serious, like pranks or gaggiftsl) to dote on - to love someone very much, to adore themm) sample - an example from a group or a collection ofobjectsn) mischievous - troublesome, having fun making things thatyou’re not supposed to doo) awful - terrible, very badp) to spoil - to destroy or damage something- Father Christmas and the North Polar Bear.- Tolkien himself made the illustrations.- He had had to move to another house because of the damage the Polar Bear caused to his roof.- The North Polar Bear fell into the house through the roof when he climbed to the top of the North Pole to get Father Christmas’s hood and the Pole broke.- Because the snow from the roof fell into the house, melted and ran down to the cellars, where it spoilt the presents.- The new cellars are in the cliffs below the new house.- The Tolkien children were John, Michael and Christopher. They must have been very young children, because two of them couldn’t read yet.。