(新)高中英语阅读理解第二部分欧美习俗五练习

第二部分欧美习俗（五）
21. What Do You Know About the United States?
美国知多少
The United States covers a large part of the North American continent. Its neighbors are Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. Although the United States is a big country, it is not the largest in the world. In 1964, its population was over 185 million. Now it is just 300 million, which is the largest in North America.
When this land first became a nation, after winning its independence from England, it had thirteen states. Each of the states was represented on the American flag by a star. All these states were in the eastern part of the continent. As the nation grew toward the west, new states were added and new stars appeared on the flag. For a long time, there were 48 stars. In 1959, however, two more stars were added to the flag, representing the new states of Alaska and Hawaii.
Indians were the first people of the land, which is now the United States. There are still many thousands of Indians now living in all parts of the country. Sometimes it is said that the Indians are “the only real Americans”. Most Americans come from all over the world. Those who came first in greatest numbers to make their homes on the eastern part of North America were mostly from England. It is for that reason that the language of the United States is English and that its culture and customs are more like those of England than those of any other country in the world. Comprehension Questions:
1. The first thirteen states are in ______ of America.
A. the south
B. the north
C. the east
D. the west
2. The United States didn’t have ______ states until ______
A. thirteen; 1959.
B. forty-eight; 1959.
C. fifty; 1964.
D. fifty; 1959.
3. Why did English become the language of the United States? Because ______
A. English is the native language of the Indians.
B. Most Americans came from all over the world.
C. Most of the people who first settled in America were from England.
D. Canada is its nearest neighbor.
4. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? ______
A. The United States is the largest country in the world.
B. The population of the United States is larger than that of any other country in North America.
C. The United States covers the most part of North America.
D. Mexico lies to the north of Canada.
(CDCB)
22. Importance of English Idioms
英语成语的重要性
As we all know, an idiom is a speech form or an expression of a language that is peculiar grammatically. It cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements. Here is a story about a Chinese student meeting with an Englishman.
A year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms, though my teacher emphasized the importance again and again. But recently, the importance of English idioms was shown in an amusing experience.
One day, I happened to meet an Englishman on the road, and soon we began to talk. As I was talking about how I was studying English, the foreigner seemed to be surprised. Gently shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders, he said, “ You don’t say!”“ You don’t say!”
I was puzzled, I thought, perhaps this was not a proper topic. “Well, I’d better change the topic.” So I said to him, “Well, shall we talk about the Great Wall? By the way, have you been to the Great Wall?”“Certainly, everyone back home would laugh at me if I left China without seeing it. It is wonderful.” He was deep in thought when I began to speak like a tourist guide. “The Great Wall of China is one of the wonders in the world. We are very proud of it.”Soon I was stopped again by his words: “You don’t say!” I couldn’t help asking, “Why do you ask me not to talk about it?”“Well, I didn’t ask you to do so,” he answered, greatly surprised. I said, “Didn’t you say ‘you don’t say’?”
Hearing this, the Englishman laughed to tears. He began to explain, “ ‘You don’t say’ actually means ‘really’! It is an expression of surprise. Perhaps you don’t pay attention to English idioms.” Only then did I know how foolish I had been. Since that time I have been more careful with idiomatic expressions. Comprehension Questions: (True or False)
1. We can judge the meaning of an English idiom on the surface ()
2. “You don’t say!” is an English idiom with the meaning “really”. ()
3. The Englishman hasn’t been to the Great Wall. ()
4. The Chinese student finally realized the importance of English idioms. () (FTFT)
23. The Origin of Christmas Tree
圣诞树的由来
Set high on the great round table stands the lighted Christmas tree, shining its gold cheer around the room. It towers above the children's heads as they gaze up at it with admiring eyes. Sitting on the very top of the tree is a silver star surrounded by tiny lights. All the branches are hung with silver bells and sparkling lights. Around the base of the tree lie the gifts and toys wrapped up in bright colorful paper.
Every Christmas in millions of homes all over the world, a Christmas tree forms the centerpiece of the decorations. But it is Germany we have to thank for giving us the custom of lighting and decorating a small fir tree.
According to the ancient legend, a traveling holy man called St. Boniface was passing through a forest one December when he was horrified to see that a small boy was going to be offered up as a human sacrifice to one of their gods. He was just about to be put on a roaring fire when St. Boniface rushed in and snatched the boy away. Then, picking up an axe he chopped down a huge oak tree which stood nearby. As it fell to the ground, a tiny young fir appeared out of the ground in the space where the mighty oak had stood.
“From now on,” said St. Boniface, “this little tree will be a holy symbol. It is the sign of everlasting life because its leaves are still green when everything else seems dead around it. Moreover, it will always point upward to heaven. From this day, this little tree shall be called the Christ-child Tree.”
This little tree has become known around the world.
Comprehension Questions:
1. In the first sentence of the passage, “lighted Christmas tree” means a tree ______
A. which is on fire.
B. which is burnt.
C. with a light and silver bells on.
D. with many tiny and sparkling lights on.
2. A Christmas tree can give a family ______
A. an ancient legend.
B. much pleasure.
C. many gifts and toys.
D. much light.
3. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. It was the Germans who first ordered the people in other countries to decorate a small fir tree.
B. It was the Englishmen that gave us the custom to light and decorate the small fir tree.
C.It was Germany that gave us the custom of lighting and decorating the Christmas tree.
D. It was the Germans that first began to plant the fir tree.
4. A group of people offered up a boy to one of their gods by ______
A. cutting him into pieces.
B. poisoning him
C. setting fire on him.
D. leaving him alone.
(DBCC)
24. The Legend of Santa Claus
圣诞老人的传说
Christmas season is the most festive time of year in many Western countries. Children believe that on Christmas Eve Santa Claus, a fat, merry man who wears a red suit, red hat, and a long white beard, slides down their chimneys to bring them gifts. So they hang stockings by the fireplace, hoping that Santa Claus will fill them with candy and toys.
But was there really a Santa Claus? Yes. Not the man mentioned above but a 4th century bishop, Saint Nicholas. He was born in Turkey and his remains are kept to this day in Bari, Italy. According to a story, he was best known for saving children. He brought three dead boys back to life after they had been chopped up! Stories like that helped him become the patron saint of boys and girls. Later on his name was changed into Santa Claus. In the 17th century, the Dutch of New Amsterdam in America added the sleigh and the flying reindeer to him. Since then Santa Claus has traveled in a sleigh pulled by eight reindeers.
On Christmas Eve many children even lie awake listening to Santa Claus and his
sleigh. But he never comes. The gifts found in the stockings the next morning were put there by their own parents when they were asleep.
Comprehension Questions:
1. Children believe that Santa Claus comes ______
A. on Christmas Day.
B. on New Year's Eve.
C. on the evening before Christmas.
D. on the afternoon before Christmas.
2. They hang stockings by the fireplace ______
A. to dry them up.
B. for their mothers to wash.
C. to make the room more beautiful.
D. to receive gifts from Santa Claus.
3. Saint Nicolas was born in ______
A. Europe.
B. Turkey.
C. West Germany.
D. Greece.
4. "His remains are kept to this day in Bari, Italy." The sentence means ______
A. Saint Nicolas still lives in Italy.
B. his body is kept in Italy today.
C. he works in Italy.
D. he remains in Bari Italy today.
5. According to the passage, Santa Claus was ______
A. an imaginary person.
B. a real person who lived in the sixteenth century.
C. modeled after many kinds of people who loved children.
D. a real person who lived 1,700 years ago.
(CDBBD)
25. Friday and the Thirteenth
星期五和13
Friday and the Thirteenth has long been considered extremely unlucky because it has some bad associations which came from mythology, tale of the Bible, and the customs and habits. According to the Bible, the Lord God created the first man, Adam.
Then he took a rib from Adam's body and out of it created the first woman, Eve. It was said that Adam was created on a Friday and it was on Friday that Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, and on a Friday they died.
Friday was also the common day in England for executing criminals, for which it was sometimes known as Hanging Day.
From the old Norse myth people got the idea that 13 people sitting at a table to have a dinner was unlucky. And this superstition was confirmed by the last supper of Christ and his disciples. The Bible tells us that Christ sat down with his 12 disciples, which made up the number 13, at the last supper when Judas, one of the 12 disciples, sold his master for thirty pieces of silver. Christ was killed by nailing on the cross the following day on a Friday.
Comprehension Questions: (True or false)
1. Friday and the Thirteenth is considered extremely unlucky because it is associated with the Bible. ()
2. In the past criminals were executed on Fridays in England. ()
(TTFF)。