15.Almost all cultures celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another in some way.Different cultures celebrate the beginning of a new year in different ways,and at different times on the calendar.
Chinese New Year is an important traditional Chinese holiday celebrated at the turn of the Chinese calendar.It is also traditional for every family to thoroughly clean the house,in order to sweep away any ill-fortune and to make way for good incoming luck.Windows and doors will be decorated with red color paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of"good fortune"or"happiness","wealth",and"longevity".Other activities include lighting firecrackers and giving money in red paper envelopes.
In Western countries,people usually celebrate New Year at midnight on December 31st or January 1st.People may go to parties,sometimes dressed in formalclothes like tuxedos and evening gowns,and they may drink champagne(香槟)at midnight.During the first minutes of the New Year,people cheer and wish each other happiness for the year ahead.But some cultures prefer to celebrate the New Year by waking up early to watch the sun rise.
It is also a common Western custom to make a New Year's promise,called a resolution.New Year's resolutions usually include promises to try something new or change a bad habit in the New Year.
Many cultures also do special things to get rid of bad luck at the beginning of a new year.For example,in Ecuador,families make a big doll from old clothes.The doll is filled with old newspapers and firecrackers.At midnight,these dolls are burned to show the bad things from the past year are gone and the New Year can start afresh.Other common traditions to keep away bad luck in a New Year include throwing things into rivers or the ocean,or saying special things on the first day of the New Year.
Other New Year traditions are followed to bring good luck in the New Year.One widespread Spanish tradition for good luck is to eat grapes on New Year's Day.The more grapes a person eats,the more good luck the person will have in the new coming year.In France,people eat pancakes for good luck at New Year.In the United States,some people eat black-eyed peas for good luck-but to get good luck for a whole year you have to eat 365of them!
32.The passage is mainly aboutB.
A.the meaning of"Happy New Year!"
B.several different New Year traditions
C.traditional activities for the New Year
D.interesting traditions on New Year's Day
33.We can learn from the passage thatA.
A.some cultures celebrate New Year in the morning
B.4cultures do special things to celebrate New Year
C.people in Ecuador go to parties on December 31stor January 1st
D.the Western people celebrate New Year only on New Year's Day
34.To have a happy new year,C.
A.friendssing to each other in special ways
B.families make big dolls filled with new clothes
C.some people get up early to watch the sunrise
D.Europeans eat 365grapes on New Year's Day
35.When eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day,people thinkA.
A.one pea brings one day of good luck
B.black-eyed peas are the best medicine
C.the peas are very black and taste bad
D.the peas are helpful to count numbers.
分析 本文主要向我们讲述的是不同文化背景的国家都会以不同的方式庆祝新年.下文以具体的国家:中国,西方国家,厄瓜多尔,西班牙等为例围绕这一主题展开.
解答 32 B 大意归纳题:根据第一段Different cultures celebrate the beginning of a new year in different ways不同的文化以不同的方式庆祝新年的到来.下文以具体的国家:中国,西方国家,厄瓜多尔,西班牙等为例围绕这一主题展开.故选B.
33 A 推测理解题:根据第三段But some cultures prefer to celebrate the New Year by waking up early to watch the sun rise但是有些文化喜欢早起看日出庆祝新年.故A项正确.其余三项均不符合文章的意思.
34 C 细节理解题:根据第三段But some cultures prefer to celebrate the New Year by waking up early to watch the sun rise但是有些文化喜欢早起看日出庆祝新年.故选C.
35 A 细节理解题:根据最后一段In the United States,some people eat black-eyed peas for good luck在美国,有些人吃豇豆以便得到好运气;后文but to get good luck for a whole year you have to eat 365of them!但是要想全年好运,你就得吃其中的365个.即在新年这一天吃,意思是带来新年一天的好运,故人们认为一天吃一个豇豆,就带来这一天的好运,故选A.
点评 本文是我们比较熟悉的话题,仔细通读全文,把握细节,即可得出答案.