Merry Christmas

The winter holiday season is the most festive time of the year in the United States. Students from elementary school through college have about two weeks’ vacation, beginning shortly before Christmas and ending soon after New Year’s Day. 　 71　 There are many parties to celebrate the birth of Christ and the arrival of the New Year.

72 Late in November, street lights and store windows are decorated with the traditional Christmas colors of red and green. Santa Claus, shepherd and angel scenes appear in shop windows. Winter scenes with snowmen, sleighs, skaters, and skiers decorate cards and windows.

The manufacture and sale of Christmas items is big business. 　 73　 Smart shoppers buy their gifts far in advance, before the Christmas rush makes shopping a chore.

Although Americans enjoy the commercial friendliness of Christmas, the most beautiful and meaningful parts of the holiday occur at home. 　 74　 Then they sit down to enjoy a traditional Christmas dinner—turkey or ham, sweet potatoes, vegetables, and cranberry sauce. Dessert is usually fruit cake, plum pudding, or apple pie. Most of the Christmas customs which Americans enjoy today are variations of traditions brought here by European immigrants, decorating the Home with evergreens for example. 　75　 Branches of evergreens were thought to bring good luck and guarantee the return of spring. Now, at Christmastime, decorated trees stand in about two-thirds of American homes. The modern American tree is usually covered with colored balls and strings of colored lights.

A.　　 Many families gather around the tree and open their gifts.

B.　　 In America, the spirit of Christmas arrives about a month before the holiday itself.

C.　　 Many families go away for the holidays, but those who stay home have fun, too.

D. In America, it’s customary to exchange gifts with family members and close friends.

E. Stores depend on Christmas shoppers for about one-fourth of their annual sales.

F. Today the custom continues, but now it is for fun.

G. This winter custom began in ancient times.

練習(xí)冊系列答案
相關(guān)習(xí)題

科目：高中英語 來源：09-10年福建省泉州一中高二上學(xué)期期末考試 題型：閱讀理解


第三部分 閱讀理解（共20小題，每小題2分，滿分40分）
For many people Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. One of the reasons people love it so much is that you get presents. But like presents, Christmas needs to be unwrapped so that you can understand the true meaning behind the day.
Many Chinese believe everyone in Western countries celebrate this holiday. That is not true. Christmas is an important religious holiday for Christians. December 25 represents the birthday of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the son of God.
Christianity (基督教) is a very popular religion in America and Europe. However, there are many other religions, too. People who celebrate those religions don’t celebrate Christmas. But during the winter season they usually have their own important holiday. That is why when talking to a foreigner it is safer to say, “ Happy holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” because you never know his/her religious background.
The image of a fat, happy man in red---Santa Claus---has come to represent the idea of goodness and love instead of religious part or the “Christmas spirit”. Santa Claus is based on a man named Saint Nicholas who was a 4th century Greek Christian.
Saint Nicholas bought presents for children and gave them away anonymously(匿名地). This is where the idea of gift on Christmas began. But the Santa Claus didn’t exist until the 19th century when an American named Thomas Nast drew cartoons of him. So really, Santa has nothing to do with the religious holiday.
In fact, some people who celebrate Christmas don’t really care about Santa Claus.
Christmas is a special day for Christians but the ideas of being good and loving your neighbors are not limited to Christianity. So buy a gift for your friend, tell your mother you love her and have merry Christmas. I mean ,”Happy holidays!”
56. Christians believe December 25 represents the birthday of _________.
A. Santa Claus     B. God    C. Jesus Christ     D. Thomas Nast
57. In the passage, the author thinks __________.
A. Santa Claus was a real person in the past
B. everyone should believe in Christianity
C. all people in Western countries celebrate Christmas
D. Santa Claus has nothing to do with Christmas holiday
58. What is “the true meaning” in the first passage?
A. For many people Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year
B. The Westerners have different religious backgrounds
C. Some like to say “Merry Christmas”, and others like to say “Happy holidays”
D. Being good and loving our neighbors are the virtues of all humans
59. What is the CORRECT explanation of Santa Claus?
A. He was a Greek Christian in the 4th century
B. He was an American who was born in the 19th century
C. His image represents the “Christmas spirit”
D. He was a cartoon figure drawn by Thomas Nast

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：09-10年福建省高二上學(xué)期期末考試 題型：閱讀理解

 

第三部分  閱讀理解（共20小題，每小題2分，滿分40分）

For many people Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. One of the reasons people love it so much is that you get presents. But like presents, Christmas needs to be unwrapped so that you can understand the true meaning behind the day.

Many Chinese believe everyone in Western countries celebrate this holiday. That is not true. Christmas is an important religious holiday for Christians. December 25 represents the birthday of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the son of God.

Christianity (基督教) is a very popular religion in America and Europe. However, there are many other religions, too. People who celebrate those religions don’t celebrate Christmas. But during the winter season they usually have their own important holiday. That is why when talking to a foreigner it is safer to say, “ Happy holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” because you never know his/her religious background.

The image of a fat, happy man in red---Santa Claus---has come to represent the idea of goodness and love instead of religious part or the “Christmas spirit”. Santa Claus is based on a man named Saint Nicholas who was a 4th century Greek Christian.

Saint Nicholas bought presents for children and gave them away anonymously(匿名地). This is where the idea of gift on Christmas began. But the Santa Claus didn’t exist until the 19th century when an American named Thomas Nast drew cartoons of him. So really, Santa has nothing to do with the religious holiday.

In fact, some people who celebrate Christmas don’t really care about Santa Claus.

Christmas is a special day for Christians but the ideas of being good and loving your neighbors are not limited to Christianity. So buy a gift for your friend, tell your mother you love her and have merry Christmas. I mean ,”Happy holidays!”

56. Christians believe December 25 represents the birthday of _________.

A. Santa Claus     B. God    C. Jesus Christ     D. Thomas Nast

57. In the passage, the author thinks __________.

A. Santa Claus was a real person in the past

B. everyone should believe in Christianity

C. all people in Western countries celebrate Christmas

D. Santa Claus has nothing to do with Christmas holiday

58. What is “the true meaning” in the first passage?

A. For many people Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year

B. The Westerners have different religious backgrounds

C. Some like to say “Merry Christmas”, and others like to say “Happy holidays”

D. Being good and loving our neighbors are the virtues of all humans

59. What is the CORRECT explanation of Santa Claus?

A. He was a Greek Christian in the 4th century

B. He was an American who was born in the 19th century

C. His image represents the “Christmas spirit”

D. He was a cartoon figure drawn by Thomas Nast

 

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

第三部分  閱讀理解（共20小題，每小題2分，滿分40分）

For many people Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. One of the reasons people love it so much is that you get presents. But like presents, Christmas needs to be unwrapped so that you can understand the true meaning behind the day.

Many Chinese believe everyone in Western countries celebrate this holiday. That is not true. Christmas is an important religious holiday for Christians. December 25 represents the birthday of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the son of God.

Christianity (基督教) is a very popular religion in America and Europe. However, there are many other religions, too. People who celebrate those religions don’t celebrate Christmas. But during the winter season they usually have their own important holiday. That is why when talking to a foreigner it is safer to say, “ Happy holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” because you never know his/her religious background.

The image of a fat, happy man in red---Santa Claus---has come to represent the idea of goodness and love instead of religious part or the “Christmas spirit”. Santa Claus is based on a man named Saint Nicholas who was a 4th century Greek Christian.

Saint Nicholas bought presents for children and gave them away anonymously(匿名地). This is where the idea of gift on Christmas began. But the Santa Claus didn’t exist until the 19th century when an American named Thomas Nast drew cartoons of him. So really, Santa has nothing to do with the religious holiday.

In fact, some people who celebrate Christmas don’t really care about Santa Claus.

Christmas is a special day for Christians but the ideas of being good and loving your neighbors are not limited to Christianity. So buy a gift for your friend, tell your mother you love her and have merry Christmas. I mean ,”Happy holidays!”

56. Christians believe December 25 represents the birthday of _________.

A. Santa Claus     B. God    C. Jesus Christ     D. Thomas Nast

57. In the passage, the author thinks __________.

A. Santa Claus was a real person in the past

B. everyone should believe in Christianity

C. all people in Western countries celebrate Christmas

D. Santa Claus has nothing to do with Christmas holiday

58. What is “the true meaning” in the first passage?

A. For many people Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year

B. The Westerners have different religious backgrounds

C. Some like to say “Merry Christmas”, and others like to say “Happy holidays”

D. Being good and loving our neighbors are the virtues of all humans

59. What is the CORRECT explanation of Santa Claus?

A. He was a Greek Christian in the 4th century

B. He was an American who was born in the 19th century

C. His image represents the “Christmas spirit”

D. He was a cartoon figure drawn by Thomas Nast

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：湖北省期末題 題型：閱讀理解

閱讀理解。
     Christmas Day, the birthday of Jesus Christ, is the most important festival in Britain and some other
countries. On Christmas Eve, people usually tell their children to put their stockings at the end of their
beds before they go to sleep. Children believe Santa Claus, with the other name of Father Christmas,
will come during the night and fill their stockings with Christmas presents. 　　
     Actually (實際上), Father Christmas is children's father. He dresses up in a red coat and waits until
children fall asleep. Then he goes into children's bedrooms, and puts small presents in their stockings.
When children are no longer young, they know who Father Christmas really is. 　　
     Not only children but also their parents enjoy Christmas stockings. They also have stockings. Early
on the morning of Christmas Day, children wake their parents up and say "Merry Christmas". Then they
help their parents open their stockings. Everybody likes presents. But it is better to give than to receive.
1. Christmas Day is______. 　　
A. the birthday of Jesus Christ 　　
B. the only day for giving presents 　　
C. the only day for receiving presents 　　
D. the day for playing games
2. What do all the British children do on Christmas Eve in the story? 　　
A. They talk all the night. 　　
B. They sing and dance. 　　
C. They put their stockings at the end of their beds. 　　
D. They won't sleep until Father Christmas comes.
3. Santa Clausis another way of saying _______. 　　
A. Christmas Day 　　
B. Christmas presents 　　
C. Christmas Eve 　　
D. Father Christmas
4. From the story we know that on Christmas Day children feel very happy because they can receive _______. 　　
A. red clothes 　　
B. stockings 　　
C. presents
D. food

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習(xí)冊答案