Christmas Traditions
The Origin of Christmas
Since about 400 AD, Christmas Day has been celebrated on 25th December. This date was the old mid-winter festival in pre-Christian times, around the time of the longest night and the shortest day. Christmas in the 21st century has many traditions: Christmas trees, cards and presents.
Presents and shopping
Shops can make about 60 percent of their year’s income in the three months before Christmas. So most shops get ready for it in October. The shopping centres are beautifully decorated and stay open late at night. The first time this happened was in 1867 when Macy’s, a famous shop in New York, stayed open until midnight on Christmas Eve (24th December).
Trees
By mid-December, almost every house, shop and street has a Christmas tree. This tradition was started by the Germans as early as 700 AD. In the northern countries of the world, winter is cold and dark and most trees lose their leaves. The beautiful green trees decorated with lights and coloured glass balls give people hope that spring will come again.
Cards
The tradition of sending cards to friends was started in 1840 in the UK and now millions of Christmas cards and emails are sent all round the world. Cards are a good way of keeping in touch with family and friends who live far away.
Father Christmas
Father Christmas is known across the world with his white hair, red coat and big bag of toys. Young children are told that he lives in the north of Finland and makes toys for them. By tradition, he brings the toys to children at midnight, on the night before Christmas.
Food
On Christmas day a traditional meal is eaten, usually turkey (like a big chicken) and a rich, spicy cake. Some people hate Christmas. Others feel it is a magical and exciting time. They love seeing family and friends; they also love the traditions. Love it or hate it, Christmas is a time to look back over the old year — and forward to the new one.
1.Christmas has been celebrated ______.
A.for over 3000 years B.since the start of the 21st century
C.for about 1600 years D.for about 2400 years
2.Christmas is important for shops because ______.
A.much of their income is made around Christmas time
B.they can stay open later
C.they are beautifully decorated
D.they can prepare for it long before Christmas
3.Christmas trees are popular because ______.
A.they make people think of Germany B.they make people think of winter
C.they make people think of spring D.they are beautiful and colourful
4.Father Christmas is ______.
A.a magical story for small children B.a character in a film
C.a real person who lives in Finland D.an old man who bring toys to children
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题
Christmas Traditions
The Origin of Christmas
Since about 400 AD, Christmas Day has been celebrated on 25th December. This date was the old mid-winter festival in pre-Christian times, around the time of the longest night and the shortest day. Christmas in the 21st century has many traditions: Christmas trees, cards and presents.
Presents and shopping
Shops can make about 60 percent of their year’s income in the three months before Christmas. So most shops get ready for it in October. The shopping centres are beautifully decorated and stay open late at night. The first time this happened was in 1867 when Macy’s, a famous shop in New York, stayed open until midnight on Christmas Eve (24th December).
Trees
By mid-December, almost every house, shop and street has a Christmas tree. This tradition was started by the Germans as early as 700 AD. In the northern countries of the world, winter is cold and dark and most trees lose their leaves. The beautiful green trees decorated with lights and coloured glass balls give people hope that spring will come again.
Cards
The tradition of sending cards to friends was started in 1840 in the UK and now millions of Christmas cards and emails are sent all round the world. Cards are a good way of keeping in touch with family and friends who live far away.
Father Christmas
Father Christmas is known across the world with his white hair, red coat and big bag of toys. Young children are told that he lives in the north of Finland and makes toys for them. By tradition, he brings the toys to children at midnight, on the night before Christmas.
Food
On Christmas day a traditional meal is eaten, usually turkey (like a big chicken) and a rich, spicy cake. Some people hate Christmas. Others feel it is a magical and exciting time. They love seeing family and friends; they also love the traditions. Love it or hate it, Christmas is a time to look back over the old year — and forward to the new one.
1.Christmas has been celebrated ______.
A.for over 3000 years B.since the start of the 21st century
C.for about 1600 years D.for about 2400 years
2.Christmas is important for shops because ______.
A.much of their income is made around Christmas time
B.they can stay open later
C.they are beautifully decorated
D.they can prepare for it long before Christmas
3.Christmas trees are popular because ______.
A.they make people think of Germany B.they make people think of winter
C.they make people think of spring D.they are beautiful and colourful
4.Father Christmas is ______.
A.a magical story for small children B.a character in a film
C.a real person who lives in Finland D.an old man who bring toys to children
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The Western holiday Halloween also had its origin in old ____ about the return of the spirits of dead people.
A. beliefs B. relief
C. brief D. Chiefs
高一英语单项填空困难题查看答案及解析
Several different stories are told about the origin（由来） of Saint Valentine's Day（情人节）. One legend(传奇) dates as far back as the clays of the Roman Empire, according to the story, Claudius, the Emperor of Rome, wanted to increase the size of the army. He knew that it would be easier to get young man who were not married to join. Therefore he made a rule that no young man could marry until he had served a certain number of years in the army.
A priest（牧师） named Valentine broke the rule and secretly married a great many young people. Finally, Claudius found out about Valentine and put the priest in prison, where he remained until his death on February 14.
After his death, Valentine was made a saint, and the day of his death was named Saint Valentine's Day. It became the custom for lovers to send each other message on this day. Now Saint Valentine's Day is a time for people to send one another greeting of many kinds.
February 14, Valentine's Day, is a sweethearts' day, on which people in love with each other express their tender emotions. People sometimes put their love message in a heart-shaped box of chocolates, or a bunch of flowers tied with red ribbons. Words of letters may be written on the flower covered card, or something else. Whatever the form may be, the message is almost the same "will you be my Valentine?"
1.Valentine was put in prison because ________.
A. he secretly got married
B. he didn't serve in the army
C. he married many young people secretly
D. he broke the laws
2.According to the rule ________.
A. no young men could get married unless they were old enough
B. young men could marry if they served in the army for several years
C. no one could get married without the emperor's permission
D. young could marry only in the army
3.This passage mainly tells us about _________.
A. how Valentine died
B. the Emperor of Rome
C. how Valentine's Day is celebrated
D. the origin of Valentine's Day
4.February 14 is chosen Valentine's Day because __________.
A. lovers express their tender emotions on this day
B. people want to remember Valentine
C. people send one another greetings of many kinds on this day
D. people want to fix a date for lovers to express their emotions
高一英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
The origin of coffee? I never really thought about it. When I was a kid, coffee was always around. My parents drank coffee, my grandparents drank coffee, and all the adults I knew drank coffee. I thought I would drink it too when I was older, and of course. I did.
But there must have been a time before coffee. I don't remember coffee making an appearance in any of the Bible(圣经)stories I learned. Jesus changed water into wine, not coffee. Maybe if coffee had been around, he would have changed some of the water into coffee. Maybe that's what “B. C." in those timelines meant: "before coffee."
According to popular legend, the origin of coffee can be traced to a thousand years ago, when an Abyssinian(Ethiopian)goatherd(牧羊人)named Kaidi observed his goats dancing and jumping. When Kaidi investigated, he saw that the goats were happily eating the red berries（浆果)of an unfamiliar tree. Kaidi decided to try some, and when he did he joined the dancing goats and became “the happiest herder in happy Arabia''.
Some time later, a passing monk(和尚)observed Kaidi and the goats. When Kaidi told him about the berries, the monk thought they might be the answer to his prayers(祈祷). It seems that the monk was always falling asleep in the middle of prayers. When he ate the berries, he stayed awake. The unnamed monk came up with the idea of drying and boiling the berries. It came into the world. His fellow monks loved the new drink because it encouraged them to pray and it tasted good too.
So now that I know about Kaidi and his goats, if someday-in the far, far future, of course someone calls me an "old goat", I'll just smile, take another sip of coffee, and maybe do a little dance.
1.Why didn't Jesus change water into coffee?
A.Because Jesus didn't like coffee.
B.Because coffee didn't appear at that time.
C.Because it was not the right time to have coffee.
D.Because Jesus was better at changing water into wine.
2.What is the tone of the author when writing the text?
A.Serious. B.Objective.
C.Scientific. D.Humorous.
3.The underlined word “it" in paragraph 4 refers to ________.
A.a kind of new drink
B.a kind of food made by monks
C.a kind of soup needed to be boiled
D.a kind of drug encouraging people to keep awake
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.The Origin of Coffee.
B.The Development of Coffee.
C.The Popularity of Coffee in the World.
D.The Coffee-drinking Tradition in My Family.
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
About two weeks before Christmas of 2014 my wife bought me an early Christmas present. It was a beautiful three-month-old cockatiel(鸡尾鹦鹉).
I had always ______ for a bird but as my wife had objected to the very idea of getting one, I was really _______ when she brought her home. I immediately fell in love with her and named her Bleng.
From the beginning I was ______ by the owner of the pet shop not to put a _______ in her cage, as she would think that the reflection was another bird. This could cause Bleng to become ______as the reflection wouldn’t react to her.
____ , my little Bleng _______reflective surfaces around the house all on her own: in the kitchen, against the refrigerator, etc, She spread her wings out slightly every time she _____ her reflection and she spent a lot of time around these ______.
But it wasn’t until last July when we bought a mirrored bedside table for my mother-in-law’s room, that things really became _____ .
Bleng _____ spending time around this bedside table and around her new “______ “!
One day, my mother-in-law went to her room and noticed a real ______ . Seeds were scattered all around the bedside table. She ______ Bleng running to her cage, which was in another room, and _____ carrying seeds to the bedside table and setting them down on the ____. Bleng had noticed that her reflection _____ went to the seed bowl to eat, _____ she brought the seeds over to her “friend!”
We had always known that Bleng was a _____ creature, but it was at that moment that we all learned just how ______ her heart really was!
1.A. prepared B. longed C. waited D. looked
2.A. frightened B. relaxed C. worried D. surprised
3.A. advised B. allowed C. invited D. urged
4.A. bowl B. bird C. mirror D. seed
5.A. satisfied B. proud C. afraid D. disappointed
6.A. Besides B. However C. Instead D. Therefore
7.A. spotted B. collected C. checked D. made
8.A. ignored B. remembered C. saw D. doubted
9.A. animals B. areas C. rooms D. people
10.A. amusing B. confusing C. complex D. annoying
11.A. avoided B. regretted C. missed D. enjoyed
12.A. master B. friend C. cage D. tool
13.A. mess B. trend C. chance D. crowd
14.A. imagined B. stopped C. observed D. kept
15.A. escaping B. hiding C. considering D. returning
16.A. ground B. bed C. mirror D. paper
17.A. already B. also C. never D. still
18.A. or B. so C. for D. but
19.A. huge B. dangerous C. poor D. loving
20.A. cold B. heavy C. big D. weak
高一英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
One of my wonderful memories is about a Christmas gift. Unlike other gifts, it came without wrap(包装).
On September 11th, 1958, mum gave birth to Richard. After she brought him home from hospital, she put him in my arms, saying, “I promised you a gift, and here it is.” What an honor! I became four years old a month earlier and none of my friends had such a baby doll of their own. I played with it day and night. I sang to it. I told stories. I told it again and again how much I loved it!
One morning, however, I found its bed empty. My doll was gone! I cried for it. Mum wept(哭泣) and told me that the poor little thing had been sent to a hospital. It had a fever. For several days, I heard mum and dad whispering such words as “hopeless”, “pitiful”and “dying”, and all these words sounded ominous.
Christmas was coming. “Don’t expect any presents this year,” Dad said, pointing at the socks I hung in the living rooms. “If your baby brother lives, that’ll be Christmas enough.” As he spoke, his eyes filled with tears. I had never seen him cry before.
The phone rang early on Christmas morning. Dad jumped out of bed to answer it. From my bedroom I heard him say, “What? He’s all right?”He hung up and shouted upstairs. “The hospital said we can bring Richard home!”
“Thank God!” I heard mum cry.
From the upstairs window, I watched my parents rush out to the car. I had never seen them so happy. And I was also full of joy. What a wonderful day! My baby doll would be home. I ran downstairs. My socks still hung there flat. But I knew they were not empty：they were filled with love!
1.What happened to the author on September 11th, 1958?
A. He got a baby brother. B. He got a Christmas gift.
C. He became four years old. D. He received a doll.
2.What does the underlined word “ominous” in Paragraph 3 probably mean？
A. Impossible. B. Boring. C. Funny. D. Fearful.
3.Which word can best describe the feeling of the father when Christmas was coming?
A. Excitement. B. Happiness. C. Disappointment. D. Sadness.
4.Which is the best title of the passage?
A. A Sad Christmas Day
B. Life With a Lovely Baby
C. A Special Christmas Gift
D. Memories of a Happy Family
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
One of my wonderful memories is about a Christmas gift.Unlike other gifts, it came without wrap(包装).
On September11th.1958.Mum gave birth to Richard.After she brought him home from hospital, she put him in my lap, saying."I promised you a gift, and here it is." What an honor! I turned four a month earlier and none of my friends had such a baby doll of their own.I played with it day and night.I sang to it.I told it stories.1 told it over and over how much I loved it!
One morning, however, I found its bed empty.My doll was gone! I cried for it.Mum wept and told me that the poor little thing had been sent to a hospital.It had a fever.For several days, I heard Mum and Dad whispering such words as "hopeless", "pitiful", and "dying", which soundedominous.
Christmas was coming."Don’t expect any presents this year." Dad said, pointing at the socks I hung in the living room."If your baby brother lives, that'll be Christmas enough." As he spoke, his eyes filled with tears.I'd never seen him cry before.
The phone rang early on Christmas morning.Dad jumped out of bed to answer it.From my bedroom I heard him say."What? He's all right?" He hung up and shouted upstairs."The hospital said we can bring Richard home!" "Thank God.'" I heard Mum cry.
From the upstairs window, I watched my parents rush out to the car.I had never seen them happy.And I was also full of joy.What a wonderful day! My baby doll would be home.I downstairs.My sacks still hung there flat.But I knew they were not empty; they were filled with love!
1.what happened to the author on September 11 1958 ?
A. He got a baby brother
B. He got a Christmas gift
C. He became four years old
D. He received a doll
2.What does the underlined word “ominous” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
A. Impossible. B. Boring
C. Difficult D. Fearful
3.Which word can best describe the feeling of the father when Christmas was coming?
A. Excitement. B. Happiness.
C. Sadness. D. Disappointment.
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A. A sad Christmas day
B. Life with a lovely baby
C. A special Christmas gift
D. Memories of a happy family
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Last week I was in the boarding（登机）area of the airport excited about my Christmas trip home to see my parents. I was busy planning for the weekend, ________ I was taken out of my daydreaming by an elderly woman talking ________ into her cellphone. She kept asking the person to ________ her where she was. She ________ the gate number again and again. She got a little louder each time she did that. Many people snickered（窃笑）because she was nearly ________ and thought how silly old people could be.
Then I heard her say, “I’m ________, but I can’t hear you. There seems to be something wrong with my hearing aid.” “That’s too ________,” I thought as I moved forward to board the flight. Then I noticed her ________ was becoming increasingly frantic（发狂似的）as she tried to understand the person on the other end of the phone. It was almost my ________ to board. I couldn’t ________ looking back at the woman. It made me think how ________ I was to have my hearing. And I realized I could offer her some ________.
I suddenly got out of the ________ and went to the woman. I showed her to ________ me the phone and shouted, “Let me help you. I’ll tell you what the person is ________.” She looked at me and agreed ________. I took the phone from her, ________ who I was, listened for a moment, and told the woman her husband was ________ her outside the airport as he could not enter the gate area. Finally, I pointed her in the ________ direction.
It took me less than two minutes to finish the task, but my ________ in having been able to help her remains strong.
1.A. so B. unless C. but D. if
2.A. sadly B. quickly C. secretly D. loudly
3.A. tell B. meet C. call D. help
4.A. repeated B. guessed C. asked D. wrote
5.A. leaving B. dying C. shouting D. singing
6.A. sorry B. busy C. sick D. tired
7.A. possible B. strange C. bad D. funny
8.A. friend B. mind C. step（脚步） D. tone（语调）
9.A. task B. turn C. duty D. idea
10.A. continue B. keep C. avoid D. stop
11.A. lucky B. normal C. healthy D. proud
12.A. comfort B. money C. guide D. help
13.A. space B. line C. thought D. circle
14.A. examine B. throw C. fix D. hand
15.A. saying B. doing C. planning D. watching
16.A. bravely B. honestly C. thankfully D. angrily
17.A. considered B. explained C. lied D. forgot
18.A. turning to B. thinking of C. staring at D. waiting for
19.A. right B. left C. dark D. bright
20.A. hope B. pity C. pride D. love
高一英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Since English biologist Charles Darwin (1809 –1882) published On the Origin of Species in 1859, scientists have vastly improved their knowledge of natural history. However, a lot of information is still the subject of speculation, and scientists can still only make educated guesses at certain things.
One subject that they guess about is why some 400 million years ago, animals in the sea developed limbs (肢) that allowed them to move onto and live on land.
Recently, an idea that occurred to the US paleontologist (古生物学家) Alfred Romer a century ago became a hot topic once again.
Sea animals would have been forced into these pools by strong tides. Then, they would have been made either to adapt to their new environment close to land or die. The fittest among them grew to accomplish the transition (过渡) from sea to land. Romer thought that tidal pools might have led to fish gaining limbs.
Romer called these earliest four-footed animals “tetrapods” (四足动物). Science has always thought that this was a credible theory, but only recently has there been strong enough evidence to support it.
Hannah Byrne is an oceanographer (海洋学家) at Uppsala University in Sweden. She announced at the 2018 Ocean Sciences Meeting in Oregon, US, on Feb 15 that by using computer software, her team had managed to link Romer’s theory to places where fossil deposits (化石沉积) of the earliest tetrapods were found.
According to the magazine Science, in 2014, Steven Balbus, a scientist at the University of Oxford in the UK, calculated that 400 million years ago, when the move from land to sea was achieved, tides were stronger than they are today. This is because the planet was 10 percent closer to the moon than it is now.
The creatures stranded in the pools would have been under the pressure of “survival of the fittest”, explained the UK’s University of Bangor ocean scientist Mattias Green. As he told Science: “After a few days in these pools, you become food or you run out of food … the fish that had large limbs had an advantage because they could flip (空翻) themselves back in the water”.
As is often the case, however, there are others who find the theory less convincing. Cambridge University paleontologist Jennifer Clark, speaking to Nature magazine, seemed unconvinced. “It’s only one of many ideas for the origin of land-dwelling (陆地栖息的) tetrapods, any or all of which may have been a part of the answer,” she said.
1.Who first proposed the theory that fish might have gained limbs because of tidal pools?
A. Charles Darwin. B. Alfred Romer.
C. Hannah Byrne. D. Steven Balbus.
2.Why were tides stronger 400 million years ago than they are today according to Steven Balbus?
A. Earth moved faster than it does today.
B. Earth was closer to the sun than it is today.
C. Earth was closer to the moon than it is today.
D. Earth had larger oceans than it does today.
3.What does the underlined word “stranded” in Paragraph 8 mean?
A. Trapped. B. Settled.
C. Survived. D. Adapted.
4.What is the focus of the article?
A. The proposal of a new scientific theory.
B. The arguments over a scientific theory.
C. Some new evidence to support a previous theory.
D. A new discovery that questions a previous theory.
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The origin of ____ life on earth is ____ question that interests astronomers.（原创）
| A．the; the | B．\; a | C．\ ; the | D．the; a |
高一英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析