高中英语阅读理解第二部分欧美习俗(四)练习

高考英语阅读理解（习俗类）•附详解(1)CARDIFF, Wales Poets, singers and musicians from across the globe gathered in Wales to celebrate the tradition(传统) of storytelling.“It might seem strange that people still want to listen in age of watching television, but this is a n unusual art form whose time has come again,” said David Ambrose, director of Beyond the Border, an international storytelling festival(节) in Wales.“Some of the tales, like those the Inuit from Canada, are thousands years old. So our storytellers hav e come from distant lands to connect us with the distance of time,” he said early this month.Two Inuit women, both in their mid 60s, are among the few remaining who can do Kntadjait, or throat singing, which has few words and much sound. Their art is governed by the cold of their surroundings, forcing them to say little but listen attentively.Ambrose started the festival in 1993, after several years of working with those reviving (coming back into use or existence) storytelling in Wales.“It came out of a group of people who wanted to reconnect with traditions. and as all the Welsh are storytellers, it was in good hands here.” Ambrose said.1. Ambrose believes that the art of storytelling _______.A. will be more popular than TVB. will be popular againC. started in WalesD. are in the hands of some old people2. From the tales told by the Inuit, people can learn _______.A. about their life as early as thousands of years agoB. why they tell the stories in a throat-singing wayC. how cold it has been where the Inuit liveD. how difficult it is to understand the Inuit3. According to the writer, which of the following is NOT true?A. Storytelling once stopped in Wales.B. Storytelling has a long history in Wales.C. Storytelling is always well received in Wales.D. Storytelling did not come back until 1993 in Wales.4. The underlined phrase in good hands means _______.A. controlled by rich peopleB. grasped by good storytellersC. taken good care ofD. protected by kind people【答案解析】短文介绍了威尔斯故事节的有关情况。

第二部分欧美习俗（一）1. When You Are at a Dance当你在舞会上的时候dance taken” or she may say, “I’m sorry, I am not dancing this dance.” This may be a polite way of saying that she does not want to dance with you, or it may be that she is tired and wants to rest; you will have to judge which is her attitude.Do not expect a lady whom you have engaged in advance for a dance to make any attempt to find you. It is her part to remain seated until you find her. Bow and say, “I believe this is my dance.”At the end of a dance, thank your partner, but do not leave her until you have led her to a seat. Then if you wish, you may excuse yourself, and go in search of your next partner.If you cannot dance very well, it is always permissible to ask a lady if she is willing to “sit out” a dance with you.Sometimes during the evening, your hostess, the daughter of the hostess, and any guest of honor should all be asked by you to dance.Comprehension Questions:1. You bow to a lady and say, “May I have the pleasure of a dance?” Thi s shows ______A. the lady is superior to you.B. she is the lady you could dance with.C. your politeness to the lady.D. you love this lady very much.2. When a lady says, “I’m sorry I am not dancing this dance.” she actually means ______A. she is not willing to dance with you.B. she is too tired to dance with you.C. she is not good at this dance at all.D. either A or B.3. If you have already made an appointment with a lady, ______ at the ball.A. you should go to find herB. she is supposed to find youC. it is unnecessary to find each otherD. you wait and wait until it is your turn to dance with her4. At the end of the dance, you should ______A. leave your partner at once and go to find your next partner.B. thank your partner, and then leave her.C. introduce your partner to another gentleman.D. say sorry to your partner for wasting her time.5. The phrase “sit out” in the fourth paragraph means “______”A. dance outside.B. go out of the dancing hall.C. dance without moving.D. remain seated during a dance.(CDABD)2. What One Should Do at the Wedding?在婚礼上该做什么？One wears one's best clothes to a wedding, and usu ally all the family and near friends have new clothes for the occasion. At a formal wedding, the bride is usually dressed all in white, with a white lace veil and a bouquet of white flowers. There have, however, been many variations of this custom of late years, some brides preferring no veil or pink flowers, or even a pale colored dress.A woman who has been married before never wears white for her second wedding, as white is the symbol of virginity. The groom wears the usual formal black.During the ceremony complete silence is maintained by the guests. If the wedding is in a home, friends step up immediately after the service is over to greet the bride and groom. Congratulations are offered to the groom and best wishes to the bride. If the wedding takes place in a church, the guests all wait for the bride and groom and their party to leave the church before leaving themselves.There is often a good deal of merriment at the wedding dinner or supper, but all forms of coarseness are in bad taste. Anything that might detract from the happiness of the newly married couple is impolite. Sometimes rice and small bits of colored paper are thrown at the couple as they leave the house for their wedding trip or “honeymoon”.Comprehension Questions:1. The phrase “near friends” in the first paragraph refers to ______A. friends living nearby.B. friends sitting near you.C. friends who will get married soon.D. close friends.2. A woman who has been married before never wears ______ for her second wedding.A. redB. whiteC. pinkD. pale3. When and where is complete silence maintained by the guests? ______A. During the ceremony in a home.B. During the ceremony in the church.C. During the wedding dinner.D. During the wedding supper either in a home or in the church.4. If the wedding takes place in a church, the guests should all leave ______A. before the bride and groom.B. between the bride and groom.C. after the bride and groom but before their party.D. after the bride and groom and their party.5. Which of the following things is impolite at the wedding dinner or supper? ______A. Telling an unpleasant story.B. Singing a merry song.C. Keeping smiling all the time.D. Saying something nice of the food.(DBBDA)3. At the Theatre在剧院里The Western theatre and movie are so different from the old Chinese theatre as to demand entirely different manners. One should plan to be in one’s seat at the time the play or conc ert begins. It is very impolite to disturb people by coming late. At concerts and some plays you may not be allowed to go to your seat after the program has started until there is an interval. And one should never go out while the actors are on the stage or while music is being played. During the performance it is impolite to talk or make any noise.If you have tickets for definite seats, you should not try to find the seats yourself, but wait for an usher to show you. In this case it is proper for the lady to follow the usher and for the gentleman to come after the lady. When the seats are reserved there may or may not be an usher. If there is no usher, it is polite for the gentleman to precede the lady down the aisle to find suitable seats. At the theatre best clothes are in order; evening clothes are often worn. The movies, however, are not as formal as the theatre. Any kind of respectable clothes may be worn. Comprehension Questions:1. If you are late for a play or concert, ______A. you may still go to your seat, though it disturbs other people.B. you have to go back home, as the rules decide.C. you may go to your seat, but you must be led by the usher.D. you have to wait and go to your seat at intervals.2. The underlined word “interval” most probab ly means ______A. the end of a play or concert.B. the beginning of a play or concert.C. the time before a play of concert begins.D. a short break between two parts of a play or concert.3. If you have tickets for definite seats, and there is no usher, then usually ______A. the lady follows the gentleman to find the seats.B. the gentleman goes after the lady to find the seats.C. the gentleman goes first to find the seats, and then come back to call the lady.D. the lady or the gentleman finds their seats.4. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? ______A. Any kind of clothes may be worn at the theatre.B. The best clothes can be worn at the movies.C. Best clothes are only worn for the theatre.D. Ordinary clothes can't be worn at the movies.(DDAB)4. Do’s and Don’ts in Western Church在教堂里该做什么In the West, not only politeness but also an attitude of reverence is demanded in church. If one is not familiar with the service, he may maintain a respectful silence standing when others stand, sitting when they sit, and bowing during prayer.On entering a church an usher will probably show you to a seat and it is polite to take the one told by him, though it is quite proper to whisper a suggestion that one does not want to sit too far to the front, or that one is a little deaf and would like to sit well forward.It is usual for anyone attending church to take some money along for the offering, as it is a regular part of every church service and is used for the work of the church service. In some churches it is improper for a lady not to wear a hat. It is impolite and disrespectful to talk or whisper, to eat or chew anything, or to enter or leave during the service. One must come on time and stay till the service is over. When the service is over, one passes quietly out of the church withthe other worshippers. In many churches it is considered irreverent to talk before one has reached the entrance hall.Comprehension Questions:1. If you are unfamiliar with the church service, you ______A. may keep a respectful silence.B. should do as others do.C. may sit or stand there without moving.D. may do A and B.2. The underlined words “the one” most probably refers to ______A. the person.B. the church.C. the usher.D. the seat.3. If you are a little deaf and want to sit well forward, ______A. you may whisper a suggestion to the usher.B. you may go to the front seat yourself.C. you must take a chair and sit in the front.D. you may first sit at the back for some time, then move to the front.4. You are supposed take some money to attend church service, because ______A. you have to buy a ticket.B. you need to buy food.C.you’ll offer it for the work of the church service.D. you may buy something you like.5. Which of the following is considered impolite in church? ______A. Chewing and eating something.B. Maintaining a respectful silence.C. Wearing a hat for a lady.D. Both B and C.(DDACA)5. In School (1)在学校里(1)If you are in a very large class, it may not be necessary to greet the teacher on arriving, but it is always quite proper if you happen to catch the teacher’s eye as you enter. In a small class the teacher probably notices each one as he arri ves, and you should smile and say, “Good morning, Mr.Black.” Western manners do not require you to stand up when the teacher comes in or when you answer a question, nor do you need to stand still at the door for a moment when you come in.One never addres ses his teacher by his first name, either in speech or in writing. If one’s teacher’s name is Gordon Agnew, it is not proper to say “Gordon”, or to write “Dear Mr. Gordon”. And one never speaks to one’s teacher as “teacher”. It is quite proper to say “sir” to a man, but if your teacher is a woman, you must use Miss before her surname.It is bad manners to come late to class. If you are unavoidably late an apology should be made to the teacher either at the time or after class. Repeated lateness is a form of rudeness based not only on carelessness of outward forms, but also on real unthoughtfulness of others, as a latecomer takes away everyone’s thoughts from the lesson.If you have something to say on the subject, wait till you have a chance and say it to the whole class. If it is not on the subject, keep it till the class is over. It is bad manners in the schoolroom, as elsewhere, to talk while anyone is speaking. Do not interrupt anyone who is reciting or speaki ng; do not attract the teacher’s attention by waving the hand in the air; do not show an over-eagerness to recite and show off your knowledge or cleverness; do not keep silent when the teacher asks you a question. If you do not know the answer, say so immediately; if you do, give it in a loud enough voice so that all the class may hear.Comprehension Questions:1. As you enter a very large classroom, ______A. you may greet or not greet your teacher.B. you must greet the teacher.C. you should not look at your teacher.D. you should stand at the door for a moment.2. If your teacher’s name is Robert Morgan, ______A. you must stand up and say, “Good morning, Mr. Morgan.”B.you just sit there and say, “Good morning, Sir.”C. you should smile and say, “Morning, dear Robert.”D. you just say, “Good morning , Teacher.”4. When you answer your teacher’s question, ______A. you should stand up.B. you should always look at your teacher’s eyes.C. it is impolite to say, “Sorry, I don't know.”D. you need n’t stand up.5. When you want to say something while someone else is speaking, ______(ABDDC)。

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 southB. the northC. the eastD. the west2. 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 himC. 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 hissleigh. 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13Friday 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)。

2019-2020年高中英语阅读理解第二部分欧美习俗（四）练习Christmas Day, the 25th of December, is the biggest festival celebrated in the Christian countries of the world. Christians regard this day as the birthday of Jesus Christ，but many of the customs and celebrations are not of a religious nature.In the large shops preparations for Christmas start five or six weeks before the actual day. Shop owners like Christmas because it is a time when people exchange presents. In large towns decorations are put up in the main streets two or three weeks before Christmas.Preparations are also made at home. Special puddings and cakes are eaten on Christmas Day and these have to be made three or four weeks in advance. Two or three days before Christmas, people decorate their houses with paper decorations and leaves and branches. People also like to have a Christmas tree in the living room. This is a very small fir tree, which is decorated with silver paper and colored lights.Although everyone enjoys Christmas Day, it is particularly enjoyed by children, because they know that Christmas Father will bring them gifts from the chimney at night.Every family has its own traditions at Christmas. Some exchange presents on Christmas morning. Others put all the presents around the Christmas tree and wait till evening before giving them out. But all families have a huge Christmas dinner---usually at midday. If they can afford it they have a turkey and ham followed by Christmas puddings.Everybody likes to be happy at Christmas time. The theatre puts on special shows for children. The circus is another thing that parents may take their children to see. Here, audiences sit in a circle and the performance takes place in the center. The main attraction is the performing animals. Elephants, lions and tigers are trained to do astonishing tricks. Every circus, too, has clowns who make people laugh.prehension Questions:1. What is the biggest festival in the West? ______A. New Year's Day.B. Christmas.C. Easter.D. Labor Day.2. Why do shop owners like Christmas? ______A. Because they will have a good rest.B. Because they can exchange presents with other people.C. Because this is a time when goods sell better than at any other time of the year.D. Because the preparations of their shops make them happy.3. When do people begin to prepare for Christmas at home? ______A. Three or four weeks before Christmas when they make special puddings and cakes.B. Five or six weeks before Christmas.C. Two or three days before Christmas.D. On Christmas Day.4. How do people decorate their houses for Christmas? ______A. They decorate them with paper decorations.B. They decorate them with leaves and branches.C. They put a Christmas tree in the living room.D. All of the ways above.5. What is a traditional Christmas dinner? ______A. It begins at midday.B. People eat a turkey and ham followed by Christmas pudding.C. People will drink a lot of wine.D. People only eat puddings or cakes.(BCADB)17. Thanksgiving Day感恩节Thanksgiving Day is a special holiday in the United States and Canada. Families and friends gather to eat and give thanks for their blessing.Thanksgiving Day is really a harvest festival. This is why it is celebrated in late fall, after the crops are in. The first New England Thanksgiving did celebrate a rich harvest. The pilgrims landed at what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620. They had a difficult time and the first winter was cruel. Many of the pilgrims died. But the next year, they had a good harvest. So Governor Bradford declared a three-day feast. The pilgrims invited Indian friends to join them for their special feast. Everyone brought food.In time, other colonies began to celebrate a day of thanksgiving. But it took years before there was a national Thanksgiving Day. During the Civil War, Sarah Josepha Hale convinced Abraham Lincoln to do something about it. He proclaimed the last Thursday of November 1863 as a day of thanksgiving. Today, Americans celebrate this happy harvest festival on the fourth Thursday in November. Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving Day in much the same way as their American neighbors. But the Canadian Thanksgiving Day falls on the second Monday in October.On Thanksgiving Day everyone is ready for one of the biggest meals of the year. Mother is up early to put the turkey into the oven while father and children help to get the house ready for guests.When the turkey, the vegetables and many other things are on the table, everyone sits down.Some families say a prayer to give thanks for th eir food. That’s the reason for Thanksgiving. Americans want to remember the Pilgrims and their trips across the ocean in 1620. Thanksgiving dinner is like the meal of those Pilgrims after their first long winter in New England.Thanksgiving is not just a day to eat and to remember the Pilgrims. It is also a time of year when people travel from far away to be with their families.prehension Questions:1. Thanksgiving Day is celebrated ______A. in spring.B. in summer.C. in fall.D. in winter.2. The first to celebrate thanksgiving were ______A. some people from England.B. the American Indians.C. Sarah Josepha Hale.D. Governor Bradford.3. We can infer from the passage that New England must be ______A. in the USA.B. in Great Britain.C. in Canada.D. on some island off the Atlantic.4. The passage mainly tells us _____A. how Thanksgiving Day is celebrated in the USA.B. how Thanksgiving Day came into being and the different ways it is celebrated.C. that Thanksgiving Day is in fact a harvest holiday.D. how the way to celebrate Thanksgiving Day changed with time and place.5. The main food for Thanksgiving is ______A. vegetables.B. beefsteak.C. fish.D. turkey.(CAABD)18. Valentine’s Day情人节Several different stories are told about the origin of Saint Valentine's Day. One legend dates as far back as the days of the Roman Empire. According to the story, Claudius, the Emperor of Rome, wanted to increase the size of his army. He knew that it would be easier to get young menwho 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 named Valentine broke the rule and secretly married a great many young people. Finally, Claudius found out about V alentine 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 messages on this day. Now Saint Valentine's Day is a time for people to send one another greetings of many kinds. prehension Questions:2. A priest named Valentine broke the rule, and ______A. he married well.B. he got married soon.C. many young women were married to him.D. he made so many young people married.3. Saint Valentine's Day is set on February 14, ______A. because most of the young people would get married in this month.B. because February is a month for lovers.C. in order to honor Valentine, who died on this day.D. because February 14 is always a Sunday.4. Saint Valentine's Day is a day on which ______A. people play a trick on each other.B. many young people get married.C. young lovers send one another greetings of many kinds.D. Valentine will e back and marry many young people.(ADCC)19. Surnames of the Western People西方人姓氏的来历The origins of family names are very interesting to talk about. It is helpful for us beginners to know about them in learning a foreign language.In early times, when people lived in small villages, surnames were unnecessary. Everyone knew everyone else in the village and there were rarely visitors from outside. If someone referred to Stephen or Hilda, everyone knew at once who it was since there was only one Stephen or one Hilda in the village. But as time went on, tiny villages became big ones. Then there might be several Stephens and several Hildas in the same place. It then became necessary to tell one from the other. How was this done?One way of telling one Stephen from another was by adding the name of his trade. As a result there might be Stephen the miller, Stephen the cook, Stephen the weaver, Stephen the shepherd. After a time these would be shortened to Stephen Miller, Stephen Cook, Stephen Weaver, etc., which gradually came into being. Before long, the same names were given to the men's children at birth and their wives took the same surnames on marriage.Another way of distinguishing men with the same name was to refer to them by the name of the place where they lived. If three men were all called John, one might be referred to as John in the field, another as John in the woods, and the other as John under the hill. In this way surnames such as Field, Wood, Hill, Pond, and Shore came into use.Another important way of distinguishing between men with the same name was to say whose sons they are. Of three men with the name of Tom, one might be called Tom the son of John, another Tom the son of William, and the third Tom the son of Richard. This practice gradually produced mon surnames such as Johnson, Richardson, Robinson, Jackson, and Wilson.Still another way of distinguishing men was to give them nicknames according to the sort of person they were. Thus a very small man might be called John the small man. A very short one might e to be known as Stephen the short man. This gave rise to many surnames such as Short, Small, Long, White, Wise, Strong, Bright.prehension Questions:1. According to the passage, the origins of surnames are not associated with ______A. one’s occupation or job.B. one’s residence.C. one’s appearance or characters.D. animals that people kept.2. Tom Hunter wants to see you. You wonder how his surname was formed. The origin of his surname is connected with his ancestor’s ______A. occupation.B. residence.C. appearance. C. characters.3. Which of the following reasons why surnames were formed is not mentioned in the passage? ______A. The villages where people lived grew larger and larger.B. There might be several people who had the same name in a village.C. There might be more visitors from outside.D. It was necessary for people to distinguish those who had the same name.4. From this article we may conclude that ______ once played an important part in social life.A. menB. womenC. tradeD. living places5. The article seems to suggest the origin of surnames have nothing to do with ______A. one's trade.B. one's living place.C. one's mother.D. one's nickname.(DACAC)20. Different Names About Britain英国的不同名称When we do some reading, we often e across these names：The British Isles, Britain, Great Britain, England and the United Kingdom (U.K. for short). These different names are often used to mean the same thing. But do you know the differences between them?The British Isles consist of two large islands; one is called Ireland and the other Britain. Britain, or Great Britain, is the larger of these two islands and it is divided into three parts: Scotland, Wales, and England. Is does not include Northern Ireland.The United Kingdom is the name used at the United Nations; in full, this is “the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland”. It is that part of the British Isles ruled over by the Queen. It consists of Scotland, Wales, and England, and also the Northern part of Ireland.England is the largest, most populous, and generally speaking, the richest section. It is only a part of Great Britain. The importance of England is so great in Britain that some foreigners just say “England” when they mean Britain. In fact, England, Great Britain and the British Isles ought only to be used as geographical names.prehension Questions:1. The names Britain, Great Britain, the British Isles, England and the United Kingdom are used to mean the same thing. ()(TFTTF)2019-2020年高中英语阅读理解第四部分动物世界（一）练习北欧一些国家有一种老鼠，不仅繁殖能力强，而且特别喜欢迁徙，其频率之高、速度之快，令人们瞠目而困惑。