Question

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.

In Western countries, people usually celebrate New Year at midnight on December 31st-January 1st. People may go to parties, sometimes dressed in formal（正式的）clothes, and the 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. They welcome the new wear with the first light of the sunrise.

Many cultures also do special things to get rid of（摆脱）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（重新）. 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 tear. 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 365 of them!

1. The reading is mainly about_____.

A. the meaning of “Happy New Year!”

B. several different New Year traditions

C. what to eat on New Year’s Day

D. why people dress up nicely on New Year’s Day

2. It’s clear that_____.

A. some cultures celebrate New Year in the morning

B. the Western people celebrate New Year only on New Year’s Day

C. people in Ecuador go to parties on December 31st-January 1^st

D. no cultures do special things to celebrate New Year

3.In some cultures, people throw things into rivers or oceans to_____.

A. bring good luckB. keep away bad luck

C. forget everythingD. plan for the next year

4.To have a happy new year,_____.

A. friends talk to each other in special ways

B. families make big dolls filled with old clothes

C. some people get up early to watch the sunrise 

D. Europeans eat 365 grapes on New Year’s Day

5. When eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day, people think_____.

A. one pea brings one day of luck

B. black-eyed peas are the best medicine

C. the peas are too black and taste bad

D. the peas are helpful to count numbers

Answer

1.B

2.A

3.B

4.C

5.A

【解析】

试题分析：这篇短文给我们讲述的是不同的文化有不同的庆祝新年的方式，如有的国家是在半夜就开始庆祝新年的到来，而有的国家是早起，看到新年的第一缕阳光来庆祝新年。在新年的时候，还有很多不同的传统习俗，作者给我们举了很多例子来说明。

1.主旨大意题。这篇短文的第一段是本文的中心，根据这一段中Different cultures celebrate the beginning of a new year in different ways, and at different times on the calendar.我们可知，不同的文化有不同的庆祝新年的方式，而且是在不同的时间。从下一段开始作者给我们讲述了具体有什么不同。因此B选项几种不同的新年传统最符合文意。故选B。

2.细节理解题。根据短文第二段中But some cultures prefer to celebrate the new year by waking up early to watch the sun rise.可知，在一些国家里，人们更喜欢早起看日出，用这样的方式庆祝新年的到来。由此可知选A。

3.细节理解题。根据短文第三段中Other common traditions to keep away bad luck in a new year include throwing things into rivers or the ocean可知，还有一些传统是把一些东西扔到河里或海洋里，代表着在新的一年里远离坏运气。由此可知选B。

4.细节理解题。根据短文第二段中But some cultures prefer to celebrate the new year by waking up early to watch the sun rise. They welcome the new wear with the first light of the sunrise.可知，在一些国家里，人们更喜欢早起看日出，他们用看到新年的第一缕阳光这样的方式来庆祝新年的到来。故选C。

5.细节理解题。根据短文最后一句话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 365 of them!可知，在美国，一些人吃黑眼豆来获得好运。为了整整一年都有好运气，你必须得吃365粒豆子。由此我们可以推断出吃一粒豆子可以得到一天的好运，故选A。

考点：文化类短文阅读。