Question

Different countries and cultures celebrate New Year in different ways. Many countries still follow the lunar calendar, meaning that their new year often starts in late January or in February. New Year celebrations for some countries (like China, Vietnam and Korea) last not one day, but up to two weeks!

In the U.S., many people attend New Year parties. They drink champagne, dance, and cheer at the stroke of midnight. Fireworks, which in olden times scared away evil spirits, are very popular throughout the U. S.  . U.S. residents often make one or more New Year’s resolutions, such as promising to quit smoking, lose weight, stop drinking. Most of these resolutions last little longer than a month.

In the southern U.S. , many people eat black-eyed peas for good luck in the new year. In Mexico and Venezuela, many people wear red or yellow underwear for good luck. In Brazil, residents wear red white clothes for good luck, and in China, they wear red clothes and give children red envelops with money in them. In Iran, people wear brand new clothes on the first day of the new year.

In Scotland, homeowners open the front door at midnight to let in the new year, and open the back door to let out the old year. In Switzerland, people kiss each other three times at midnight. In Spain, people eat 12 grapes-----one per chime----as the clock chimes midnight. In Japan, they ring a bell 108 times to get rid of the108 bad desires that people have. In Korea, they ring a bell 33 times in honor of 33 ancient soldiers.

1.How do Americans celebrate their New Year?

A. They kiss each three times at the stroke after midnight.

B. They use fireworks to scare away evil spirits.

C. Men and women make New Year’s plants together.

D. Many people attend New Year parties.

2.The underlined word “resolutions” in Paragraph 2 probably means________.

A. beliefs    B. solutions

C. principles     D. promises

3. In which countries is red regarded as a lucky color?

A. Mexico and Brazil.           B. Mexico and China.

C. Venezuela and Brazil.       D. China and Iran.

4.The best title for the passage would be “__________”.

A. Different customs around the world

B. New activities in America and Europe

C. New Year celebrations around the world

D. Different countries have different customs

Answer

1.D

2.D

3.B

4.C

【解析】

试题分析:本文是一篇说明文，介绍不同的国家和文化庆祝新年的不同方式。

1.D 细节理解题。根据第二段第一句可知在美国很多人参加新年派对，故选D。

2.D猜测词意题。根据后边such as promising to quit smoking, lose weight, stop drinking.中的promising可知美国居民经常在新年许下一两个决心，故选D。

3.B 细节理解题。根据第三段In Mexico and Venezuela, many people wear red or yellow underwear for good luck.和in China, they wear red clothes and give children red envelops with money in them.可知在墨西哥和中国红色被认为是幸运色，故选B。

4.

考点：考查文化类短文阅读