8.On February 14,people look forward to getting cards from friends-cards that say,"Will you be my Valentine?"Did you ever wonder why?And what does that even mean?
As it turns out,people have been celebrating Valentine's Day for centuries,in one form or another.In fact,historians say it may begin with a Roman holiday that goes back more than 2,000years.They say Valentine's Day has its roots in an agricultural festival called the Feast of Lupercalia-a festival that was celebrated every year on February 14,just as Valentine's Day is today.
Around 500A.D.,a Roman Catholic Pope named Gelasius decided to replace the Feast of Lupercalia with a Christian festival.So February 14became a day to honor Saint Valentine.Why?
According to legend,Saint Valentine had been thrown in prison several centuries earlier for disobeying a Roman emperor.The legend says that while Saint Valentine was in prison,he fell in love with the jailor's daughter and sent her a note he signed,"From your valentine."
That's supposedly where the tradition of sending Valentines began.The Saint Valentine's Day celebration eventually spread to France,England and other countries.
At first,people used to exchange hand-written notes with their Valentines.But in the 1840s,a woman named Esther Howland created the first commercially produced Valentine's Day greeting cards in the United States.Nowadays,according to one report,more people send cards to friends around Valentine's Day than on any other holiday except Christmas.Today,Valentine's Day is no longer a religious holiday.It's just a day to show your friends you appreciate them.Chocolate and flowers are among the most common ways people show that appreciation.In fact,the people who keep track of chocolate sales say that more than 1 billion worth is sold around Valentine's Day.And according to the National Retail Federation,people will spend 2.1 billion this year on flowers.But you don't have to buy anything for your Valentine.A home-made card is just fine.After all,it's the thought that counts.
25.The writer uses several questions in the first paragraph in order toB.
A.highlight the importance of festivals
B.lead to the topic of Valentine's Day
C.criticize the customs of celebrating festivals
D.tell people how to celebrate Valentine's Day
26.What does the second paragraph tell us?C
A.The Feast of Lupercalia was celebrated every year before February 14.
B.Valentine's Day begins with an American holiday over 2,000years ago.
C.According to historians,Valentine's Day is rooted in an agricultural festival.
D.Around 500A.D,a Christian festival was replaced with the Feast of Lupercalia.
27.The underlined word"legend"in Paragraph 4probably meansB.
A.a(chǎn) famous person admired for being extremely good
B.a(chǎn)n old,well-known story about magical events
C.a(chǎn)n interesting note written by a famous person
D.a(chǎn) computer produced a long time ago.
分析 本文主要寫了情人節(jié)的由來以及情人節(jié)的風(fēng)俗習(xí)慣.
解答 25.B 細(xì)節(jié)理解題.根據(jù)下文As it turns out,people have been celebrating Valentine's Day for centuries,in one form or another事實證明,人們已經(jīng)慶祝情人節(jié)幾個世紀(jì)了,以一種或另一種形式,可以判斷出幾個問句是為了引向情人節(jié)的話題.所以答案選B.
26.C 細(xì)節(jié)理解題.根據(jù)句子They say Valentine's Day has its roots in an agricultural festival called the Feast of Lupercalia-a festival 他們說情人節(jié)起源于一個農(nóng)業(yè)的節(jié)日,所以答案選C.
27.B 詞義猜測題.大約500A.D的故事只是一代人一代人的傳說故事,情人節(jié)的由來就是這個故事發(fā)展來的,According to legend可以理解為根據(jù)這個故事,所以B選項符合題意.
點評 閱讀理解題測試考生在閱讀基礎(chǔ)上的邏輯推理能力,要求考生根據(jù)文章所述事件的邏輯關(guān)系,對未說明的趨勢或結(jié)局作出合理的推斷;或根據(jù)作者所闡述的觀點理論,對文章未涉及的現(xiàn)象、事例給以解釋.考生首先要仔細(xì)閱讀短文,完整了解信息,準(zhǔn)確把握作者觀點.