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第十二篇 Starting a New Tradition
Shantelle Davis is a nine-year-old girl in New York. On a cold night in December, her family is standing around the kitchen table while she lights a candle. The table is decorated with baskets of fruits and vegetables and ears of com for Shantelle and her two brothers.
"This candle represents umoja, an African word that means being together," Shantelle says. "That's the most important thing for a family. "
Tonight is the first night of Kwanzaa, and Shantelle is spending the holiday with her family. More than 5 million African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa every year from December 26 until January I. It's a time when they get together with their families to think about their history and their ancestors in Africa.
Kwanzaa is very unusual because it was started by one man. In 1966, an American named Maulana Karenga wanted a holiday for African-Americans to honor their culture and traditions. So he used words and customs from Africa to create a new celebration. He took the name Kwanzaa from the words for "first fruits" in Swahili, an African language. At first, a few American families had small celebrations at home. Now there are also Kwanzaa events in schools and public places, and Kwanzaa has spread to other countries like Canada and Jamaica.
The main symbol of Kwanzaa is a candleholder with seven candles, one for each of the principles of Kwanzaa. Each night, a family member lights one of the candles and talks about the idea it represents: being together, being yourself, helping each other, sharing, having a goal, creating, and believing. The candles are red, black, and green, the colors of Kwanzaa. The parents also pour drinks to honor family members who have died. On the last night of Kwanzaa, there is a big dinner with African food, and children receive small presents.
Today people can buy Kwanzaa greeting cards and special Kwanzaa clothes. Stores sell Kwanzaa candles and candleholders. Some people don't believe that Kwanzaa is a real holiday, because it's so new. But other people say that customs and celebrations are always changing and that Kwanzaa shows what is important in people's lives.
Shantelle Davis says she likes Kwanzaa because it's fun. "But I also learn new things every year," she says.
詞匯:
ancestor n.祖宗,祖先
be decorated with 由……所裝飾
honor vt. 尊敬,使榮幸; n.榮譽(yù),尊敬
ears of com玉米穗
candleholder n.燭臺(tái)
注釋:
1. It's a time when they get together with their families to think about their history and their ancestors in Africa.這段時(shí)間里他們和家人待在一起緬懷他們的歷史和非洲的祖先。
2. ... shows what is important in people's lives. ……展現(xiàn)了人們生活中重要的東西。
練習(xí):
1. Kwanzaa is celebrated at the end of the year.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
2. Kwanzaa is a holiday for African-Americans.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
3. Kwanzaa is a very old holiday.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
4. People in Africa celebrate Kwanzaa.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
5. People spend a lot of time with their families during Kwanzaa.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
6. Children receive presents at the end of Kwanzaa.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
7. Everyone thinks Kwanzaa is an important holiday.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
答案與題解:
1. A在第三段第二行我們可以發(fā)現(xiàn):超過500萬的非洲裔美國(guó)人每年從12月26日到1月1日慶祝寬扎節(jié)。所以題干的表述(人們?cè)谀甑讘c祝寬扎節(jié))是正確的,答案為A。
2. A從第四段前四行所述的內(nèi)容中我們可以發(fā)現(xiàn):為了向自己的文化和傳統(tǒng)致敬,1966年美國(guó)人馬拉那o卡林加為非洲裔美國(guó)人創(chuàng)立了寬扎節(jié)。因此,題干的表述(寬扎節(jié)是為非洲裔 美國(guó)人創(chuàng)立的節(jié)日)是正確的,答案為A。
3. B在第二題中我們知道寬扎節(jié)創(chuàng)立于1966年,并且文中第六段第三行也提到:一些人認(rèn)為寬扎節(jié)的歷史并不久遠(yuǎn)。所以,從以上兩點(diǎn)我們可以得出結(jié)論:題干的表述(寬扎節(jié)的歷史非常悠久)是錯(cuò)誤的,答案為B。
4. C從整篇文章中我們知道寬扎節(jié)最初是為非洲裔美國(guó)人創(chuàng)立的,之后寬扎節(jié)的傳統(tǒng)又流傳到諸如加拿大、牙買加等其他國(guó)家(這一信息可以從第四段最后一行得到)。但是文中并未提及非洲人民是否也慶祝寬扎節(jié),因此這一題的題干信息(非洲人民慶祝寬扎節(jié))并沒在文中給出答案為C0
5. A在段最后兩行中,作者提到:這段時(shí)間里非洲裔美國(guó)人和家人待在一起緬懷歷史和非洲的祖先。所以題干中的表述 (寬扎節(jié)期間人民花很多時(shí)間和家人待在一起)是正確的, 答案為A。
6. A在第五段最后兩行中,作者提到:在寬扎節(jié)的最后一夜會(huì)有一頓非洲風(fēng)味的大餐,并且孩子們會(huì)收到小禮物。所以,題干的表述(孩子們?cè)趯捲?jié)即將結(jié)束時(shí)收到禮物)是正確的,答案為A。
7. B在第六段第二行末尾,作者提到:由于寬扎節(jié)的歷史并不久遠(yuǎn),一些人認(rèn)為它并不是一個(gè)真正的節(jié)日。從這里我們可以看出題干的表述(每個(gè)人都認(rèn)為寬扎節(jié)是一個(gè)重要的節(jié)日)不正確,故答案為B。
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(責(zé)任編輯:vstara)