职称英语综合类阅读判断练习题:Starting a New Tradition

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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.

词汇:

ancestor n.祖宗,祖先

be decorated with 由……所装饰

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honor vt. 尊敬,使荣幸; n.荣誉,尊敬

ears of com 玉米穗

candleholder n.烛台

注释:

1.It's a time when they get together with their families to think about their history and their

ancestors in Africa.这段时间里他们和家人待在一起缅怀他们的历史和非洲的祖先。

2.…… shows what is important in people's lives. ……展现了人们生活中重要的东西。

参考译文

第十二篇 开始新的传统

珊特尔.戴维斯是一位九岁的纽约小女孩。12月的一个寒夜,珊特尔?戴维斯的家人都围站在餐桌边看着她点亮一支蜡烛。水果蔬菜篮子和玉米穗装饰着这个餐桌,这些都是给珊特尔和她的两个兄弟的。

“这支蜡烛代表umoja ,在非洲这个词意味着在一起,”珊特尔说,“这是家庭中最重要的事。” 今晚是宽扎节的第一个晚上,珊特尔正和她的家人待在一起。超过500万的非洲裔美国人每年从12月26日到1月1日庆祝宽扎节。这段时间里他们和家人聚在一起缅怀他们的历史和非洲的祖先。

宽扎节非常独特,因为它是由一个人创立的。在1966年,一个名叫马拉那.卡林加的美国人想要为非洲裔美国人创立一个节日来向他们的文化和传统致敬。因此他利用非洲的语言和习俗来创造一个新的传统。他将节日命名为宽扎节,这个词来源于非洲语言斯瓦西里语;在斯瓦西里语中,宽扎节的意思是“最初的果实。” 一开始,只有少数一些美国家庭在家进行小规模庆祝。现如今学校和公共场所也有宽扎节的庆祝活动。并且宽扎节巳经流传到诸如加拿大、牙买加等其他国家。

一个放着七支蜡烛的烛台是宽扎节的主要标志,每支蜡烛代表宽扎节一个信条。每天晚上都会由一个家庭成员点亮一支蜡烛,并谈论这支蜡烛所代表的信条:在一起,做自己,互帮互助,懂得分享,拥有目标,有创造性和有信仰。这些蜡烛有红的、黑的和绿的,这是宽扎节的颜色。父母们也为逝去的家庭成员斟上喝的以此来纪念他们。在宽扎节的最后一夜会有一顿非洲风味的大餐,并且孩子们会收到小礼物。

现如今人们能买到宽扎节的贺卡和特制的宽扎节的衣服。商店里销售宽扎节的蜡烛和烛台。由于宽扎节的历史并不久远,一些人认为它并不是一个真正的节日;但是也有人说习俗和庆祝仪式总在发生变化,宽扎节向我们展现了人们生活中重要的东西。

珊特尔.戴维斯说她喜欢宽扎节,因为它很有趣。“但是每年我也会学到新的东西,”她谈道。

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练习:

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.

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A. Right

B. Wrong

C. Not mentioned

7.Everyone thinks Kwanzaa is an important holiday.

A. Right

B. Wrong

C. Not mentioned

答案与题解:

1.A 在第三段第二行我们可以发现:超过500万的非洲裔美国人每年从12月26日到1月1日庆祝宽扎节。所以题干的表述(人们在年底庆祝宽扎节)是正确的,答案为A.

2.A 从第四段前四行所述的内容中我们可以发现:为了向自己的文化和传统致敬,1966年美国人马拉那?卡林加为非洲裔美国人创立了宽扎节。因此,题干的表述(宽扎节是为非洲裔美国人创立的节日)是正确的,答案为A.

3.B 在第二题中我们知道宽扎节创立于1966年,并且文中第六段第三行也提到:一些人认为宽扎节的历史并不久远。所以,从以上两点我们可以得出结论:题干的表述(宽扎节的历史非常悠久)是错误的,答案为B.

4.C 从整篇文章中我们知道宽扎节最初是为非洲裔美国人创立的,之后宽扎节的传统又流传到诸如加拿大、牙买加等其他国家(这一信息可以从第四段最后一行得到)。但是文中并未提及非洲人民是否也庆祝宽扎节,因此这一题的题干信息(非洲人民庆祝宽扎节)并没在文中给出答案为C.

5.A 在段最后两行中,作者提到:这段时间里非洲裔美国人和家人待在一起緬怀历史和非洲的祖先。所以题干中的表述(宽扎节期间人民花很多时间和家人待在一起)是正确的,答案为A.

6.A 在第五段最后两行中,作者提到:在宽扎节的最后一夜会有一顿非洲风味的大餐,并且孩子们会收到小礼物。所以,题干的表述(孩子们在宽扎节即将结束时收到礼物)是正确的,答案为A.

7.B 在第六段第二行末尾,作者提到:由于宽扎节的历史并不久远,一些人认为它并不是一个真正的节日。从这里我们可以看出题干的表述(每个人都认为宽扎节是一个重要的节日)不正确,故答案为

B.

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