New Year’s Eve, also called Old Year’s Night, is celebrated on December 31st, the final day of the year. It is celebrated all over the world with parties and social gathering with usually a lot of fireworks and noise.

In the United States of America, New York is the place where this celebration is associated with. People gather in the Times Square just before midnight in the last minute of the countdown to see the “ball dropping”.

The celebration is also associated with parties in other parts of the world. In France, for instance, the celebration is called le Réveillon. Special food is prepared accompanied with champagne. People also go to the Eiffel Tower in Paris to see fireworks display. In Japan, people traditionally clean their home. Buddhist temple bells are rung 108 times at midnight. In Brazil, the beach of Copacabana is considered by many to be the place of the most beautiful fireworks show in the world.

On New Year’s Eve, people commit themselves with resolutions. These are made to reform a habit and should go into effect and remain until fulfillment.

(  )1. When is New Year’s Eve celebrated?

A. On December 30th.     B. On January 1st.               C. On December 31st.

(  )2. What is le Réveillon?

A. A kind of celebration. B. A kind of food.               C. A kind of display.

(  )3. How many countries are mentioned in the passage to celebrate New Year’s Eve?

A. Three.                      B. Four.                             C. Five.

(  )4. In the last paragraph, “These” refers to “________”.

A. People                      B. Resolutions                    C. Habits

 

参考答案:[rml_read_more]

【主旨大意】本文是一篇说明文,主要介绍了四个国家不同的新年前夕的庆祝方式。

  1. C 【解析】细节理解题。题干意为:人们在什么时候庆祝新年前一夜?根据第一段第一句 “New Year’s Eve, also called Old Year’s Night, is celebrated on December 31st…”可知是在12月31号庆祝,故选C。
  2. A 【解析】细节理解题。题干意为:什么是le Réveillon?根据第三段第二句 “In France, for instance, the celebration is called le Réveillon.”可知这是一种庆祝,故选A。
  3. B 【解析】细节理解题。题干意为:文章中提到了多少个国家庆祝新年前夜?根据第二、三段提到的国家the United States of America, France, Japan和Brazil可知一共提到了四个国家,故选B。
  4. B 【解析】代词指代题。题干意为:在最后一段中,“These”指的是 。根据原文最后一段These之前提到的 “On New Year’s Eve, people commit themselves with resolutions.”可知提到了新年前夕人们会下定一些决心,这里的These是指resolutions,故选B。