同学们,我们今天要共同探讨一下2003年全国中学生英语能力竞赛初赛赛题中阅读理解部分,阅读能力对我们来说很重要哦!
II.阅读理解（Reading comprehension）
阅读下面短文或图表,按要求完成文后各题。
（A）
Of all the Chinese festivals，the Chinese New Year is the most important for Chinese people all over the world. On the eve of the New Year，members of a family will gather for the reunion dinner. Nearly every Chinese home has this custom（习俗）.
About two weeks before the New Year，most families will clean their homes and decorate them.They believe that everything must be new and clean during the festival as it signifies（意味着）a new beginning.On the first and second day of the New Year，people usually visit their relatives and friends.They are served sweets and cookies.Red packets with money in them are given to children.It is not surprising that many of them enjoy the festival very much.
The New Year celebration lasts for fifteen days.The last night is called "the Lantern Festival".On this night，family members usually get together for a meal again.
Choose the best answer.
21. Chinese New Year is __________ .
A. a festival that lasts for a day
B. not important to Chinese people
C. the only festival celebrated by the Chinese
D. an important festival for all Chinese all over the world
22. Chinese families gather for the reunion dinner on the __________ the New Year.
A. day after B. first day of
C. night before D. second day of
23. Most families prepare for the New Year by __________ .
（1）buying old things
（2）cleaning their houses
（3）decorating their houses
（4）giving money to the poor
A.（1）and（2） B.（2）and（3）
C.（3）and（4） D.（1）and（4）
24. Children enjoy the festival because they can __________ .
A. help to clean the house
B. receive many red packets with money
C. visit their friends and relatives
D. watch a lot of television programmes
25. The Lantern Festival is the __________ night of the Chinese New Year.
A. fifteenth B. third C. tenth D. first
这篇材料介绍了中国人过新年的一些习俗。文中有一些生词,但结合我们自己过新年的一些经历你能很容易猜出它们的意思。如:gather for the reunion dinner(聚在一起吃团圆饭), decorate(装饰), relatives(亲戚), red packets with money(红包), the Lantern Festival(元霄节)等。
21. D。根据短文第1句可知:中国的新年应该是世界各地的所有中国人的一个重要节日。
22. C。吃团圆饭是在新年到来之前的那个晚上,即除夕(the eve of the New Year)。
23. B。新年到来之前,大多数家庭做些什么准备呢。第2段第1句已作了明确交待,即把房子打扫干净,做些装饰。
24. B。孩子们喜欢新年的原因在第2段倒数第2句已讲明,即他们可以得到红包。
25. A。短文最后一段前两句讲到:新年要持续15天,最后那个晚上,即第15个夜晚就是元霄节(也叫灯节)。
