According to the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, we officially welcome the Year of the Horse better than others.
The horse has played an important role throughout human history all over the world. Horses were used for thousands of years as a means of transportation, a weapon of war and a plougher of fields(犁地農(nóng)具), but "the horse was more than just a vehicle - it had more character than a car, a tank or a tractor," Clare Balding wrote for The Telegraph.
In the Middle Ages in Western societies, the horse was a symbol of chivalry（騎士神）and nobility(貴族). In fact, the word "chivalry" comes from "cheval" in Old French, which meant horse. The idea of chivalry helped to fashion the 19th-century "gentleman", which was about good manners, courage and honesty to friends.
Nowadays, because of economic(經(jīng)濟(jì)) development, people in Western societies are less likely to see or ride horses. People living in cities, in particular, hardly ever experience horses except through movies, paintings or books. But horse racing, and betting .money on horse races, is still popular. The Kentucky Derby is one of the most popular sporting events every year in the US.
In the UK, the royal police still go around the city on horseback and the Queen rides in a traditional horse-drawn carriage on "ceremonial occasions (正式場合)”．
Some sayings about horses are still used in English today. For example, people still say "hold your horses" to mean “slow down". If someone seems too proud, people might tell him or her to "get off his or her high horse". And since horses are strong and energetic, there are expressions such as "as strong as a horse", "workhorse" and "horsing around". .
Interestingly, the horse also appears in many Chinese sayings, such as Qianlima, which means a talented person. Other Chinese horse sayings include Madaochenggong (instant success) and Baimawangzi (prince charming).
Besides their physical strengths, horses are smart and have "excellent memories", according to Discovery News. Maybe that's why Chinese people say, "An old horse never gets lost".
Since the horse is honored as a symbol of many great qualities, people born in the Year of the Horse are said to share them.
小題1:According to Chinese tradition, which year is welcomed best officially?
| A．the Year of the Snake | B．the Year of the Tiger |
| C．the Year of the Mouse | D．the Year of the Horse |
小題2:According to the passage, which is NOT the role of the horse nowadays?
| A．A weapon of war. |
| B．The royal police's transportation to go around in the UK. |
| C．Race horses. |
| D．Animal actors in movies. |
小題3:If a friend of yours is overconfident, what are you supposed to tell him or her?
| A．Hold your horses. | B．Get off your high horse. |
| C．Be as strong as a horse | D．An old horse never gets lost |
小題4:According to the passage, which is NOT the reason why people like horses?
| A．The horse has played an important role throughout human history all over the world |
| B．The horse was a symbol of chivalry and nobility in the Middle Ages in Western societies. |
| C．Besides their physical strengths, horses are smart and have “excellent memories". |
| D．Horses are only used as a means of transportation like a car, a tank or a tractor. |
小題5:From the passage we know that .
| A．Economy develops a lot, so people in Western societies hardly see or ride horses nowadays. |
| B．The Kentucky Derby is one of the most popular betting events every year in the US. |
| C．Qianlima in Chinese means a person who can run one thousand kilometers a day. |
| D．Since the horse is honored as a symbol of many great qualities, people born in the Year of the Horse are said to be as strong as a horse. |
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