Question

Why are black cats bad?
November 17 is an important day for black cats in Italy. An animal rights group has named that day “Black Cat Day” to stop the killing of thousands of the cats. Why do people     the animal so much? It is because people believe black cats bring bad luck if they walk across your path.
The black cat is just one of the     of superstition(迷信）.You may already know that Western people don’t like the number 13. They also believe that walking under a ladder, opening an umbrella indoors and      a mirror can also bring bad luck.
According to Andrew Macaskill, who works for Times , British people believe it is    to see one magpie(喜鵲). But two bring good luck. “In Britain, people like to have a horseshoes over the door. They believe it can bring good luck,” Macaskill said. “But the horseshoe needs to be the right way up. The luck     if it is upside down.”
In the US, people usually spit on a new baseball bat before using it for the first time. They think this can bring good luck. Also, it is believed that good spirits live in trees. So by knocking on anything made from wood, people can call upon those spirits for protection against misfortune. People in the US also believe there are evil（邪惡的） spirits in blooms（掃帚）. So     lean a broom against a bed. The evil spirits will cast a spell on the bed.

小題1:	A．love B．keep C．hate D．raise

小題2:	A．symbols B．stories C．ways D．means

小題3:	A．buying B．breaking C．borrowing D．bringing

小題4:	A．lucky B．unlucky C．possible D．impossible

小題5:	A．throws away B．runs away C．gives away D．puts away

小題6:	A．always B．usually C．sometimes D．never

Answer 1

小題1:C
小題2:A
小題3:B
小題4:B
小題5:B
小題6:D

試題分析：這篇短文告訴我們幾個國家的一些禁忌。意大利人很討厭黑貓，認為黑貓走過你的路會帶來霉運。西方人不喜歡數字13。英國人認為看到一只喜鵲不好，看到兩只喜鵲會有好運氣。美國人認為掃帚里有精靈等等。
小題1:考查動詞及語境的理解。句意：人們為什么那么討厭這種動物呢？A.love喜愛，B.keep養，C.hate討厭，D.raise飼養。據It is because people believe black cats bring bad luck if they walk across your path.可知人們是討厭黑貓。故選C。
小題2:考查名詞及語境的理解。句意：黑貓只是迷信的象征之一。A.symbols象征，B.stories故事，C.ways方式，D.means方法。據下文the number 13 與walking under a ladder, opening an umbrella indoors等幾個象征實例可知答案。故選A。
小題3:考查動名詞及語境的理解。句意：他們也相信在梯子下走，在室內打開傘，打破鏡子也會帶來霉運。A.buying買，B.breaking打破，C.borrowing借，    D.bringing帶來。B符合題意，故選B。
小題4:考查形容詞及語境的理解。句意：英國人相信看到一只喜鵲是不幸的。A.lucky幸運的，B.unlucky不幸的，C.possible可能的，D.impossible不可能的。據But two bring good luck.看到兩只喜鵲會帶來好運可知，看到一只喜鵲是不幸的，故選B。
小題5:考查動詞短語及語境的理解。句意：如果它放倒了，運氣就會跑走了。A.throws away扔掉，B.runs away跑掉，C.gives away贈送，D.puts away放到一邊。據But the horseshoe needs to be the right way up.馬蹄鐵需要正面朝上（能帶來好運）可知，如果它放倒了，運氣就會跑走了，故選B。
小題6:考查形容詞及語境的理解。句意：所以從不讓掃帚斜靠著床。A.always總是，B.usually通常，C.sometimes有時候，D.never從不。據People in the US also believe there are evil（邪惡的） spirits in blooms（掃帚）.人們相信掃帚上有邪惡的靈魂可知，人們從不讓掃帚斜靠著床放。故選D。