Question

Usually, when your teacher asks a question, there is only one correct answer. But there is one question that has millions of correct answers. That question is “What’s your name?” Everyone gives a different answer, but everyone is correct.

Have you ever wondered about people’s names? Where do they come from? What do they mean?

People’s first names, or given names, are chosen by their parents. Sometimes the name of a grandparent or other member of the family is used. Some parents choose the name of a well-known person. A boy could be named George Washington Smith; a girl could be named Helen Keller Jones.

Some people give their children names that mean good things. Clara means “bright”; Beatrice means “one who gives happiness”; Donald means “world ruler”; Leonard means “as brave as a lion”.

The earliest last names, or surnames, were taken from place names. A family with the name Brook or Brooks probably lived near a brook (小溪); someone who was called Longstreet probably lived on a long, paved road. The Greenwood family lived in or near a leafy forest.

Other early surnames came from people’s occupations. The most common occupational name is Smith, which means a person who makes things with iron or other metals. In the past, smiths were very important workers in every town and village. Some other occupational names are: Carter—a person who owned or drove a cart; Potter—a person who made pots and pans.

The ancestors of the Baker family probably baked bread for their neighbors in their native village. The Carpenter’s great-great-great-grandfather probably built houses and furniture.

Sometimes people were known for the color of their hair or skin, or their size, or their special abilities. When there were two men who were named John in the same village, the John with gray hair probably became John Gray. Or the John who was very tall could call himself John Tallman. John Fish was probably an excellent swimmer and John Lightfoot was probably a fast runner or a good dancer.

Some family names were made by adding something to the father’s name. English-speaking people added –s or –son. The Johnsons are descendants of John; the Roberts family’s ancestor was Robert. Irish and Scottish people added Mac or Mc or O. Perhaps all of the MacDonnells and the O’Donnells are descendants of the same Donnell.

1. Which of the following aspects do the surnames in the passage NOT cover?

A. Places where people lived.                      B. People’s characters.

C. Talents that people possessed.               D. People’s occupations.

2.According to the passage, the ancestors of the Potter family most probably _______.

A. owned or drove a cart                                  B. made things with metals

C. made kitchen tools or containers.     D. built houses and furniture.

3.Suppose an English couple whose ancestors lived near a leafy forest wanted their new-born son to become a world leader, the baby might be named ________.

A. Beatrice Smith                                        B. Leonard Carter     

C. George Longstreet                                   D. Donald Greenwood

 

Answer 1

【答案】

 

1.B

2.C

3.D

【解析】

試題分析：你知道人類名字的來源和意義嗎？ 人的名字由他們的父母選擇。有時用祖父母或者其他的家庭成員的名字。一些家長選擇的一個著名的人的名字。有些人給他們的孩子的名字的意思是美好的東西。 最早的姓氏來自地名。 其他早期的姓氏來自人們的工作。人們有時會用一些人的頭發和皮膚的顏色，或個頭大小，或其特殊能力特點來命名。孩子通過給父姓添加一些什么得來。說英語的人加–s或–son。 愛爾蘭和蘇格蘭人加Mac 或者Mc或者O。

1.推理判斷題。根據文中介紹可知，最早的姓氏來自1.人們生活的地點；2.人們的工作；3.與他們的特殊能力有關。沒說人的姓與人的性格有關。故選B項。

2.細節理解題。根據Potter—a person who made pots and pans.（Potter是一個制作鍋的人。）

可知選C 。

3. 推理判斷 題。根據The Greenwood family lived in or near a leafy forest.和Donald means “world ruler”可知，如果一對夫婦他們的祖先住在茂密的森林附近，想讓他們新出生的孩子將來成為一個“世界的統治者”，那么叫Donald Greenwood最合適，所以選D。

考點：文化類短文閱讀。