Question

閱讀理解

　　On Easter morning, as the first rays of the sun lighten the sky at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the plaintive (哀傷的) sounds of trombones (長號) call the townspeople to Moravian(摩拉維亞教派) Burying Ground where they welcome the rising sun with songs of praise: Christ is risen.

　　In similar ceremonies throughout the land millions of people gather on hilltops, parks, churches and open spaces to salute (致敬) another Easter dawn. There is a resurrection of hope and joy as the earth reawakens to another spring, New life emerges: young lambs, fresh green grass, and delicate (纖細的) blooms appear. Days are growing longer and there is more warmth in the sun. Birds sing and the world rings with gladness.

　　One of the holiest days of Christendom (基督教教界), Easter commemorates (紀念) Christ's resurrection (復活) from the tomb where he had lain for three days following his crucifixion (釘死于十字架上) When he arose after the three days it was to fulfill his promise to rise again as proof of eternal life.

　　Although Easter is based on events in the life on Christ, older traditions have influenced the customs of the festival. The name Easter itself derives from the ancient Norse (挪威人) festival of spring sun (Eastre) which celebrated the awakening of new life and the death of winter. The Christian Easter gradually replaced the pagan (異教的) festival, but some of the rites (儀式), of spring were retained since Christ’s resurrection had occurred during that season.

　　Celebration of Easter by early settlers in the United States mirrored their European backgrounds. In the regions settled by those of Roman Catholic (羅馬天主教) heritage (傳統) Easter was observed from the beginning. But the straight-laced [古板的]Puritans in New England, still influenced by the British prohibition (禁止) against what they considered profane (褻瀆的) celebrations of Christmas and Easter, did not observe either holiday.

　　Easter is now celebrated throughout the country, although the customs, traceable to the different ethnic heritages, still vary with the regions. The German-Americans of Pennsylvania, for instance, preserve the custom of eating fried crullers(一種油煎餅) on Shrove Tuesday (大齋節的前一天); and those of Greek origin take part in a funeral procession following a flower- decked bier (棺材) bearing the figure of Christ.

1．The Easter comes most probably in ________.

[　　]

A．June

B．September

C．April

D．December

2．Which of the following statement about the Easter is tree?

[　　]

A．The Easter is only one of religion holy days.

B．The Easter just celebrates the renewing of the nature.

C．All people throughout the Christendom celebrated the Easter since the beginning.

D．Different ethic groups celebrate the Easter in a different way.

3．The Easter was not celebrated by ________ in the early days of the United States.

[　　]

A．those with Roman Catholic tradition

B．the Germans settled in Pennsylvania

C．the Puritans from the Britain

D．those with Greek origin

4．Which of the following is closest to the meaning of the word “observe” (in Line 3, para. 5)?

[　　]

A．Watch carefully.

B．Comment.

C．Obey.

D．Celebrate.

5．The Christian Easter maintains some ceremonies of Spring because ________.

[　　]

A．the Easter comes in Spring

B．the Christians like Spring in which new life emerges

C．it is an old Norse festival

D．Christ's resurrection had happened in Spring

Answer 1

答案：C;D;C;D;D