Question

Many centuries ago, birthdays were considered a time when the bad spirits were able to harm you. It was believed that you should have your friends and family around you so that their good wishes and present-giving would keep the bad spirits away. People also believed that, by lighting candles, they were sending a signal or wishes to the gods.

Later on, candles started to be used on birthday cakes. One story about the beginnings of the birthday cake is that it started with the Greeks, who made round cakes standing for the full moon for their moon goddess（女神）. They also placed candles on the cake to make it light, again like the moon.

However, the Germans are said to have first used cakes and candles. They used a sweet cake and they put a large candle in the centre of the cake to mean “the light of life”.

The “Happy Birthday” song is more than a hundred years old. The music was written in 1893 by two sisters, Patty and Mildred Hill, who were schoolteachers in Louisville, Kentucky. The music was first used as a morning greeting to their students with the title, “Good Morning To All”. In 1935, the words legally belonged to the Hill sisters, and the copyright（版权）has been bought and sold for millions of dollars ever since. The present copyright is owned by Warner Communications. They bought it in 1989 for more than $22 million.

1. The text mainly talks about .

A. the ways of making cakes

B. the customs of lighting candles

C. the beginnings of birthdays

D. the history of the birthday song

2.People celebrated birthdays many centuries ago to .

A. have a great dinner

B. get birthday presents

C. light birthday candles

D. keep the bad spirits away

3.Why did the Greeks put candles on the cake?

A. To light up the dark room.

B. To make the cake beautiful.

C. To see where the cake was.

D. To make it look like the moon.

4.When was the music written?

A. In 1893. B. In 1913.

C. In 1935. D. In 1989.

5.Who is the present owner of the song “Happy Birthday”?

A. Patty and Mildred Hill.

B. Warner Communications.

C. A Greek cake company.

D. A German schoolteacher.

Answer 1

1.C

2.D

3.D

4.A

5.B

【解析】试题分析：本文讲的是生日是为了驱除恶灵对人的伤害，生日蜡烛则是人们向上帝许愿的信号灯，后来，在希腊流传着将蜡烛插在蛋糕上代表月亮，但据说德国人才是最先使用生日蜡烛的人，他们将蜡烛插在蛋糕上比喻生命之光。以及生日歌的来源和创作人。

1.慨括归纳题。文中全篇描述关于生日起源，以及有关生日的习惯的产生，其中包括三个主要方面，蛋糕的起源，插蜡烛德尔习俗和生日歌的发展，主题均是围绕生日，故选C。

2. centuries ago, birthdays were considered a time when the bad spirits were able to harm you. It was believed that you should have your friends and family around you so that their good wishes and present-giving would keep the bad spirits away.讲到很久以前，有人认为在生日那天会有许多恶灵伤害过生日的人，所以家人和朋友要陪在过生日的人身边庆祝生日以此驱赶恶灵，故选D。

3. also placed candles on the cake to make it light, again like the moon.可知，希腊人吧蜡烛插在蛋糕上是为了让蛋糕想月亮一样闪闪发光，故选D。

4.理解题。文中第四段The music was written in 1893 by two sisters, Patty and Mildred Hill，可知生日歌是由两姐妹在1893年创作，故选A。生日那天被e present copyright is owned by Warner Communications.可知这首歌现在的版权所有者是Warner Communications，故选B。

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