Question

【题目】On March 17, people around the world celebrate the Irish holiday of Saint Patrick’s Day. It is a major holiday in Ireland, but the rest of the world has influenced its celebration as much as the Irish themselves.

Most Americans think of Saint Patrick’s Day as a big party centered around drinking alcohol. But its beginnings in Ireland were religious, says Mike Cronin, a professor of Irish history with Boston College of Massachusetts.

Ireland is a mostly Roman Catholic country. Saint Patrick lived in Ireland more than 2,000 years ago. He is widely considered to have established Christianity in the country. The Church honored him with a holy day in the 17th century. March 17 marks the date of his death. The average Irish person honored March 17 quietly. Attending church services was the main activity. In fact, most businesses that served alcohol would close in honor of the day.

In the early 1900s, Ireland’s government made St. Patrick’s Day an official holiday. By the 1960s, towns across Ireland started celebrating the holiday with parades and music. In Ireland today, St. Patrick’s Day is a four-day public celebration that includes parades, music, food, and games.

For Irish people living outside Ireland, Saint Patrick’s Day became a chance to celebrate their Irish identity and culture. Now, countries and cities around the world celebrate March 17 in creative ways. Many countries hold Saint Patrick’s Day parades. Famous monuments, including the Great Wall of China, the Niagara Falls, and the Gateway of India in Mumbai will all be colored by green light for the day.

Cronin says that the worldwide popularity of Saint Patrick’s Day has helped the Irish government, which uses the holiday as a form of diplomacy. And for a small island of 4.5 to 5 million people it’s quite remarkable that they have that kind of soft power.

【1】How did average Irish people celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day in the 17th century?

A. Drinking alcohol. B. Parading in the streets.

C. Attending church services peacefully. D. Coloring well-known monuments green.

【2】What can we learn from the passage?

A. Saint Patrick’s Day is the most significant day in the US.

B. Saint Patrick’s Day plays a role in foreign affairs in Ireland today.

C. Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated worldwide today as in the 17th century.

D. On Saint Patrick’s Day, parades and parties are held throughout America.

【3】What is the passage mainly about?

A. The origin of Saint Patrick’s Day.

B. The celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day.

C. The influence of Saint Patrick’s Day on the world.

D. The role of Saint Patrick’s Day in Irish diplomacy.

【4】What is Cronin’s attitude towards the popularity of Saint Patrick’s Day?

A. Unclear. B. Neutral. C. Negative. D. Positive.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】 C

【2】 B

【3】 B

【4】 D

【解析】

本文是一篇文化类短文阅读。文章主要介绍了爱尔兰的节日——圣帕特里克节。

【1】细节理解题。根据文章第三段The average Irish person honored March 17 quietly. Attending church services was the main activity.可知，普通爱尔兰群众都默默庆祝圣帕特里克节。故选C。

【2】细节理解题。根据文章最后第一段Cronin says that the worldwide popularity of Saint Patrick’s Day has helped the Irish government, which uses the holiday as a form of diplomacy.可知，圣帕特里克节在爱尔兰的外交事务中扮演着重要角色。故选B。

【3】主旨大意题。根据文章大意：文章主要介绍了爱尔兰的节日——圣帕特里克节。故选B。

【4】推理判断题。根据文章最后一段Cronin says that the worldwide popularity of Saint Patrick’s Day has helped the Irish government, which uses the holiday as a form of diplomacy. And for a small island of 4.5 to 5 million people it’s quite remarkable that they have that kind of soft power.可知Cronin认为圣帕特里克节在全世界流行开来对爱尔兰政府有利，可以推断出，他的态度是积极的。故选D。

做细节理解题一般采用寻读法，即先读题，然后带着问题快速阅读文章，找出与问题有关的词语或句子，再对相关部分进行分析对比，找出答案。另外，在题干中寻找线索词，注意线索词在文章中的位置，为快速、准确地选择答案打下基础。例如第1题中，我们抓住题干中的关键词average Irish people，然后迅速到文章中定位The average Irish person honored March 17 quietly.中找到线索词quietly，与答案C选项中的peacefully表达的意思一致，从而迅速锁定答案。