Passage Four
Every culture and every country in the world celebrates New Year, but not everyone does it the same way. The countries in North America and Europe we]come New Year on January the first. This practice began with the Romans in the Middle East, New Year is when spring begins. People in China and Vietnam celebrate it on the first day of the Spring Festival, which is the first day of their calendar based on the moon. Rosh Hashana, which is the Jewish (犹太人的)New Year, comes at the end of summer. The Hindus (印度教教徒) in India celebrate the first day of each season, so they have four New Years.
In all these cultures, there is a practice of making noise. People made noise in ancient times to drive away the evil spirits (妖精) from their homes. Today making noise is more of a custom than a religious ritual(宗教仪式).
In the United States, many people stay up until midnight on New Year’s Eve to watch the clock pass from one year to the next. Friends
A. to keep the evil spirits away
B. to have fun
C. to celebrate the coming of the new year
D. to keep to a custom
Every street had a story, every building a memory. Those blessed with wonderful childhoods can drive the streets of their hometowns and happily roll back the years. The rest are pulled home by duty and leave as soon as possible. After Ray Atlee had been in Clanton ( his hometown) for fifteen minutes he was anxious to get out.
The town had changed, but then it hadn’t. On the highways leading in, the cheap metal buildings and mobile homes were gathering as tightly as possible next to the roads for maximum visibility. This town had no zoning whatsoever. A landowner could build anything with no permit, no inspection, no notice to adjoining landowners, nothing. Only hog farms and nuclear reactors required approvals and paperwork. The result was a slash-and-build clutter that got uglier by the year.
But in the older sections, nearer the square, the town had not changed at all. The long shaded streets were as clean and neat as when Ray roamed them on his bike. Most
A. Ray cherished his childhood memories.
B. Ray had something urgent to take care of.
C. Ray may not have a happy childhood.
D. Ray cannot remember his childhood days.
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