Question

Evidently, our very first president, George Washington, thought being thankful was a big deal. In 1789 he declared the last Thursday in November to be a national Thanksgiving holiday. The intention was to strengthen the unity of the American people by encouraging them to gather together to honor their own families and give thanks for their country. Thanksgiving celebrations were popular even before the Indians and the Pilgrims famous feast. As time marched on, the people of the New England states continued to celebrate the holiday but the people in the lower states went about their own business ignoring it. Sarah Josepha Buell Hale, an active participant in her own community, was shocked. She believed Thanksgiving should be a priority（优先）in America for all Americans. She made a decision to be actively involved.

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While caring for her six children, she wrote letters for years to prominent people, magazine articles and editorials challenging others to take up the cause of reinstating（恢复） the National Holiday of Thanksgiving. Numerous women across the country joined Sarah in the challenge and began writing letters too. Some changes actually occurred. One by one, individual states were once again celebrating Thanksgiving. That wasn’t good enough for Sarah, she wanted all people in every state to once again sit around their tables on the same day and give thanks. She decided to go to the President himself. She wrote to President Zachery Taylor. He said no. Four years later, she wrote to President Franklin Pierce. He said no. Four years later, she wrote to President James Buchanan. He also said no. Finally, four years later, she got the attention of President Abraham Lincoln. He said, “Yes! “In 1863 he declared the fourth Thursday in November as a Thanksgiving National Holiday! That Sarah, she didn’t take no for an answer. She kept at it for thirty-eight years! What a life changer! Wow, thank you, Sarah.

1．Thanksgiving was celebrated because ________.

A．it was very popular with all Americans

B．the people in the lower states overlooked the holiday

C．it was thought of great importance to unite the American people

D．it was celebrated before Christmas Day

2．The underlined word “prominent” probably means ________.

A．friendly           B．outstanding             C．promising               D．ordinary

3．We can learn from the passage that ________.

A．the Indians and the Pilgrims famous feast was also unpopular in the lower states

B．Sarah kept calm when she learned Thanksgiving celebrations was no longer popular

C．through Sarah’s hard work, more and more states returned to the celebration of Thanksgiving

D．a large number of men and women went in for the cause of reinstating Thanksgiving

4．Sarah’s character can be described as ________.

A．stubborn           B．determined            C．brave            D．enthusiastic

Answer 1

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