Question

What is your zodiac（生肖） animal? According to the Chinese lunar calendar（农历）, 12 animals mark 12 different years. It is the basis of the Chinese zodiac. Nowadays, Chinese zodiac animals have worldwide fame and are increasingly popular among western people.

The zodiac is an important part of Chinese culture. People believe that the characteristics of a zodiac animal influence the personality of every person born in that year. For example, people born in the Year of the Tiger are considered powerful and brave.

Zodiac animals also have some social functions. When people think it is not proper to ask: “How old are you”, they may change their question to “What is your zodiac animal?” With this question, you can figure out roughly which year someone was born and the person’s age.

Zodiac animals are not special to China. Many countries share a similar zodiac culture with China. For example, in the Japanese Zodiac, a wild boar（野猪）takes the place of a pig and the Vietnamese（越南的）zodiac has a cat instead of a rabbit.

But have you ever wondered how these 12 animals were chosen to represent each year? According to legend, the Jade Emperor（玉皇大帝）invited all the animals to join him for Chinese New Year. Only 12 animals went to see him. As a reward he named a year after each one in the order they arrived. The ox would have been the first to arrive, but the rat sat on his back and jumped off just before they arrived to come in first place.

1.The characteristics of a zodiac animal may influence the _____ of every person born in that year.

A. appearance B. personality

C. hobby D. education

2.“What is your zodiac animal?” is a question used to find out a person’s______.

A. age B. name

C. job D. weight

3.In the Japanese zodiac, we don’t see the zodiac animal：_______

A. wild boar B. rabbit

C. dragon D. pig

4.According to the last paragraph, we know that ____ was the first animal to arrive.

A. ox B. Rat

C. pig D. Cat

 

Answer 1

1.B

2.A

3.D

4.B

【解析】

试题分析：本文叙述的是12生肖的故事。根据中国的农历12个动物代表着12个不同的年份，12生肖已经世界闻名而且在西方流行开来。12生肖是中华文化的重要部分，也有其社会功能，不仅中国有生肖，其他国家也有。最后还讲述了生肖的由来。

1.1】细节理解题。根据第一段People believe that the characteristics of a zodiac animal influence the personality of every person born in that year.可知一个生肖的特点影响那年出生的每个人的性格。故选B。

2.2】细节理解题。根据第三段“What is your zodiac animal?” With this question, you can figure out roughly which year someone was born and the person’s age..可知这个问题可以被用来发现一个人的年龄。故答案选A。

3.3】细节理解题。根据in the Japanese Zodiac, a wild boar（野猪）takes the place of a pig可知在日本wild boar取代了pig，因此日本生肖中没有pig，故选D。

4.4】细节理解题。根据最后一段The ox would have been the first to arrive, but the rat sat on his back and jumped off just before they arrived to come in first place.公牛本来第一到达的，可是老鼠坐在它背上，在它到达之前先跳了下来。故选B。

考点：故事类短文阅读。