In Britain,Boxing Day is usually celebrated on December 26th,which is the following day after Christmas Day.However,strictly speaking,Boxing Day is the first weekday after Christmas.Like Christmas Day,Boxing Day is a public holiday.This means it's a non-working day in the whole of Britain.When Boxing Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday,the following Monday is the public holiday.

The exact origin (起源) of the holiday is unclear.One of the thoughts is that during the Middle Ages,when great sailing ships were setting off to discover new land,a Christmas Box was placed by a priest (神父) on each ship.Those sailors who wanted to ensure a safe return would drop money into the box.It was sealed_up and kept on board until the ship came home safely.Then the box was handed over to the priest in the exchange for the saying of a mass of thanks for the success of the sailing.The priest wouldn't open it to share the contents with the poor until Christmas.

One more thought is about the “Alms Box” placed in every church on Christmas Day.Worshippers (做礼拜的人) put gifts for the poor into it.These boxes were always opened the day after Christmas.That is why that day became known as Boxing Day.

Today,many businesses,organizations and families try to keep the traditional spirit of Boxing Day alive by donating (捐赠) their time,services and money to aid Food Banks,providing gifts for the poor,or helping families in need.Besides,spending time with family and shopping are popular Boxing Day activities now.

1.Sailors dropped money into the Christmas Box in order to ________.

A. save the poor B. pay for the priest

C. discover new land D. pray for sailing safety

2.What does the underlined phrase “sealed up” mean?

A. 密封 B. 悬挂 C. 归还 D. 传递

3.The following activities can show the traditional spirit of Boxing Day EXCEPT ________.

A. offering gifts to the poor

B. supporting families in need

C. spending time with family

D. giving money to aid Food Banks

4.The purpose of the passage is ________.

A. to praise the kindness of priests

B. to introduce the origins of Boxing Day

C. to call on people to help the poor

D. to compare Boxing Day with Christmas Day

Probably you have seen photos of the Grand Canyon, the great valley in the desert country of Arizona.But you must go there yourself to feel its true size and beauty.The Grand Canyon is one of the greatest natural wonders of the world.

The Colorado River formed the Grand Canyon over millions of years.Slowly, the river cut down through hard rock.At the same time, the land was rising.Today the canyon is 1.5 kilometres deep and 445 kilometres long.The oldest rocks at the bottom of the canyon are more than 1 billion years old.The width varies from about 200 metres to 29 kilometres across.The rim or top of the canyon is about 2,300 metres above sea level on the South Rim, and about 3,000 metres on the other side,the North Rim.As a result, there are different kinds of plants and animals on opposite sides of the canyon.The South Rim is dry desert country.The North Rim has tall forests.

The canyon looks different at different times of day, and in different seasons and weather.At sunrise and sunset,the red, gold, brown and orange colours of the rocks are especially clear and bright.In winter, the canyon is partly covered with snow.

The view from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is the best.Most visitors come here and stay in campgrounds or hotels.Every point along the canyon's edge offers a different view.

The North Rim of the canyon is quieter.It takes all day to drive there from the South Rim because there is only one bridge across the Colorado River.On the way, you go through Navaho Indian Land, and a colourful pink desert called “The Painted Desert”.

1.The best way to feel the true beauty of the Grand Canyon is to________.

A. see its photographs

B. listen to the report about it

C. watch its introduction on TV

D. go there yourself and visit it

2.According to the second paragraph, ________.

A. the Grand Canyon has a short history

B. its size never changed in the history

C. the Grand Canyon was formed by the earthquake

D. you can enjoy different scenery on different sides of the canyon

3.From the passage we know that the ________ of the canyon is different at different times.

A. length B. scenery C. width D. height

4.If you want to have a visit to the Grand Canyon, you'd better go to ________.

A. the North Rim B. the South Rim

C. the bottom D. Navaho Indian Land

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