Weddings in the United States vary as much as the people do. There are church weddings with a great deal of fanfare（仪式上用的短曲）; there are weddings on mountain-tops with guests barefooted (赤脚的); and there have been weddings on the ocean floor with oxygen tanks for the guests. But many weddings, no matter where or how they are performed, include certain traditional customs.
Before a couple is married, they become engaged. And then invitations are sent to those who live nearby, their close friends and their relatives who live far away. When everything is ready, then comes the most exciting moment.
The wedding itself usually lasts between 20 and 40 minutes. The wedding party enters the church while the wedding march is played. The bride carrying a bouquet （花束）enters last with her father who will "give her away ". The bridegroom enters the church from a side door. When the wedding party is gathered by the altar, the bride and bridegroom exchange vows (誓言). It is traditional to use the words "To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part ". Following the vows, the couple exchange rings. Wearing the wedding ring on the fourth finger of the left hand is an old custom.
After the ceremony there is often a party, called a "reception" which gives the wedding guests an opportunity to congratulate the new couple . The car in which the couple leaves the church is decorated with balloons, streamers and shaving cream. The words "Just Married" are painted on the trunk or back window. The bride and bridegroom run to the car under a shower of rice thrown by the wedding guests. When the couple drives away from the church, friends often chase them in cars, honking (鸣汽车喇叭)and drawing attention to them. And then the couple go on their honeymoon.
【小题1】This passage is written mainly to let us know something about _______ .

Well before the 15th century, an Anglo-Saxon custom required that a prospective bridegroom break some highly valued personal belonging. Half of the broken token was held by the father of the bride and the other half by the groom. A wealthy man was expected to split a piece of gold or silver.
The earliest engagement rings were also used as wedding rings, serving to seal an act of sale which transformed ownership of a daughter from father to husband. Such rings were usually of solid gold to prove the groom’s worth.
For Roman Catholics, the engagement ring became a required statement of Nuptial intent（结婚意向）, as decreed by Pope Nicholas I in 860 A.D. The engagement ring was to be of valued metal, preferably gold, which for the husband-to-be represented a financial sacrifice.
Signifying enduring love, and chosen for its durability, the diamond was chosen for the engagement ring. The diamond’s fire is also associated with “love’s clear flame,” given by Medieval Italians because of their belief that the diamond was created from the flames of love.
The Venetians were the first to discover that the diamond is one of the hardest, most enduring substances in nature, and fine cutting and polishing releases the brilliance. Rarity and cost limited their rapid proliferation（急增） throughout Europe but their intrinsic（内在的） appeal guaranteed them a future. By the 17th century, the diamond ring had become the most sought after statement of European engagement.　　
1. Who kept the two halves of the engagement rings before marriage?
A. The bride’s father and the bridegroom’s mother.
B. The bride’s mother and the bridegroom.
C. The bride and the bridegroom.
D. The bridegroom and the bride’s father,
2. What’s TRUE about the early Anglo-Saxon custom before the 15th century ?
A. A will-be bridegroom should beat all his valuable belongings.
B. Every will-be bride should split a piece of gold.
C. The engagement rings were also used to prove the groom’s worth.
D. A rich bride should break one of her most valuable personal belongs.
3. Pope Nicholas made the engagement ring a required statement of nuptial intent ______.
A. in the 15th century           B. over 1,000 years ago
C .in the 1860s                D. by the 17th century
4. What kind of engagement ring has been the most popular one in Europe ?
A. Rings made of gold         B. Rings made of silver
C. Rings made of diamond       D. Rings made of an unknown substance in nature.

Weddings in the United States vary as much as the people do. There are church weddings with a great deal of fanfare（仪式上用的短曲）; there are weddings on mountain-tops with guests barefooted (赤脚的); and there have been weddings on the ocean floor with oxygen tanks for the guests. But many weddings, no matter where or how they are performed, include certain traditional customs.

Before a couple is married, they become engaged. And then invitations are sent to those who live nearby, their close friends and their relatives who live far away. When everything is ready, then comes the most exciting moment.

The wedding itself usually lasts between 20 and 40 minutes. The wedding party enters the church while the wedding march is played. The bride carrying a bouquet （花束）enters last with her father who will "give her away ". The bridegroom enters the church from a side door. When the wedding party is gathered by the altar, the bride and bridegroom exchange vows (誓言). It is traditional to use the words "To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part ". Following the vows, the couple exchange rings. Wearing the wedding ring on the fourth finger of the left hand is an old custom.

    After the ceremony there is often a party, called a "reception" which gives the wedding guests an opportunity to congratulate the new couple . The car in which the couple leaves the church is decorated with balloons, streamers and shaving cream. The words "Just Married" are painted on the trunk or back window. The bride and bridegroom run to the car under a shower of rice thrown by the wedding guests. When the couple drives away from the church, friends often chase them in cars, honking (鸣汽车喇叭)and drawing attention to them. And then the couple go on their honeymoon.

1.This passage is written mainly to let us know something about _______ .

    A. health and lifestyle             B. science and technology

    C. culture and custom           D. education and entertainment

2.Why do the wedding guests throw a lot of rice at the bride and bridegroom when they run to the car ?

    A. To wish them good luck .         B. To make fun of them.

    C. Not mentioned .          D. To draw attention to them .

3.Which of the following is TRUE of American weddings ?

    A. They are always held in churches whoever they are .

B. The bride’s father is usually present to lead his daughter to the bridegroom and give her to him .

    C. Only bridegrooms send rings to brides .

    D. Brides needn’t make vows before bridegrooms .

4.Which of the following is the correct order in which the following events happen ?

    a. sending invitation               b. going on honeymoon

    c. attending the wedding        d. giving a reception

    e. getting engaged

    A. e-b-c-d-a        B. e-c-d-a-b   C. b-c-d-a-e   D. e-a-c-d-b

Well before the 15th century, an Anglo-Saxon custom required that a prospective bridegroom break some highly valued personal belonging. Half of the broken token was held by the father of the bride and the other half by the groom. A wealthy man was expected to split a piece of gold or silver.

The earliest engagement rings were also used as wedding rings, serving to seal an act of sale which transformed ownership of a daughter from father to husband. Such rings were usually of solid gold to prove the groom’s worth.

For Roman Catholics, the engagement ring became a required statement of Nuptial intent（结婚意向）, as decreed by Pope Nicholas I in 860 A.D. The engagement ring was to be of valued metal, preferably gold, which for the husband-to-be represented a financial sacrifice.

Signifying enduring love, and chosen for its durability, the diamond was chosen for the engagement ring. The diamond’s fire is also associated with “love’s clear flame,” given by Medieval Italians because of their belief that the diamond was created from the flames of love.

The Venetians were the first to discover that the diamond is one of the hardest, most enduring substances in nature, and fine cutting and polishing releases the brilliance. Rarity and cost limited their rapid proliferation（急增） throughout Europe but their intrinsic（内在的） appeal guaranteed them a future. By the 17th century, the diamond ring had become the most sought after statement of European engagement.　　

1. Who kept the two halves of the engagement rings before marriage?

   A. The bride’s father and the bridegroom’s mother.

   B. The bride’s mother and the bridegroom.

   C. The bride and the bridegroom.

   D. The bridegroom and the bride’s father,

2. What’s TRUE about the early Anglo-Saxon custom before the 15th century ?

   A. A will-be bridegroom should beat all his valuable belongings.

   B. Every will-be bride should split a piece of gold.

   C. The engagement rings were also used to prove the groom’s worth.

D. A rich bride should break one of her most valuable personal belongs.

3. Pope Nicholas made the engagement ring a required statement of nuptial intent ______.

A. in the 15th century           B. over 1,000 years ago

   C .in the 1860s                D. by the 17th century

4. What kind of engagement ring has been the most popular one in Europe ?

   A. Rings made of gold          B. Rings made of silver

C. Rings made of diamond       D. Rings made of an unknown substance in nature.

Well before the 15th century, an Anglo-Saxon custom required that a prospective bridegroom break some highly valued personal belonging. Half of the broken token was held by the father of the bride and the other half by the groom. A wealthy man was expected to split a piece of gold or silver.

The earliest engagement rings were also used as wedding rings, serving to seal an act of sale which transformed ownership of a daughter from father to husband. Such rings were usually of solid gold to prove the groom’s worth.

For Roman Catholics, the engagement ring became a required statement of Nuptial intent（结婚意向）, as decreed by Pope Nicholas I in 860 A.D. The engagement ring was to be of valued metal, preferably gold, which for the husband-to-be represented a financial sacrifice.

Signifying enduring love, and chosen for its durability, the diamond was chosen for the engagement ring. The diamond’s fire is also associated with “love’s clear flame,” given by Medieval Italians because of their belief that the diamond was created from the flames of love.

The Venetians were the first to discover that the diamond is one of the hardest, most enduring substances in nature, and fine cutting and polishing releases the brilliance. Rarity and cost limited their rapid proliferation（急增） throughout Europe but their intrinsic（内在的） appeal guaranteed them a future. By the 17th century, the diamond ring had become the most sought after statement of European engagement.　　

1. Who kept the two halves of the engagement rings before marriage?

   A. The bride’s father and the bridegroom’s mother.

   B. The bride’s mother and the bridegroom.

   C. The bride and the bridegroom.

   D. The bridegroom and the bride’s father,

2. What’s TRUE about the early Anglo-Saxon custom before the 15th century ?

   A. A will-be bridegroom should beat all his valuable belongings.

   B. Every will-be bride should split a piece of gold.

   C. The engagement rings were also used to prove the groom’s worth.

D. A rich bride should break one of her most valuable personal belongs.

3. Pope Nicholas made the engagement ring a required statement of nuptial intent ______.

A. in the 15th century           B. over 1,000 years ago

   C .in the 1860s                D. by the 17th century

4. What kind of engagement ring has been the most popular one in Europe ?

   A. Rings made of gold          B. Rings made of silver

C. Rings made of diamond       D. Rings made of an unknown substance in nature.