Question

Winter solstice(冬至), an important solar term in the traditional Chinese calendar, as the name implies, means the coming of winter. It generally occurs between December 21st and 23rd. According to the traditional Chinese calendar, one year is divided into twenty-four solar terms. On this day, in the Northern Hemisphere the period of daytime is the shortest of the year and the period of night is the longest.

In Northern China there is a custom of eating dumplings during winter solstice. The tradition of eating dumplings during winter solstice has its origin in early times. It is said that dumplings were invented by Zhang Zhongjing, a well-known doctor from the Eastern-Han Dynasty.

One winter, he noticed that many people’s ears were frozen, which made him sad. In order to prevent and cure the freezing injury caused by the cold, he asked his followers to boil mutton, chilies and other ingredients with medicinal properties in a pot for fending off cold. After these were boiled, they ladled(舀取) the mutton and other ingredients out of the pot, cut them into pieces, and then wrapped them with dough skins in the shape of ears. Afterward, they put these into pots to boil again.

On the day of the winter solstice, the people whose ears were frozen were sent to eat the dumplings. People who ate it felt warm from head to toe and had their cold injury healed. Thereafter, every winter solstice people ate dumplings. Then there became a saying that if you eat dumplings during the winter solstice, then you won’t freeze your ears off.

Afterwards, Zhang Zhongjing died on the day of winter solstice. In order to honor him, every year on the day of the winter solstice every household makes dumplings.

1.Which of the following should be the best title of the passage?

A. The Custom Of Eating Dumplings    B. The Inventor Of Dumplings

C. The Importance Of Eating Dumplings    D. The Origin Of Winter Solstice

2.According to the passage, people make dumplings to eat every winter solstice because __________.

A. they want to honor Zhang Zhongjing, who invented dumplings to cure peoples freezing injury

B. they want to celebrate the important solar term in the traditional Chinese calendar

C. dumplings boiled with mutton, chilies and other ingredients with medicinal properties taste delicious

D. they can feel warm from head to toe and have their freezing injury healed

3.What does the underlined phrase “fending off” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A. Put off.    B. Put out.

C. Keep up.    D. Keep out.

4.According to the passage, which is TRUE about the following description?

A. Winter solstice is the most important among twenty-four solar terms.

B. Australia in the Southern Hemisphere has the longest period of daytime on Winter Solstice.

C. If people don’t eat dumplings, they will have their ears frozen off.

D. China has the longest period of daytime on Winter Solstice.

Answer

1. A

2. A

3. D

4. B

【解析】

本文为说明文。这篇短文主要介绍冬至华北地区习惯吃饺子的由来。北半球，冬至昼极短夜极长，天气极冷，有人的耳朵冻烂了，于是张仲景发明了“祛寒娇耳汤”来预防和治疗冻伤。以后就成了冬至吃饺子耳朵不会冻坏的习俗，后来为了纪念张仲景每年冬至就吃饺子。

1.A

主旨大意题。本文主要讲述在冬至那天华北地区吃饺子的习俗。本文第一段是冬至的起源、华北地区有冬至吃饺子的习俗、张仲景发明的饺子、冬至吃饺子的由来。分析选项（A. 吃饺子的习俗；B是饺子的发明者；C是吃饺子的重要性；D是冬至的起源）。分析选项可知B/C/D三项是文中的细节，是为A服务的。所以A项才是本文的中心，才是最好的题目。故A符合题意。

2.细节理解题。根据最后一段最后一句Zhang Zhongjing died on the day of winter solstice. In order to honor him, every year on the day of the winter solstice every household makes dumplings.张仲景在冬至那天去世了。为了纪念他，每年冬至的时候，每家每户都包饺子。可知，他们在冬至这一天包饺子是为了纪念张仲景。分析选项可知A正确 。

3.猜测词义题。根据第三段可知，张仲景为了预防和治疗寒冷引起的冻害，他要人们把各种食材放入锅内煮以此来御寒。及下文说吃了这种食物后感觉全身暖和了。分析选项A. Put off. 推迟,拖延,延期；B. Put out. 熄灭，关，扑灭；C. Keep up. 保持,维持,继续；D. Keep out. (使)留在外面；挡住，不让进来。分析选项可知，D项阻挡寒冷与之相符，故选D项。

4.细节理解题。根据第一段最后一句On this day, in the Northern Hemisphere the period of daytime is the shortest of the year and the period of night is the longest.在这一天，在北半球白天的时间是一年中最短的，夜晚的时间是最长的。而澳大利亚在南半球，所以冬至这一天白天时间最长。分析选项可知B项正确。