Question

Directions: Read the following two passages. Fill in each blank with one proper word or the proper form of the given word to make the passage coherent. Make sure that your answers are grammatically correct.

The Origin of New Year’s Resolutions

Happy New Year! For many in the UK, if the New Year means anything, it means  1. (turn) over new leaf. And to do this, many of us make New Year’s resolutions-a list of ways 2. we intend to improve ourselves in the year ahead. We reflect on our past mistakes and make up our minds not to do them again. 3. (give) up smoking is ever popular, as is a promise to take up more exercise or spend more time with family.

But have you ever wondered when the idea of a New Year’s resolution comes from? The answer might lie in ancient Babylonia, according to History. com. The Babylonians 4. (believe) to be the first to hold recorded celebrations for the New Year. The 12 day-long celebration, 5. (name) Akitu, allowed them not only 6. (show) their loyalty to the King, but also to appeal to the gods to pay their debts and return the borrowed objects.

The ancient Romans too had similar traditions. New Year’s Day was a time 7. all government officers would take an oath(发誓) that they 8. obey the laws and support the city leader. Incidentally, the month of January is named after the Roman god Janus. He is the god of beginnings, transitions and time, among other things and is described as having two faces-one looking to the past and 9. facing forward to the future.

Whether you’re looking at a quick behavioral change 10. a huge personality checkup, you’re taking part in a tradition that goes back centuries. I wish you all the best sticking to your resolutions. Happy New Year!

Answer

1.turning

2.that/in which

3.Giving

4.are believed

5.named

6.to show

7.when

8.must/should

9.the other

10.or

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章介绍了什么是“新年决心”，以及它的起源等。

1.考查动名词做宾语。句意：对很多英国人而言，如果新年意味着什么的话，它就是意味着翻开新篇章。mean doing作“意味着”讲，turn over a new leaf 意为“翻开新篇章，改过自新”，所以填turning做宾语。故填turning。

2.考查定语从句。句意：我们很多人会有新年决心——是我们打算在来年提高自己的方法清单。分析句子可知，ways做先行词，所以从句的连接词应该用that或者in which。故填that/in which。

3.考查现在分词做主语。戒烟很流行，是一个多运动或花更多时间陪家人的承诺。分析句子可知give up smoking做主语，用动名词形式，所以用giving。故填giving。

4.考查动词时态和语态。句意：巴比伦人被认为首次举行了有记载的新年庆祝。分析句子可知，The Babylonians是主语，believe做谓语，与主语之间是被动关系，且文章用的一般现在时态，所以要用一般现在时态的被动语态，故填are believed。

5.考查过去分词。句意；12天的庆祝被称为Akitu，允许他们不仅显示自己对国王的忠诚，而且向诸神祈求偿还债务和归还借来的物品。分析句子可知。主语是The 12 day-long celebration，allowed是谓语，name要用非谓语形式作定语，且与逻辑主语The 12 day-long celebration是被动关系，要用过去分词形式。故填named。

6.考查固定搭配。句意：12天的庆祝被称为Akitu，允许他们不仅显示自己对国王的忠诚，而且向诸神祈求偿还债务和归还借来的物品。allow sb. to do sth意为“允许某人做某事”，故填to show。

7.考查定语从句。句意：新年是所有的政府官员都发誓他们会遵守法律，支持城市领袖的时候。分析句子可知，先行词是a time，在从句中做时间状语，所以从句的关系词用when。故填when。

8.考查情态动词。句意：新年是所有的政府官员都发誓他们会遵守法律，支持城市领袖的时候。誓言表示的是“必须”或者“应该”要做的，所以填must/should。

9.考查固定搭配。句意：他是开始之神，转变之神，时间之神，还有其他方面。他被描述成有两张脸：一张脸看过去，另一张面向未来。“（两者中的）一个……另一个……”用one…the other…，故填the other。

10.考查连词。句意：不管你是在寻求快速的行为改变还是大的个性检查，你都是在参加一个历经了几个世纪的传统。分析句子可知，a quick behavioral change和a huge personality checkup是二选一的关系，故填or。