Question

    There are hundreds of types of birthday cake in the world. You are likely to enjoy one during at least one of your birthday parties. But have you ever stopped and wondered, “Why am I eating this? What makes this dessert fit to celebrate the day of my birth?”

It’s because you are as important and beloved as the gods.

The ancient Egyptians are thought to have “invented” the celebration of birthdays. They believed when pharaohs (法老) were crowned, they became gods, so their coronation (加冕) day was their “birth” as a god.

Ancient Greeks borrowed the tradition, but realized that a dessert would make the celebration more meaningful. So they baked moon-shaped cakes to offer up to the goddess of the moon. They decorated them with lighted candles to make the cakes shine like the moon. It is the reason why we light our birthday cakes on fire.

Modern birthday parties are said to get their roots from an 18th century German celebration. On the morning of a child’s birthday, he or she would receive a cake with lighted candles that added up to the kid’s age, plus one. This extra candle was called the “light of life,” representing the hope of another full year lived.

And then, torture — because no one could eat the cake until after dinner. The family replaced the candles as they burned out throughout the day. Finally, when the moment came, the birthday child would make a wish, try to blow out all the candles in one breath, and dig in.

Since the ingredients (原料) to make cakes were pretty expensive, this birthday custom didn’t become popular until the Industrial Revolution. More ingredients were available, which made them cheaper, and bakeries even started selling pre-baked cakes.

1.What is the passage mainly about?

A.The origin of birthday cakes. B.The significance of birthday cakes.

C.The history of birthday parties. D.The introduction of cake production.

2.Who established the tradition of celebrating birthdays with cakes according to the passage?

A.Germans. B.Pharaohs.

C.Ancient Greeks. D.Ancient Egyptians.

3.The underlined word “torture” in Paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to ________.

A.pleasure B.replacement

C.sharing D.suffering

4.Why was the birthday cake custom unpopular before the Industrial Revolution?

A.The transport was inconvenient.

B.The ingredients of cakes were expensive.

C.The cake could not be eaten before dinner.

D.The bakeries would not sell pre-baked cakes.

Answer

1.A

2.C

3.D

4.B

【解析】

本文是说明文。文章介绍了生日蛋糕的起源。

1.主旨大意题。根据第一段But have you ever stopped and wondered, “Why am I eating this? What makes this dessert fit to celebrate the day of my birth?”可知，但是你有没有停下来想过，“我为什么要吃这个?”是什么让这个甜点适合庆祝我的生日呢?所以短文以提问的形式点明主题以及根据下文的具体介绍可知，本文讲述了生日蛋糕的起源。故选A。

2.细节理解题。根据第四段Ancient Greeks borrowed the tradition, but realized that a dessert would make the celebration more meaningful. So they baked moon-shaped cakes to offer up to the goddess of the moon. They decorated them with lighted candles to make the cakes shine like the moon. It is the reason why we light our birthday cakes on fire.古希腊人借鉴了这一传统，但意识到甜点会让庆祝活动更有意义。所以他们烤月亮形状的蛋糕来供奉给月亮女神。他们用点燃的蜡烛装饰蛋糕，使蛋糕像月亮一样闪闪发光。这就是我们为什么把生日蛋糕点着的原因。所以是古希腊人建立了用蛋糕庆祝生日的传统。故选C。

3.词义猜测题。根据第六段And then, torture — because no one could eat the cake until after dinner.大家只有在晚餐后才能吃蛋糕，这是一种折磨。所以划线词的意思是suffering“折磨”。故选D。

4.细节理解题。Since the ingredients (原料) to make cakes were pretty expensive, this birthday custom didn’t become popular until the Industrial Revolution.因为制作蛋糕原料非常贵，直到工业革命生日蛋糕风俗才受欢迎。所以在工业革命前生日蛋糕风俗不受欢迎的原因是原料很贵。故选B。