十一、情人節(jié)的來歷

　　Valentine‘s Day may come from the ancient Roman feast of Lupercalia. __1__ the fierce wolves roamed nearby，the old Romans called __2__ the god Lupercus to help them. A festival in his __3__ was held on February 15th. On the eve of the festival the __4__ of the girls were written on __5__ of paper and placed in jars. Each young man __6__ a slip. The girl whose name was __7__ was to be his sweetheart for the year.

　　Legend __8__ it that the holiday became Valentine‘s Day __9__ a Roman priest named Valentine. Emperor Claudius II __10__ the Roman soldiers NOT to marry or become engaged. Claudius felt married soldiers would __11__ stay home than fight. When Valentine __12__ the Emperor and secretly married the young couples，he was put to death on February 14th，the __13__ of Lupercalia. After his death，Valentine became a __14__. Christian priests moved the holiday from the 15th to the 14th—Valentine’s Day. Now the holiday honors Valentine __15__ of Lupercus.

　　Valentine‘s Day has become a major __16__ of love and romance in the modern world. The ancient god Cupid and his __17__ into a lover’s heart may still be used to __18__ falling in love or being in love. But we also use cards and gifts，such as flowers or jewelry，to do this. __19__ to give flower to a wife or sweetheart on Valentine‘s Day can sometimes be as __20__ as forgetting a birthday or a wedding anniversary.

　　1.[A] While [B] When [C] Though [D] Unless

　　2.[A] upon [B] back [C] off [D] away

　　3.[A] honor [B] belief [C] hand [D] way

　　4.[A] problems [B] secrets [C] names [D] intentions

　　5.[A] rolls [B] piles [C] works [D] slips

　　6.[A] cast [B] caught [C] drew [D] found

　　7.[A] given [B] chosen [C] elected [D] delivered

　　8.[A] tells [B] means [C] makes [D] has

　　9.[A] after [B] since [C] as [D] from

　　10.[A] ordered [B] pleaded [C] envisioned [D] believed

　　11.[A] other [B] simply [C] rather [D] all

　　12.[A] disliked [B] defied [C] defeated [D] dishonored

　　13.[A] celebration [B] arrangement [C] feast [D] eve

　　14.[A] goat [B] saint [C] model [D] weapon

　　15.[A] because [B] made [C] instead [D] learnt

　　16.[A] part [B] representative[C] judgement [D] symbol

　　17.[A] story [B] wander [C] arrow [D] play

　　18.[A] portray [B] require [C] demand [D] alert

　　19.[A] Keeping [B] Disapproving[C] Supporting [D] Forgetting

　　20.[A] constructive [B] damaging [C] reinforcing [D] retorting

　　答案

　　1.B 2.A 3.A 4.C 5.D 6.C 7.B 8.D 9.A 10.A

　　11.C 12.B 13.D 14.B 15.C 16.D 17.C 18.A 19D. 20.B

　　總體分析

　　本文介紹了情人節(jié)的由來。第一段介紹情人節(jié)的前身牧神節(jié)以及該節(jié)日里抽簽選戀人的慶�；顒�。第二段介紹情人節(jié)是為了紀(jì)念一位羅馬牧師。第三段指出情人節(jié)已經(jīng)成為愛的主要象征。

　　全文翻譯

　　圣瓦倫丁節(jié)(即，情人節(jié))可能源自古羅馬的牧神節(jié)。當(dāng)兇猛的狼群在四周游蕩時(shí)，古老的羅馬人請求牧神盧帕克斯來幫助他們。一個(gè)向該神表達(dá)敬意的節(jié)日于2月15日舉行。在這個(gè)節(jié)日的前夕女孩們的名字被寫在紙條上并放入罐中。每位年輕的男子都抽一張紙條，被抽中名字的女孩在未來一年中將成為他的戀人。

　　傳說這個(gè)節(jié)日之所以成為圣瓦倫丁節(jié)是為了紀(jì)念一位名叫瓦倫丁的羅馬牧師。國王克勞底斯二世命令羅馬士兵不得結(jié)婚或訂婚�？藙诘姿拐J(rèn)為結(jié)了婚的士兵更愿意留守家中而不是上戰(zhàn)場。當(dāng)瓦倫丁違抗了國王的意愿，秘密讓年輕人成了婚之后，他于2月14日即牧神節(jié)的前夕被處決。瓦倫丁死后，成了圣徒�；�督教會牧師們將這個(gè)節(jié)日從15日改為14日，即，圣瓦倫丁節(jié)。現(xiàn)在這個(gè)節(jié)日紀(jì)念的是瓦倫丁而再不是牧神盧帕克斯。

　　圣瓦倫丁節(jié)在現(xiàn)代世界里已經(jīng)成為愛和浪漫的一個(gè)主要象征。古代的愛神丘比特和他射入愛人心中的箭也許仍然被用來表現(xiàn)愛上某人或談戀愛。但是我們也使用卡片和禮物，比如鮮花或珠寶來做同樣的事情。在圣瓦倫丁節(jié)忘記給妻子或戀人送花有時(shí)能像忘記生日或結(jié)婚紀(jì)念日一樣糟糕。