Books for Children

In some countries, the most common unlucky number is thirteen. People don’t like to live in a house that is number 13. People don’t like to have parties with thirteen people. People don’t like to do important things on the thirteenth of the month. Also, when you add the Japanese unlucky numbers together---nine and four ---they make thirteen.

There aren’t many business meetings on the thirteenth of the month especially when the thirteenth is on a Friday. Friday is always unlucky. Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden (伊甸园) on a Friday. Jesus Christ died on a Friday. There were thirteen people at his last supper. In Europe, they kill criminals(罪犯) on Fridays.

For some people, unlucky numbers do the opposite things. My elder brother was born on the thirteenth. He passed his exams on the thirteenth. He married on the thirteenth. He became a pilot on the thirteenth. It was always a lucky number for him.

根据短文内容，选择正确答案。

1.What is the unlucky number in Japanese?

2.Generally speaking, how many days are there in a year on which people don’t want to hold business meetings?

3.Which of the following is NOT used to prove that Friday or thirteen is unlucky?

4.When did Europeans kill criminals?

5.Which of the following is NOT true?

Except for a few times, Americans are not big present-givers. There’s no exchange of presents among business people, and if one American tries to give another a present, it may look like that he wants to bribe (贿赂) him. Americans have learned that in some other countries people like to give presents to others, but among ourselves we don’t see the need for presents.
Even friends may never exchange presents. When I go to foreign countries, I try to bring back little things for close friends, but nobody would feel unhappy if I didn’t. I don’t often re­member a friend’s birthday, and few people outside of my family remember mine. If someone gave me presents too often, I’d get unpleasant. But a present from a foreigner - that kind from his or her homeland — won’t go wrong, except to government employees (政府职员) who can’t be given presents.
You usually open a present at once and in front of the person who gives it except Christmas and birthday presents. You should only say, "It’s so nice. Thanks…" when you get Christ­mas or birthday presents.
You may want to bring a bottle of wine (葡萄酒) or flowers to a dinner party, but you’re
never asked to.  Nobody will mind if you bring wine, but your friend may not use it that evening.
At Christmas we often give presents to our family and sometimes our friends. We also give presents to people who have been helpful during the year- doormen, babysitters, housecleaners, newspaper senders— anyone who has often helped us.
【小题1】   What does "close friends" mean in the passage?

Christmas Day, the birthday of Jesus Christ(耶稣)，is the most important festival in Britain and some other countries. On Christmas Eve, people usually tell their children to put their stockings at the end of their beds before they go to sleep. Children believe Santa Claus, with the other name of Father Christmas, will come during the night and fill(装满)their stockings with Christmas presents.
Actually(实际上), Father Christmas is children’s father. He dresses up(打扮)in a red coat and waits until children fall asleep. Then he goes into children’s bedrooms, and puts small presents in their stockings. When children are no longer(不再)young, they know who Father Christmas really is.
Not only children but also their parents enjoy Christmas stockings. They also have stockings. Early on the morning of Christmas Day, Children wake their parents up and say ＂Merry Christmas”. Then they help their parents open their stockings. Everybody likes presents, but it is better to give than to receive(收到).
根据短文内容，判断正(T) 误 (F)。
【小题1】Christmas Day is the birthday of Jesus Christ.
【小题2】On Christmas Eve, children put the hats on the beds.
【小题3】In fact, Father Christmas is children’s father.
【小题4】Only children enjoy Christmas stockings.
【小题5】It’s better to receive than to give .

Except for a few times, Americans are not big present-givers. There’s no exchange of presents among business people, and if one American tries to give another a present, it may look like that he wants to bribe (贿赂) him. Americans have learned that in some other countries people like to give presents to others, but among ourselves we don’t see the need for presents.

Even friends may never exchange presents. When I go to foreign countries, I try to bring back little things for close friends, but nobody would feel unhappy if I didn’t. I don’t often re­member a friend’s birthday, and few people outside of my family remember mine. If someone gave me presents too often, I’d get unpleasant. But a present from a foreigner — that kind from his or her homeland — won’t go wrong, except to government employees (政府职员) who can’t be given presents.

You usually open a present at once and in front of the person who gives it except Christmas and birthday presents. You should only say, ‘It’s so nice. Thanks…’when you get Christ­mas or birthday presents.

You may want to bring a bottle of wine (葡萄酒) or flowers to a dinner party, but you’re never asked to. Nobody will mind if you bring wine, but your friend may not use it that evening.

At Christmas we often give presents to our family and sometimes our friends. We also give presents to people who have been helpful during the year like doormen, babysitters, housecleaners , newspaper senders — anyone who has often helped us.

1.What do the underlined words ‘close friends’ mean in the passage?

2.What kind of presents don’t Americans usually open in front of the givers?

3.Why do Americans also give presents to housecleaners at Christmas?

4.Which of the following do you think is right?

5.What is the main idea of the passage?