【正文】 《高級(jí)休閑英語》試題 Section I. Reading (40 Points) Information for examinees Questions 110： 20points, 2 point for each。 Questions 1130: 20 points, 1 point for each) Part 1: Questions 110. The History of Saint Valentine39。s Day Valentine39。s Day started in the time of the Roman Empire. Some experts state that it originated from St. Valentine, a Roman who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity and for secretly officiating at Christian marriages. He died on February 14, in about the year 270 A. D. One legend says that St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer39。s daughter, who had bee his friend, and signed it From Your Valentine. However we need to know more of the story to know why St. Valentine is now the patron saint of lovers. In ancient Rome, February 1439。h was a holiday to honor Juno. Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew her as the Goddess of women and marriage. The following day, February 1539。h, began the Feast of Lupercalia. The lives of young Roman boys and girls were usually strictly separate, but on the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man would draw a girl39。s name from the jar, then the young man and woman would bee partners for the duration of the festival. Sometimes the pairing of the children lasted an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and would later marry. Under the rule of Emperor Claudius Ⅱ , Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. He believed that the reason was that Roman men did not want to leave their loves or families. As a result, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome. Saint Valentine and Saint Marius secretly married couples, and for this Saint Valentine was apprehended and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. He suffered martyrdom on the 14th day of February, about the year 270 A. D. In 496 A. D. Pope Gelasius set aside February 14th to honor St. Valentine. The pastors of the early Christian Church in Rome endeavored to do away with the pagan element in the Roman feasts of this period by substituting the names of saints for those of maidens. As the Lupercalia began about the middle of February the pastors, following Gelasius39。 decision, appear to have chosen Saint Valentine39。s Day for the celebration of this new feast. So it seems that the custom of young men choosing maidens for valentines, or saints as patrons for the ing year arose in this way. Gradually, February 14th became the date for exchanging love messages and St. Valentine became the patron saint of lovers. The date was marked by sending poems and simple gifts such as flowers and candy. There was often a social gathering or a ball to celebrate the patron saint of lovers. In the United States, Miss Esther Howland is given credit for sending the first valentine cards. Commercial valentines were introduced in the 180039。s and now the date is much mercialized. The town of Loveland, Colorado, does a large post office business around February 14th. Nevertheless even though the advertising industry focuses on Valentine39。s Day as just another way for us to spend our money, the spirit of good continues as valentine39。s are sent out with messages of love, however sentimentalized, and children and sweethearts exchange valentine cards at school , at work and even within the family. Question 110: Complete the following statements by choosing the best from the answers a, b, c, or d. Write a, b, c or d on your Answer Sheet. 1. Valentine39。s Day is celebrated a) on the day of St. Valentine?s birth. b) on the Feast of Lupercalia. c) only by Christmas. d) on the day of St. Valentine39。s death. 2. At the feast of Lupercalia in ancient Rome a) young girls and boys were kept strictly separate. b) young girls and boys would get married. c) young girls and boys would be partnered for the festival. d) young people were baptized into Christianity. 3. According to this article Claudius Ⅱ of Rome banned marriages because a) he could not get soldiers to join his army. b) he believed girls and boys should be kept separate. c) he did not believe in Christianity. d) he wanted to control the birth rate. 4. The official who condemned St. Valentine to death was a) the Prefect of Rome b) Emperor Claudius Ⅱ c) Pope Gelasius d) a member of Christian munity 5. Who tried to do away with the pagan element in the Roman feasts? a) Lupercalia b) The pastors of the early Christian Church in Rome c) Juno, the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses d) Miss Esther Howland 6. The pastors of the early Christian Church in Rome a) encouraged paganism on Valentine39。s Day. b) encouraged young men to choose maidens as partners on Valentine39。s Day. c) encouraged emperor to bee a Christian. d) encouraged people to choose saints as patrons on Valentines Day. 7. We have been able to buy valentine cards a) for over 300 years. b) since Miss Esther Howland sent the first valentine card. c) for over 200 years. d) since the post office in Loveland was opened. 8. Before 1800 a) many people exchanged valentine greetings and gifts. b) there were often annual valentines balls. c) the post office in Loveland was kept busy on Valentine39。s Day. d) Valentine was not yet a saint. 9. Within the context of the article, people like to post cards from a certain town in Colorado because a) that is where the first Valentine39。