【正文】 ent to the hospital to see Bob. B. Mr. Black was on business far away. C. Bob’s mother would tell Bob the truth of his father . D. Bob’s mother was thankful to Mr . Black. B In Britain, Boxing Day is usually celebrated on December 26th, which is the following day after Christmas Day. However, strictly speaking, Boxing Day is the first weekday after Christmas. Like Christmas Day, Boxing Day is a public holiday. This means it’s a non ﹣ working day in the whole of Britain. When Boxing Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday is the public holiday． The exact origin（起源） of the holiday is unclear. One of the thoughts is that during the Middle Ages, when great sailing ships were setting off to discover a new land, a Christmas Box was placed by a priest （神父） on each ship. Those sailors who wanted to ensure a safe return would drop money into the box. It was sealed up and kept on board until the ship came home safely. Then the box was handed over to the priest in the exchange for the saying of a Mass of thanks for the success of the sailing. The priest wouldn’t open it to share the contents with the poor until Christmas． One more thought is about the“Alms Box”placed in every church on Christmas Day. Worshippers （做禮拜的人） put gifts for the poor into it. These boxes were always opened the day after Christmas. That is why that day became known as Boxing Day. Today, many businesses, anizations and families try to keep the traditional spirit of Boxing Day alive by donating（捐贈(zèng)） their time, services and money to aid Food Banks, providing gifts for the poor, or helping families in need. Besides, spending time with family and shopping are popular Boxing Day activities now. 76. If Christmas Day is on a Saturday, Boxing Day will be celebrated on_______. A. December 25th B. December 26th C. December 27th D. December 28th 77. Sailors dropped money into the Christmas Box in order to _______. A. save the poor B. pay for the priest C. discover new land D. pray for sailing safely 78． What does the underlined phrase “sealed up’’ mean_______. A. 密封 B. 懸掛 C. 歸還 D. 傳遞 79. The following activities can show the traditional spirit of Boxing Day EXCEPT_______. A. offering gifts to the poor B. supporting families in need C. spending time with family D. giving money to aid Food Banks 80. The purpose of the passage is_______. A. to praise the kindness of priests B. to introduce the origins of Boxing Day C. to call on people to help the poor D. to pare Boxing Day with Christmas Day． C It is not unusual for us to gather with our nearest and dearest on the weekends. But do you know that holidays, much like relationships, can be “made, maintained (保持 ) and broken” through conversations? Deborah Tanne n, a Geetown University linguistics (語言學(xué) ) professor, believes so. She offers suggestions to improve munication at the holiday table and beyond. Let’s take a look. * A round dining table is best for promoting (促成 ) a lively conversation because everyone faces one another. * Avoid seating grandparents at the ends of a rectangular (長方形的 ) table, even though it is the traditional place of honor. Elderly people may feel lonely there because they will be unable to hear or keep up with a conversation. * Women prefer to face each other and make eye contact when they talk. Men might look around at other things. “Guys may be more relaxed keeping their gaze on the TV,” says Tannen. “They’ll still be listening, though.” * Be aware (注意的 ) that people have different ways of talking. Each person has a different sense of tone, rhythm, timing and how long of a pause is normal in a conversation. Be aware of people who seem left out. If you feel you are doing all the talking, hold back to give others a chance to join in. If you feel you aren’t getting a chance to speak, try pushing yourself to start talking when it seems natural or polite. * Some families find that gatherings go more smoothly if they take part in an outdoor activity. Going to a park for a walk may be more enjoyable than sitting around chatting. 81. The main purpose of the article is to _______. A. inform us of some basic table manners B. introduce Deborah Tannen and her achievements C. give some advice on how to spend weekends D. suggest how to make the holiday a time of great munication 82. According to Deborah Tannen, seating the elders at the ends of a rectangular table _______. A. might prevent them from talking B. is likely to embarrass them C. is remended to show them honor and respect D. allows them to follow a conversation 83. Which of the following has the closest meaning as the underlined word “ smoothly” _______ . A. differently B. hardly C. easily D. gradually 84. Which of the following is TRUE according to the text? A. Men tend to make more eye contact than women while talking. B. Men may be more relaxed talking while watching TV. C.