Passage 40
（2009 安徽 B）

The year 2009 is the Year of Ox.The ox is a representative of the farming culture of china. In the farming economy （經濟）, oxen are the major animals pulling plows （犁）.

Of course, the good of oxen is not limited to plowing.In fact, they are seen as “boats on land”for their ability to carry loads.besides, the whole body of an ox is full of treasures.Their meat and milk are food full of nutrition, and their skin can be used to make clothes and shoes.With all these qualities, oxen are regarded as generous creatures.

In the past, oxen played an important role in the spiritual life of the chinese.Even today, oxen still play a special part in some folk activities.For example, some people who live in southwest china will cook cattle bone soup and share it among family members when holding the ceremony for children who reach 13.They believe that the cattle bone soup represents the blood relationship among family members.In order to express their love for oxen, people in some other areas will run to shake off diseases on the 16th day of the first month by the lunar calendar （農歷）, and during their run they will take their oxen along, which indicates they regard the creature as human.

because of the contribution of oxen in their lives, the chinese people are very grateful to the animal.In addition, the use of oxen in ceremonies and the thanks people owe to oxen help to develop various traditional customs, which becomes an important part of the folk culture of the chinese nation.

1.The words “boats on land”underlined in Paragraph 2 refer to ______.

A. animals for taking goods

B. creatures for pulling plows

C. treasures of the folk culture

D. tools in the farming economy

2.From the third paragraph, we know that ______.

A. oxen are no more important today than in the past

B. ceremonies are held when people cook cattle bone soup

C. oxen are treated as human in some areas of china

D. people run with oxen to shake off diseases every month

3.Which of the following helps to develop traditional customs?

A. The special role of oxen in farming.

B. People's respect and love for oxen.

C. The practical value of an ox's body.

D. The contribution of oxen to the economy.

4.Why does the author write the text?

A. To stress the importance of oxen in farming.

B. To introduce the chinese folk culture.

C. To describe how to celebrate the Year of Ox.

D. To explain how to develop agriculture with oxen.

【重點詞匯】

representative n.代表

economy n.經濟

major adj.主要的

limit to 局限于……；把……限制在……

be full of 充滿

generous adj.大方的；高尚的，高貴的

play an important role in…在……起到重要作用

spiritual adj.精神上的

hold ceremony 舉行儀式

represent v.代表

indicate v.暗示

regard. ..As…把……當作……

contribution 貢獻

be grateful to…對……感激

【疑難長句】

1.For example, some people who live in southwest china will cook cattle bone soup and share it among family members when holding the ceremony for children who reach 13.

這句話的主語是some people，謂語是cook 和share。who live in south west china是people的定語。when holding the ceremony for children who reach 13是時間狀語從句，而其中又包含了一個定語從句 who reach 13。

（參考譯文）例如，在中國西南地區，在孩子13歲舉行成年禮的時候，有些人會煮牛骨頭湯和家族成員分享以示慶祝。

2.In addition, the use of oxen in ceremonies and the thanks people owe to oxen help to develop various traditional customs, which becomes an important part of the folk culture of the chinese nation.

這句話的謂語很短（help），但是主語很長（the use of oxen in ceremonies and the thanks people owe to oxen），而且還包含了一個定語從句the thanks （that）people owe to oxen.如果把主語和謂語劃分清楚了，這句話就很好理解了。

（參考譯文）另外，牛被用到各種儀式上以及人們對牛的謝意使得更多的傳統習俗得以發展，這些習俗成為了中國民俗文化重要的組成部分。