Customs A In rural areas in Finland1 people didn’t get married for romantic reasons, but for economic ones. Parents had a lot of influence on the choice of bride or groom2. Weddings provided an opportunity to display wealth and social rank. Rural wedding activities often lasted for several days, with celebrations taking place at both the bride’s and the groom’s home. Weddings were held in the autumn and the Christmas period because people had time off from farm work, and food was more plentiful than at other times of the year. The generous wedding celebrations enjoyed by rich men could last for up to two weeks. Western Finnish "crown3"weddings, so named because of the decorative crown worn by the bride, were particularly beautiful. The bride and groom got married under a canopy4, known as the bridal sky. The wedding room was decorated with flowers, straw, mirrors and goodwill messages. Poor people got married in the minister’s home. The wedding ceremony was followed by a dance which the guests could take part in if they paid a little money. If they paid a little more money, wedding guests could dance with the bride. Sometimes money was collected for the newlyweds. In the course of the 19th century, the social differences in Finnish society grew deeper. This division was reflected in the wedding customs. The weddings of the rich, who formed a small group, were clearly influenced by trends in Europe. Gradually, the fashions and international wedding customs of the rich spread to the rest of the people. The basis of marriage also changed. Romantic love replaced economic reasons in determining the choice of bride or groom. Notes: 1. Finland n.芬兰 2. bride or groom 新娘或新郎 3. crown n.王冠,花冠 4. canopy n.遮篷 1. In rural areas weddings were celebrated in the autumn and the Christmas period because _____. A. they were lucky time for the couple B. people were free and had more food then C. the weather was good at that time D. people could have a day off 2. Why were Western Finnish weddings called "crown" weddings? A. The bride was treated like a queen on that day. B. The wedding room was decorated like a palace. C. The wedding was held under a canopy. D. The bride wore a crown which was decorated in a rather beautiful way. 3. What is the best title for the passage? A. Wedding Celebrations and Social Class in Finland’s Past B. Rural Weddings and Urban Weddings in Finland C. Different Wedding Customs in Finland D. Different Types of Wedding Celebrations in the world B When meeting someone for the first time in America, it is customary to shake hands, both for men and for women. Hugs are only exchanged between close friends. Kissing is not common, and men never kiss other men. Americans usually introduce themselves with their first name only, or, if the meeting is formal, by their first name and last name. The common response when someone is introduced to you is "Nice to meet you." Unless someone is introduced to you with their title and last name you should address them by their first name. Americans normally address everyone they meet in a social or business setting by their first name. However, you should always address your college professors by their title and last name, unless they ask you to do otherwise. Americans normally answer the telephone by simply saying, "Hello." If you are calling a business, the person answering the phone will give the name of the business and usually his own name as well. If the person you would like to speak to has answered the phone, you should say hello and state your name. All restaurants in America accept cash for payment, and most also accept credit cards. A few restaurants also accept ATM cards for payment. You will rarely find a restaurant that accepts checks. It is common to have to wait for a table at a popular restaurant. There are many popular restaurants that do not accept reservations. At these restaurants, the wait can be very long on a weekend night, sometimes up to one hour. Many restaurants in America have a license to serve alcohol. You can find beer and wine, and at some restaurants you can even buy hard liquor. The drinking age in America is 21. If you look young, be prepared to show proof of your age when ordering alcohol. Note: hard liquor 烈性酒 1. If Americans meet for the first time, it is very common for them to _____. A. exchange hugs B. kiss each other C. shake hands D. call their names 2. If a young person orders alcohol in a restaurant, he may be asked to show proof of age because _____. A. some young people are not used to drinking alcohol B. people under the age of 21 are not allowed to drink alcohol C. some young people are likely to cause trouble after drinking alcohol D. drinking alcohol can be bad for some young people 3. The passage is _____. A. introducing some American customs B. telling us how to be polite when traveling in America C. comparing American customs to those in other countries D. telling us what can be regarded as good manners in America 阅读新题型 Muslim1 weddings follow all of the traditional religious customs, which have been written down in their holy2 book. The most important part of the wedding of two Muslims begins with the Nikah ceremony. This is important because it is the time when the social contract is made between the bride and groom. At this time, it is not even important for the girl to be present. She can be represented by her guardians at this ceremony. The groom then gives the gifts to the bride’s side. If they wish, the gifts can be given at a later time with the agreements of the two sides. The wedding customs for Muslims also include an engagement ceremony3, called the Mangni. In this ceremony, the groom’s family provides a dress for the bride, and the couple exchanges rings. The Muslim culture stresses various rules when it comes to marriage. The Muslim families must not spend too much money on a wedding. A lot of Western traditions have become a part of Muslim marriages, but are not part of Muslim traditions. One such tradition is displaying the bride on stage, but she must be dressed in a way that no part of her body is shown. She cannot show to the guests. In additon, she can not follow Western practices during the wedding, like kissing visitors. During the wedding ceremonies, the couple is not allowed to meet. They can not meet after their engagement, either. They can only see each other after the entire wedding celebrations. All Muslim weddings are carried out in the presence of a lot of family members and friends. Notes: 1. Muslim n.穆斯林 2. holy adj.神圣的 3. engagement ceremony订婚仪式 1. What is the best title for the passage? (Please answer within 10 words.) 2. Which sentence in the passage can be replaced by the following one? The families should be careful about how much money they spend on the wedding. 3. Please fill in the blank in the fourth paragraph with proper words or phrases to complete the sentence. (Please answer within 10 words.) 4. What have you learned from the passage about what the groom does in the Nikah ceremony? (Please answer within 30 words.) 5. Translate the underlined sentence in the fourth paragraph into Chinese. 参考答案： 阅读理解A 1-3 BDA 阅读理解B 1-3 CBA 阅读新题型 1. Muslim Weddings Follow Religious Customs 2. The Muslim families must not spend too much money on a wedding. 3. any part of her body 4. The Muslim groom gives the gifts to the bride’s side in the Nikah ceremony or at a later time, and they make a social contract. 5. 许多西方的传统已经成为穆斯林婚礼的一部分,但这些不属于穆斯林的传统。
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