Origins of the Christmas Holiday From its modest beginnings, Christmas has evolved into the biggest celebration in the world. Christmas is the fourth most important Christian date after Easter复活节 Pentecost圣灵降临节, and Epiphany主显节, a feast held January 6 to commemorate the manifestation of the divinity of Jesus. Roman Catholics 罗马天主教徒and Protestants基督教新教 celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25. Many Orthodox Christians正统基督徒 use the Julian calendar, which places Christmas around January 6. Early Christians, however, did not celebrate Christmas. There was disagreement about when Jesus was born and some early Christians opposed celebrating his birthday. In the fourth century Christmas was added to the Church calendar as a feast day. A Common Date December 25 was a significant date for various early cultures. The ancient Babylonians believed the son of the queen of heaven was born on December 25. The Egyptians celebrated the birth of the son of the fertility goddess Isis on the same date, while ancient Arabs contended that the moon was born on December 24. The Romans celebrated Saturnalia(农神节), a feast named for Saturn, god of agriculture, on December 21, the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. They believed the shortest day of the year was the birthday of the sun. The Roman emperor Constantine was a member of the sun-cult (太阳教)before converting to Christianity in 312. Some scholars suspect that Christians chose to celebrate Christ's birth on December 25 to make it easier to convert the pagan tribes(异教群体). Referring to Jesus as the “light of the world” also fit with existing pagan beliefs about the birth of the sun. The ancient “return of the sun” philosophy had been replaced by the “coming of the son” message of Christianity.
Joyful and Religious Gradually, Christmas celebrations began to adopt the joyful, often boisterous, holiday traditions of pagan cultures. The story of the nativity was told through music, art, and dance. Some Medieval Christians objected, however, maintaining that Christmas should be a somber(严肃的)religious day, not a secular(非宗教的)festival. After the Reformation, certain Protestant groups opposed Christmas celebrations. Oliver Cromwell banned them in England. King Charles II restored Christmas when he ascended the throne. In the American colonies, Puritans, Baptists, Quakers(清教徒、浸礼会教友、教友派教徒), and Presbyterians(长老会教友) opposed the festivities(庆典活动), while Catholics, Anglicans (Episcopalians) (天主教徒，国教徒(主教)), Dutch Reformed, and Lutherans(路德教会)approved. Christmas celebrations became more common in America during the mid-1800s. The introduction of Christmas services in Sunday schools reduced religious opposition, while the Charles Dickens novel A Christmas Carol（查尔斯迪更斯的小说《圣诞颂歌》） popularized the holiday as a family event.
1 which of the following is right according to the passage? A There are four festvials for Christians. B Nobody has any doubt about the date of Chrisma. C Charistmas has been celebrated from the beginning. D When Jesus was born is controversial. 2 Which of the following didn’t happen on Dec25? A the son of the queen of heaven was born B the birth of the son of the fertility goddess Isis C the birth of Jesus D the moon was born 3 Why the Romans chose 12.21 to celebrate Saturnalia? A They thought it was the shortest day and the birthday of the sun. B They wants to celebrate the birthday of god of agriculture. C They did so without any reason. D Their emperor first was a member of the sun-cult then a christian. . 4 We can infer from the passage that________. A Christmas was a serious religious ceremony to Christians.. B Everybody like Christmas because it is enjoyable. C Oliver Cromwell wanted approved the Christmas festivities. D Charistmas is now more of a famlily event than a religious ceremony.
Zhang Yimou By Steven Spielberg On the eighth day of the eighth month of 2008, 2 billion TV viewers and thousands in attendance in the now famous Bird's Nest were treated to an unforgettable spectacle at the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games. Behind it all was the creative genius of Chinese film director Zhang Yimou. Drawing from the depths of the cultural heritage(文化积淀) and ingenuity(心灵手巧) of the Chinese people, showcasing(展示) ancient Chinese inventions — paper, printing, gunpowder, ceramics and the compass — that have shaped civilization and channeling the sensibility（情感）and spirit that unite his fellow 1.3 billion citizens, Zhang told China's story to a watching world. He created the grandest spectacle of the new millennium, and it was viewed by nearly one-third of the world's population. With this work, Zhang obtained a stature shared by very few peers（同等的人）. In telling China's story, Zhang explored the character he, or peaceful harmony — an ideal critical（重大的） to Chinese culture. This level of thematic（主题的） and creative artistry（艺术效果） is rare in the field of filmmaking. There is much legend surrounding Zhang's rise to prominence(出名), given that his first job was as a farmhand and then a laborer in a cotton mill. But the story I enjoy most is that he gave blood over a period of months to earn enough money to purchase his first camera. He was 25. When the Beijing Film Academy reopened in 1978 after the Cultural Revolution, he was 27, already considered too old to become a filmmaker and lacking many of the necessary credits. Undaunted, he offered his portfolio of photographic works and was admitted to the department of cinematography. Zhang became a filmmaker, and for the past two decades, he has inspired the world's fascination with China through his cinematic vision. Not since the great British director Michael Powell has a director used color so effectively to tell stories. In Red Sorghum (1987), Ju Dou (1990) and his magnum opus, Raise the Red Lantern (1991), the vivid use of red in&
