A
There’s nothing like Christmas in New York City.Among hundreds of traditions, one of the most beloved is the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s famous Christmas tree.People from around the world visit the Met daily and are impressed(印象深刻的) by the 20foot tree and its special decorations.
Instead of the usual decorations, beautiful angels(天使) and candles hang from the tree.At the base are lifelike handmade figures of townspeople of Bethlehem doing their daily tasks, as well as animals.The room is warmly lit, and there’s beautiful Christmas songs softly playing, creating a feeling of calm that is really hard to find during Christmas.
Jasmin, an Australian student studying in the United States, says that the tree is “wonderful because you don’t often see trees like this.”And she says that her “favorite part of the tree is the beautiful angels.”
The tree has a rich history behind it.The decorations and figures were gifted to the museum by collector Loretta Hines Howard.More than 200 eighteenthcentury figures were given to the Museum starting in 1964, and they have been displayed(展览) each holiday season with a Christmas tree.Each year, new angels and figures are added to the collection and display.
If you want to fully experience the beauty of the figures, you’ll need to get close to the tree, most easily done when there aren’t many visitors surrounding(围绕) it, so try to visit early in the day or on a weekday if possible.Each year they change how the figures are placed and with so many beautiful pieces in the collection, it’s easy to find something new to examine.
【解题导语】 本文是一篇说明文。文章介绍了在纽约大都会艺术博物馆展出的著名的圣诞树。
21．What is special about the Christmas tree in the Metropolitan Museum of Art?
A．It has a long history.
B．It welcomes visitors all year round.
C．It is displayed with special figures.
D．It is the highest Christmas tree in New York.
C 解析：细节理解题。由第一段中的its special decorations和第二段中的Instead of the usual decorations...At the base are lifelike handmade figures...animals.可知， 这棵圣诞树底部周围有一些特殊的塑像， 这使得它与众不同。
22．How do visitors probably feel when entering the display room?
A．Warm. B．Lucky.
C．Peaceful. D．Satisfied.
C 解析：细节理解题。由第二段中的The room is warmly lit...calm可知， 展览室有温暖的灯光和柔和的圣诞颂歌， 给人一种平静的感觉。
23．What can we infer about the figures?
A．They grow each year in number.
B．They were made by Loretta Hines Howard.
C．They show people’s life in the 20th century.
D．They are especially popular among young people.
A 解析：推理判断题。由倒数第二段中的Each year, new angels...collection and display.可知， 每年都有新的天使和塑像加入到展览当中， 因此， 塑像的数量逐年增加。
24．Which of the following is the best title of the text?
A．Christmas in New York
B．Meet the Magical Christmas Tree
C．The Metropolitan Museum of Art
D．The Perfect Place to Spend Your Christmas
B 解析：标题归纳题。文章介绍了一棵著名的圣诞树， 包括其地理位置、形态特征、特殊之处等。故B项最能概括文章大意。
