The New Year is a time for celebration for almost everyone of the world. In Britain, people go to pubs and nightclubs to dance the old year away, and to welcome in the new one at midnight.
In recent years, street parties have become more popular. Thousands of people gather in squares, main streets or on the river banks to listen to bands playing and to see fireworks displays.
For people who stay at home, most are attracted by the special, live New Year shows on TV. They are waiting for the countdown, along with the presenters, from 10 to 1 as the last second of the old year away and the bells of the New Year are rung.
In Scotland, people visit their neighbors and drink, dance on New Year's Eve. If you're invited to a Scottish home that night, it's important to know what to bring with you: a lump of coal, some shortbread and some whisky.
The coal shows warmth, so you're wishing the people you visit will have enough heat in the coming year. The shortbread represents food, so you're hoping that the people will have enough to eat in the new year. Some Scots call whisky “the water of life”， so when you hand over your bottle to your hosts, it means you want them to have enough to drink over the next 12 months.
And there's one more key task you still have to perform if you can. The first person to knock on a neighbor's door is supposed to be a tall, dark, and handsome man who will bring good luck to the household. But what if that's not you? Well, don't ring the bell just yet. Wait a while and the_right_person is sure to turn up soon!
语篇解读：本文主要介绍了英国人庆祝新年的活动方式，着重介绍了苏格兰人的庆祝方式。
1．What is the best title for this passage?
A．Seeing the old year off in Britain
B．Celebrations of a Scottish New Year
C．Visiting Scottish homes on New Year's Eve
D．Sending good luck in the New Year
解析：选B 标题归纳题。文章主要讲述了英国人庆祝新年的活动方式，其中拜亲访友也在其中，所以最好的标题是B；而A、C和D只是其中的一部分，不能作为文章的标题。
2．Why do visitors take things to a Scottish home on New Year's Eve?
A．To share good food and warmth.
B．To help those poor families.
C．To send best wishes to the families.
D．To show richness and generosity.
解析：选C 细节理解题。文章倒数第二段具体描述了大年除夕拜访亲朋好友时要带的东西和含义，每件都代表着拜访者美好的祝愿和祝福，the coal祝愿来年的温暖，the shortbread和whisky代表着饮食富足，因此选C。
3．The phrase “the right person” in the last sentence refers to “________”．
A．the presenter of a special TV show
B．a tall, dark and handsome man
C．a man with coal, shortbread and whisky
D．your neighbor
解析：选B 细节理解题。根据文章叙述的事实，这儿的the right person肯定是第一个敲门的人，也就是上文说的a tall, dark, and handsome man who will bring good luck to the household。
4．We know from the passage that ________.
A．British people hate to think of the old year and wish to dance it away quickly
B．street concerts have become more popular on New Year's Eve
C．British people let off fireworks in public places to celebrate the New Year
D．people stay at home doing nothing but wait for the bell of the New Year to ring
解析：选C 推理判断题。根据第二段的叙述可以看出，人们举行街道晚会庆祝新年的活动除了欣赏乐队演奏外，还可以欣赏烟花，由此推断：人们会在公共场合燃放烟花以示庆祝，所以选C。
