You don’t have to be a fan of math to get excited about Pi (“n”) Day. While the event may start with some calculations, it is more than likely to conclude with a slice or two of delicious pie. The holiday is held every March 14, because “n” is widely recognized as 3.14.
The tradition of honoring “n” began at San Francisco’s Exploratorium museum. On March 14, 1988, physicist Larry Shaw convinced his colleagues to mark the day by marching around one of the museum’s circular spaces and consuming fruit pies. The celebration was made official in 2009 when the U. S. House of Representatives set aside March 14 as Pi Day.
Today, Pi Day is observed in many creative ways. Students at the California Institute of Technology in Los Angeles host a pie-eating event, which begins at 1:59 a.m. and features 26 pies, each of five different flavors. Though that might seem random (随机的), the date (3.14), time (159), number of pies (26), and number of varieties (5) recreate the first nine digits of “n”: 3.14159265!
Students applying for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge eagerly wait for the day every year to find out if they have been accepted. However, instead of sending out the offers at 3:14 p.m., the institution waits till 6: 28 p. m. 6.28 is referred to as “tau”, which is “n” multiplied by 2. The number is believed to be much more reliable than “n” by some experts and even has its own celebration on June 28. Since 2017, MIT has also used Pi Day as a fundraiser (资金筹集活动) to support its students, departments and programs.
This day is also Albert Einstein’s birthday, so the town of Princeton, New Jersey, where Einstein lived until his death in 1955, celebrates the occasion with multi-day festivities that end on March 14. Visitors can participate in concerts, shows, as well as pie-eating, pi-recitation, and Einstein-lookalike contests.
【小题1】Where was Pi Day originally celebrated?| A．In San Francisco. | B．In Los Angeles. |
| C．In Cambridge. | D．In Princeton. |
| A．Inform applicants of application results. | B．Conduct a calculating test. |
| C．Organize a march around the campus. | D．Make desserts of different flavors. |
| A．It is in memory of physicist Larry Shaw. |
| B．Students in America host a pie-eating event. |
| C．Students have to eat 26 pies within 159 minutes. |
| D．Much money is raised to help students in MIT. |
| A．To propose a suggestion. | B．To make an introduction. |
| C．To state an idea. | D．To give an explanation. |
Thanksgiving Day is a special holiday in the United States and Canada. Families and friends gather to eat and give thanks for the blessing.
Thanksgiving Day is really a harvest festival. This is why it is celebrated in late fall, after the crops are in. But the first thanksgiving in America had nothing to do with a good harvest. On December 4,1619, the Pilgrims(新来移民) from England landed near what is now Charles City, Virginia, where they knelt down and expressed thanks for their safe journey across the Atlantic.
The first New England Thanksgiving did celebrate a rich harvest. The Pilgrims landed at what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620. They had a difficult time and the first winter was cruel. Many of the Pilgrims died. But the next year, they had a good harvest. So Governor Bradford declared a three-day feast. The Pilgrims invited Indian friends to join them for their special feast. Everyone brought food.
As time went by, other colonies(殖民地) began to celebrate a day of thanksgiving. But it took years before there was a national Thanksgiving Day. During the Civil War, Sarah Josepha Hale persuaded Abraham Lincoln to do something about it. In 1863, he announced the last Thursday of November as a day of thanksgiving. Today, Americans celebrate this happy harvest festival on the fourth Thursday in November. Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving Day in much the same way as their American neighbours. But the Canadian Thanksgiving Day falls on the second Monday in October.
Thanksgiving Day is observed by church services and family reunions; the turkey dinner is a reminder of the four wild turkeys served at the Pilgrims' first thanksgiving feast. There are slight differences in Canada's and the United States' Thanksgiving in dates but the tradition is very similar. Other countries celebrate Thanksgiving Day as well.
【小题1】The first group of people in America to have thanksgiving were __________.| A．some people from England | B．the American Indians |
| C．Sarah Josepha Hale | D．Governor Bradford |
| A．in the U.S.A. | B．in Great Britain |
| C．in Canada | D．on some island off the Atlantic |
| A．It's about how Thanksgiving Day is celebrated in the U.S.A. |
| B．It's about how Thanksgiving Day came into being and the different ways it is celebrated. |
| C．It's about that Thanksgiving Day is in fact a harvest holiday. |
| D．It's about how the way to celebrate Thanksgiving Day changed with time and places. |
On Christmas Eve ─ the night before Christmas Day─ children all over Britain put a stocking at the end of their beds before they go to sleep. Their parents usually tell them that Father Christmas will come during the night.
Father Christmas is very kind and warm-hearted. He gets to the top of each house and climbs down the chimney (烟囱) into the fireplace. He fills each of the stockings with Christmas presents.
Of course, Father Christmas isn't real. In Jim and Kate's house, "Father Christmas" is really Mr Green. Mr Green doesn't climb down the chimney. He waits until the children are asleep. Then he quietly goes into their bedrooms and fills their stockings with small presents. When they were very young, Mr Green sometimes wore a red coat. But he doesn't do that now. The children are no longer young, and they know who "Father Christmas" really is. But they still put their stockings at the end of their beds.
【小题1】Christmas Eve is________.| A．the night of Christmas Day | B．the evening of Christmas Day |
| C．Christmas Day | D．the night before Christmas Day |
| A．into children's hats | B．into children's stockings |
| C．under children's beds | D．into children's shoes |
| A．they didn't know who Father Christmas was |
| B．they knew that Father Christmas wasn't real |
| C．they thought their father was Father Christmas |
| D．they knew who put the presents into their stockings |
| A．know that Father Christmas is real |
| B．ask their mother to fill their stockings with presents |
| C．know that Father Christmas is really their father |
| D．know that Father Christmas is really their friend |
Here are the most popular festivals & fairs events in New York this year.
Fanfaire NYC--High School of Art and Design
From: Today, Feb 8, 10:00 am To: Tomorrow, Feb 9, 6:00 pm $5.00 - $20.00
The Fanfaire NYC is a fun way to spend the day indulging in ones love of comic book art and meeting many of the people who help make them a reality. Super affordable to attend, and a nice way to spend the day with your fellow geeks. Don't miss out.
New Jersey Convention & Exposition Center
From: Friday, Mar 6, 10:00 am To: Sunday, Mar 8, 6:00 pm $8.00 - $10.00
Celebrate all that is handcrafted and see what's NEW at Sugarloaf Crafts Festival!
Find special things never available online! Shop the latest in fashion, jewelry, art, accessories, furniture, decor, special foods and much more! Discover unique and memorable gifts you can't find anywhere else to make your spring gift giving celebrations extra-special. Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays, graduations, weddings and more - you'll find perfectly handcrafted joy at Sugarloaf!
American Fine Craft Show at Brooklyn Museum
Thursday, Nov 19, 6:00 pm $8.00 - $16.00
American Fine Craft Show Brooklyn at Brooklyn Museum will crown the holiday season with 90 exhibits of art and handmade fine crafts for sale from artists and artisans from Brooklyn and around the country in the museum's landmark Beaux-Arts Court. In addition to fine art, exhibitors will sell ceramics, art glass, decorative fiber, fashion and fashion accessories, furniture, jewelry and mixed media.
On Air Fest 2020
From: Friday, Dec 6, 9:00 am To: Sunday, Mar 8, 4:00 pm $149.00 - $375.00
On Air Fest is a rally point for leading voices, new movements and curious listeners inspired by the art of sound. Coming into it’s fourth year in 2020, the flagship Brooklyn event at Wythe Hotel will feature over 100 artists who bring forward innovative ideas and present new work.
【小题1】Which event commands the highest prices?| A．Fanfaire NYC--High School of Art and Design. |
| B．New Jersey Convention & Exposition Center. |
| C．American Fine Craft Show at Brooklyn Museum. |
| D．On Air Fest 2020. |
| A．It is held latest among the events. | B．It only sells goods made by hands. |
| C．It gives the visitors free festival gifts. | D．Its goods can be booked online. |
| A．performing arts. | B．food and drink. |
| C．festivals and fairs. | D．sports and active life |
组卷网是一个信息分享及获取的平台，不能确保所有知识产权权属清晰，如您发现相关试题侵犯您的合法权益，请联系组卷网
