In the past, working people in Britain only had holidays on "holy" days: Sundays, Christmas and Easter. Now most people have about four weeks of holiday time every year plus public (公共的) holidays (also called "bank holidays").
Most British workers take a two-week holiday in July or August. Schoolchildren are on holiday from the end of July to the start of September. Taking a second holiday break in winter or spring is also becoming more popular in the UK.
The most popular holiday destinations (目的地) for Brits include Spain, France, Greece and the US. Lots of people buy a package holiday that includes flights and a hotel or a flat. Cheap overseas flights mean that many British people are able to spend two weeks a year vacationing abroad. Flights and package holidays are much cheaper during school terms and the British government is worried that some young people are skipping school (逃课) to go on holiday. Parents who take their child on vacation during term time must now pay a fine (罚款).
British people also like to go on holiday in the UK. They might go to England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales. In Cornwall, for example, there is an environmental project called the Eden Project. You can see plants from all over the world there.
Some teenagers want to spend their holidays doing something without their family. A language exchange (交换) is one way to become more independent and improve one's language skills. A British teenager might spend a week or two in a foreign country, staying with a family who has a son or daughter of the same age and practicing the local language. Later, the foreign teenager might visit the UK to practice their English with a British family.
【小题1】What do we know from Paragraph 2?| A．British workers have two weeks of holiday time a year. | B．Schoolchildren start going to school from July. |
| C．British people don't take breaks during winter. | D．More Brits are taking winter holiday breaks. |
| A．they buy a package holiday | B．they join the Eden Project |
| C．they travel near the UK | D．they travel during school holidays |
| A．Live with a family abroad. | B．Travel with their families. | C．Go out with their friends. | D．Go to language schools. |
