People in the United States honor their parents with two special days：Mother’s Day, on the second Sunday in May, and Father’s Day, on the third Sunday in June. These days are set aside to show love and respect for parents. They raise their children and educate them to be responsible citizens. They give love and care. These two days make us think about the changing roles of mothers and fathers. More mothers now work outside the home. More fathers must help with child care.
These two special days are celebrated in many different ways. On Mother’s Day people wear carnations. A red one symbolizes a living mother. A white one shows that the mother is dead. Many people attend religious services to honor parents. It is also a day when people whose parents are dead visit the cemetery(墓地).On these days families get together at home, as well as in restaurants. They often have outdoor barbecues for Father’s Day. These are days of fun and good feelings and memories.
Another tradition is to give cards and gifts. Children make them in school. Many people make their own presents. These are valued more than the ones bought in stores. It is not the value of the gift that is important, but it is “the thought that counts”. Greeting card stores, florists, candy makers, bakeries, telephone companies, and other stores do a lot of business during these holidays.
小题1:Which of the following is NOT a reason for children to show love and respect for parents?
A．Parents bring up children.
B．Parents give love and care to children.
C．Parents educate children to be good persons.
D．Parents pass away before children grow up.小题2:Which do you think is right about “carnation”?
A．It has only two kinds of colors.
B．It refers to the special clothes people wear on Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.
C．It’s a kind of flower showing love and best wishes.
D．People can wear carnations only on the second Sunday in May.小题3:What do you know from the passage?
A．Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are both in May.
B．Fewer women worked outside the home in the past.
C．Not all the children respect their parents
D．Fathers are not as important as mothers at home.小题4:On Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, _______.
A．people usually have family parties
B．everyone goes to visit the cemetery
C．children always go to parents’ home
D．hand-made cards are the most valuable gifts
