Guy Fawkes Night
When November 5 th comes, many people feel that they should give their dog a sedative, for some dogs get very nervous when they hear loud bangs, and the evening of Guy Fawkes Day is sure to be noisy if there are children living in your neighborhood in England.
November 5 th is a day on which, traditionally, children are allowed, under proper supervision, to let off fireworks, to make a bonfire and burn on it the figure of a ragged dummy ( a‘guy ’) made of old clothes, straw, and — if possible — one of father’s oldest hats. Even the smaller children are allowed to stay up until it is really dark, so that they can admire the rockets that burst in the sky and send down a shower of many-colored sparks.
The origin of this custom lies in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 . In that year King James I was on the throne . Harsh measures had been taken against members of the Roman Catholic faith and certain Catholics plotted to blow up the Houses of Parliament on November 5th , when the King was to open Parliament and when, of course , all the Members would be present. The plotters had hired premises adjoining the House of Lords, and had been able to obtain access to a vault beneath the House. There, they had stored thirty-six barrels of gunpowder. These were to be blown up, when the time came , by a very brave, cool-headed man, Guy Fawkes. Unfortunately, according to the traditional account, the plot was discovered when one of the plotters wrote to warn a relation. On November 4 th the vaults were searched , and Guy Fawkes was found and arrested. It is said that he had been warned that the plot had been discovered, but he gallantly persisted in his purpose, hoping against hope that he might be favored by chance and be able to rid his country of men whom he considered evil. He was condemned to be hanged, along with others of his fellow conspirators. He met his death with great fortitude .
It is the failure of this man, who was staunch in his faith though perhaps misguided in actions, that is perpetuated by the children’s fireworks of November 5 th . It is a poor tribute to Fawkes’s courage that his Christian name, Guy, was long used in English to denote a person who is a figure of fun chiefly because of his odd dress.
閱讀自測
Ⅰ. Fill in each blank according to the article :
1. Children are allowed, under proper supervision, to _________( 燃放) fireworks, to make a _________( 篝火) and burn on it the figure of a _________( 衣衫襤褸的) dummy.
2. Certain Catholics _________( 密謀, 策劃) to ( 炸毀) the Houses of Parliament on November 5 th .
3. He was_________ ( 判刑) to be_________ ( 絞死) , along with others of his fellow _________( 陰謀者) .
4. He met his death with great_________ ( 剛毅, 堅忍) .
5. It is the failure of this man, who was ( 堅定的) in his faith though perhaps misguided in actions, that is _________( 使不朽) by the children’s fireworks of November 5 th.
Ⅱ. Choose the item which best explains the meaning of the underlined word :
1. They’ve long been plotting to kill him.
A. 構思情節B. 密謀C. 標出……的位置
2. The newly built apartment house blocks our view.
A. 視野B. 觀點C. 視圖
3. They condemned him for his treacherous behavior.
A. 判刑B. 譴責C. 迫使( 某人) 陷于不幸的境地
參考答案
Ⅰ. 1. let off / bonfire / ragged 2. plotted / blow up 3. condemned / hanged / conspirators 4. fortitude 5. staunch / perpetuated
Ⅱ. 1. B 2. A 3 . B
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