勘探英语阅读理解高级——圣诞节的一封信

2021年1月14日发(作者：滑俊)

1. Match the following words to their meanings:
a) endearing
b) sweeping
c) hijinks
d) to dote on
e) sample
- an example from a group or a collection of
objects
- to destroy or damage something
- troublesome, having fun making things that
you’re not supposed to do
- lovely, making you feel affection
- mischief and merrymaking that is often
disruptive, but not too serious, like pranks or gag
gifts
- to love someone very much, to adore them
- very broad, extensive, vast
- terrible, very bad
f) mischievous
g) awful
h) to spoil

2. Read the following article about the “Letters From Father Christmas”
by J. R. R. Tolkien. Then answer the questions below.
Read J. R. R. Tolkien’s “Letter From Father Christmas” To
His Young Children
by Ilia Blinderman
J.R.R. Tolkien is best known for the
sweeping fantasy landscapes of Lord of
The Rings and The Hobbit. Apart from
being a celebrated author, the Oxford
University professor of Anglo-Saxon was
also a devoted father who doted on his
children.
In 1920, a few short years after Tolkien
returned from World War I, he began an
endearing family Christmas tradition that would continue for the next 23 years. After
the birth of his firstborn son, John, Tolkien began to write his four children letters from
Father Christmas. These North Poles tales chiefly concern Father Christmas’ struggles
against the north’s bat- riding goblins, as well as the mischievous hijinks of his helper,
North Polar Bear. An adept illustrator whose original drawings accompanied many of
his writings (see his book cover designs for Lord of the Rings), Tolkien included with
many of his Christmas letters a set of charming pictures.
The many letters were eventually collected in a beautiful volume called Letters From
Father Christmas. Thanks to the good work of Letters of Note, we bring to you a
sample letter from 1925:
Cliff House
Top of the World
Near the North Pole
Xmas 1925
My dear boys,
I am dreadfully busy this year —
it makes my hand more shaky
than ever when I think of it —
and not very rich. In fact, awful
things have been happening, and
some of the presents have got
spoilt and I haven't got the North
Polar Bear to help me and I
have had to move house just
before Christmas, so you can
imagine what a state everything
is in, and you will see why I have
a new address, and why I can
only write one letter between you
both. It all happened like this:
one very windy day last
November my hood blew off and
went and stuck on the top of the North Pole. I told him not to, but the climbed
up to the thin top to get it down — and he did. The pole broke in the middle and fell on
the roof of my house, and the fell through the hole it made into the dining
room with my hood over his nose, and all the snow fell off the roof into the house and
melted and put out all the fires and ran down into the cellars where I was collecting this
year's presents, and the 's leg got broken. He is well again now, but I was so
cross with him that he says he won't try to help me again. I expect his temper is hurt,
and will be mended by next Christmas. I send you a picture of the accident, and of my
new house on the cliffs above the N.P. (with beautiful cellars in the cliffs). If John can't
read my old shaky writing (1925 years old) he must get his father to. When is Michael
going to learn to read, and write his own letters to me? Lots of love to you both and
Christopher, whose name is rather like mine.
That's all. Goodbye.
Father Christmas