Guy Fawkes Night
When November 5 th comes, many people feel thatthey should give their dog a sedative, for somedogs get very nervous when they hear loud bangs,and the evening of Guy Fawkes Day is sure to benoisy if there are children living in your neighborhoodin 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 burnon it the figure of a ragged dummy ( a‘guy2 ’) 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 I3 wason the throne . Harsh measures had been taken against members of the Roman Catholic faithand certain Catholics plotted to blow up the Houses of Parliament4 on November 5th , whenthe King was to open Parliament and when, of course , all the Members would be present. Theplotters had hired premises adjoining the House of Lords, and had been able to obtain accessto a vault beneath the House. There, they had stored thirty-six barrels of gunpowder. Thesewere 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 theplotters wrote to warn a relation. On November 4 th the vaults were searched , and Guy Fawkeswas 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 5 that he might be favored bychance and be able to rid his country of6 men whom he considered evil. He was condemned tobe 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 toFawkes’s courage that his Christian name7, Guy, was long used in English to denote a personwho is a figure of fun chiefly because of his odd dress.
阅读自测
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 _________( 衣衫褴褛的) dummy.
2. Certain Catholics _________( 密谋, 策划) to ( 炸毁) the Houses of Parliament on November 5th .
3. He was_________ ( 判刑) to be_________ ( 绞死) , along with others of his fellow_________( 阴谋者) .
4. He met his death with great_________ ( 刚毅, 坚忍) .
5. It is the failure of this man, who was ( 坚定的) in his faith though perhaps misguided inactions, 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. 构思情节B. 密谋C. 标出……的位置
2. The newly built apartment house blocks our view.
A. 视野B. 观点C. 视图
3. They condemned him for his treacherous behavior.
A. 判刑B. 谴责C. 迫使( 某人) 陷于不幸的境地
