马鞍山市2014高考英语阅读理解、动词短语精讲讲练（10）及答案
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The first harvest means the death of the cr ops as grain is gathered, and the thanksgiving of the people to the goddesses who provided them with life sustaining grains.
Late July and early August mark the middle of summer and the beginning of the harvest season. Famine (饥荒) was common during July as the previous year’s harvest supplies were almost totally used up. Harvesting grains in August ensured the continuance of life and was recognized by many cultures as a time of thanksgiving.
In ancient Rome the grain goddess Ceres was honored on the first harvest called Ceresalia in her honor. Our modern word cereal comes from her name. Other goddesses celebrated at the first harvest were Demeter, Persephone, Venus and the Corn Mother. Many native American tribes honor the Corn Grandmother during the Festival of Green Corn. It was held during the full moon when the corn was ready to be harvested. The celebration lasted for several days and was a time to be thankful and a time of forgiveness.
Lughnasadh was a happy time regarded as the first of three harvest festivals. Lughnasadh honors the god Lugh, and his foster－mother Taillte who died while clearing the fields of Ireland for agriculture. In Old Irish Lunasa means “August”. The Celts celebrate this day from sunset of August 1 to sunset on August 2 as the wake of Lugh, the Sun－King whose light began to decline after the summer solstice(夏至). At_this_time_oaths(誓言)_were_taken_and_contracts_were_signed.
