【预讲练结】人教必修三 Unit 1 Festivals around the world练习
一、阅读理解(共20小题，每小题2分，满分40分)
第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）
A
VENICE，a small，waterside city in northeast Italy，boils with happiness and excitement once every year. Between February 21 and March 4，carnival(狂欢节) hits the streets.
For most people，carnival means large parties and feasting(盛宴)．But in Venice，it also means traditional masks and clothes.
These costumes were first meant to hide personal identities. Then，different social classes could mix in a sea of happiness. Along the waterways，people greeted each other with “Good morning Ms. Mask！”Today，people in Venice still dress up in the strangest ways—as armed soldiers，butchers and fishermen，for example.
Bars and cafes are filled with partygoers who come to show off their beautiful clothes. Their designs and creations are made by special studios. Readymade costumes are not acceptable.
“In the months before the carnival we work overtime to meet the demand，”said a maskmaker. “Many kilometres of silk and lace(花边) are made into costumes. For shopkeepers，carnival is the best time of year.”The Venice carnival dates back to the Middle Ages. At that time，the city was one of the wealthiest in Europe.
The tradition of celebrating with masks and costumes is thought to have been started by the “Stocking Companies”．These were groups of young men who organized parties and festivals and wore colorful stockings to distinguish(区分) themselves.
