专题限时训练(三十三)说明文型阅读简答(二)(限时：25分钟)(一)Fourleaf clovers (四叶车轴草) can be seen everywhere on Saint Patricks Day. On the day celebrating Irelands patron saint (守护神), Saint Patrick, people are showing Irish pride and respect for Irish traditions. Saint Patricks Day is celebrated all over the world on the 17th of March. Originally it was purely a Catholic holiday, but in the early 17th century Saint Patricks Day became an official festival. The celebration of Saint Patricks Day has continued to the present, and now it is more a celebration of Irish culture than a celebration of Saint Patrick himself.The fourleaf clover is a rare variation (变种) of the regular threeleaf clover. The story is that fourleaf clovers bring good luck to the people who find them, and especially if theyre found by accident. Over the years, images of the fourleaf clover have been connected with the Irish and with Saint Patricks Day. This is most likely because the fourleaf clover looks like the threeleaf clover, which is a symbol of Ireland. The threeleaf clover is said to have been used by Saint Patrick to explain Christian concepts to the Irish people.Even though the original colour that people associated with Saint Patrick was blue, over the years it eventually became green. This is most likely due to peoples association between Saint Patrick and the threeleaf clover. The tradition of wearing the colour green, as well as wearing threeleaf and fourleaf clovers, continues in the present Saint Patricks Day celebrations.Saint Patricks Day is celebrated all over the world and is especially popular in the United States. There are quite a few major Saint Patricks Day parades held to celebrate the holiday, the largest being in Boston, New York City, Chicago, and Savannah.1When did Saint Patricks Day become an official festival? (No more than 6 words)_2Why are images of the fourleaf clover connected with Saint Patricks Day？(No more than 10 words)_3According to the passage, who are viewed as fortunate? (No more than 6 words)_4. According to the last paragraph, how is Saint Patricks Day celebrated? (No more than 4 words)_(二)In Britain and other countries, young people usually take a “gap year”， a year off between high school and college. This idea never gained a big following in the United States. Recent news reports have suggested that interest may be growing, though there are no official numbers.Charles Deacon, the dean of admissions, estimates that in the current firstyear class of one thousand six hundred students, only twentyfive percent decided to take a year off. He says this number has not changed much over the years. He says the most common reason is to have a chance to travel, but international students may take a gap year to meet requirements at home for military duty.Some high school graduates see a year off as a chance to recover after twelve years of required education. But it can also give students a chance to explore their interest.Many colleges and universities support gapyear projects by permitting students to delay their admission. Experts say students can grow emotionally and intellectually as they work at something they enjoy. The Harvard admissions office has an essay on its website called “Time out or burn out for the next generation”. It praises the idea of taking time off to step back, think and enjoy gaining life experience outside the pressure of studies. Of course, a gap year is not for everyone. Students might miss their friends who go on directly to college. And parents might worry that their children will decide not to go to college once they take time off. Another concern is money. A year off, away from home, can be costly.Holly Bull is the president of the Centre for Interim Programs. Her company specializes in helping students plan their gap year. She notes that several books have been written about this subject. And she points out that many gapyear programs cost far less than a year of college.1How do many colleges and universities support gapyear projects? (No more than 12 words)_2According to Charles Deacon, how many students in the current firstyear class of his school decided to take a gap year? (No more than 12 words)_3What is the purpose of some high school students taking a gap year？(No more than 6 words)_4Why do parents worry about childrens gap year? (No more than 15 words)_