A
Traditions of giving middle names vary around the world.
Scotland
Middle names are actually a fairly recent discovery in Scotland. However, as the practice has become popular around the world, it has become pretty common for Scottish babies to have middle names. Because last names in Scotland are generally associated with their family roots, and first names usually describe a physical characteristic, many parents see a middle name as an opportunity to give their baby a slightly more creative name.
Spain and Latin America
In Spain and Latin America, a middle name is a way to break free from the cultural code governing first names. In some countries, even first names are legislated(立法) to be of Christian origin. In Chile, most girls are named Maria, after the Virgin Mary, so the middle name is used in practice for differentiation. Maria is the most common name in the Spanish-speaking world, so in all Spanish-speaking countries the middle name takes on great significance.
Russia
In Russia, both boys and girls are given middle names based on their father's first name. For boys, the middle name usually has ovich, or evich, added to its ending. For girls, the middle patronymic(從父名衍生出的名字) name usually has ovna, or evna, added to its ending. People in Russia are often referred to by both their first and middle names, sort of the way parents in America use their children's full names when they're trying to get their attention(or yell at them). Close friends in Russia often don't use their first names completely, and use only patronymic names, when talking to each other.
Australia
According to Law Buddy, an Australian legal advice service, child naming laws in Australia allow Birth Registrars to refuse to register baby names that to be offensive to register to careless, inappropriate, ridiculous. They do allow for children to get a middle name, which is typically reserved for the mother's maiden name(娘家姓),provided, of course, that the mother's maiden name is not offensive, careless, inappropriate, or ridiculous.
1. What do we know about giving middle names in Scotland?
A. It needs to be based on their family roots.
B. It's opposed by the elderly in the country
C. It mainly describes a baby's appearance.
D. It didn't become common until not long ago
2. What role do middle names in the Spanish-speaking countries play?
A. Showing family roots.
B. Showing their unique culture.
C. Describing a physical characteristic.
D. Allowing people to have different names
3. What is a typical feature of middle names in Russia?
A. They usually have the same ending.
B. They're usually very creative names.
C. They're usually difficult to remember.
D. They're based on their father's middle name.
4. What should parents in Australia consider when naming their children?
A. Avoiding a middle name
B. Avoiding registering baby names.
C. Using the mother's proper maiden name.
D. Using an unusual name for differentiation.
【答案】1. D 2. D 3. A 4. C
【解析】
這是一篇說明文。主要說明了蘇格蘭、西班牙和拉丁美洲、俄羅斯以及澳大利亞給孩子取中間名的一些傳統(tǒng)。
【1題詳解】
細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)Scotland部分中Middle names are actually a fairly recent discovery in Scotland.可知中間名實(shí)際上是最近在蘇格蘭才發(fā)現(xiàn)的。由此可知，在蘇格蘭，中間名直到不久前它才變得普遍起來。故選D。
【2題詳解】
細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)Spain and Latin America部分中In Spain and Latin America, a middle name is a way to break free from the cultural code governing first names. Maria is the most common name in the Spanish-speaking world, so in all Spanish-speaking countries the middle name takes on great significance.可知。在西班牙和拉丁美洲，中間名是打破名字文化規(guī)范的一種方式，旣悂喪钦f西班牙語(yǔ)國(guó)家中最常見的名字，因此在所有西班牙語(yǔ)國(guó)家中，中間的名字都具有重要的意義。由此可推知，在說西班牙語(yǔ)的國(guó)家中，中間名扮演著允許人們有不同名字的角色。故選D。
【3題詳解】
細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)Russia部分中For boys, the middle name usually has ovich, or evich, added to its ending. For girls, the middle patronymic name usually has ovna, or evna, added to its ending.可知對(duì)于男孩來說，中間的名字通常會(huì)在結(jié)尾加上“ovich”或“evich”。對(duì)于女孩來說，中間的父名通常會(huì)在結(jié)尾加上“ovna”或“evna”。由此可知，在俄羅斯，中間名的典型特征是它們通常有相同的結(jié)尾。故選A。
【4題詳解】
細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)Australia部分中They do allow for children to get a middle name, which is typically reserved for the mother's maiden name, provided, of course, that the mother's maiden name is not offensive, careless, inappropriate, or ridiculous.可知它們確實(shí)允許孩子取中間名，這通常是為娘家姓保留的，當(dāng)然，前提是母親的娘家姓不是具有冒犯性的、粗心的、不恰當(dāng)?shù)幕蚩尚Φ。由此可知，澳大利亞的父母在給孩子取名時(shí)應(yīng)該考慮使用母親的娘家姓。故選C。
