Learning English

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过生日时，你是否会满怀期待地拆开亲友送给你的礼物和贺卡？而在逢年过节时，你又是否曾亲笔写下一张贺卡，将心意寄给远方的亲友？赠送贺卡不仅由来已久，更是在多元文化中各放异彩。本文将带你概览这一文化习俗的历史演变，并浅谈它在当下的现实价值。

词汇：culture 文化

1 The tradition of sending greeting cards has withstood the rise of digital communication. Though often inexpensive, cards can convey our thoughts and emotions. Their rich history spreads over centuries of civilisations across the world, building a culture of card giving along its way.

2 It was written in a 2011 edition of Souvenirs, Gifts, & Novelties that since the earliest days of written interaction, special occasions such as birthdays and seasonal celebrations have been recognised through handwritten notes and letters. Ancient Egyptians wrote scrolls. In China, wishes of good fortune were sent in decorative red envelopes around Chinese New Year. And similarly, cards featuring classical Persian poetic verse written in calligraphy were exchanged. These gesturespaved the way for the culture of greeting cards.

3 Before the printing revolution of the 15th century, only those with lots of money would write cards. Since then, they have become more accessible, meaning more people could communicate from a distance. As industrialisation continued to sweep through the 19th century, sending cards became a widespread practice.

4 During the Victorian period, greeting cards became quite elaborate in design. They were adorned with lace, ribbon, and intricate illustrations. The cards themselves became keepsakes, treasured for their beauty and sentiment. Nowadays, we see a variety of designs. Most cards still leave a blank space inside for a handwritten message. Some cards can even be designed online to include pictures of loved ones, adding a more personal touch.

5 According to Ken Research, from 2024 the global greeting card market was valued at around $19 billion. With that, and increasing concerns about the environment, many manufacturers are changing how they make their cards. They're using recycled and other environmentally friendly materials, like bio-degradable glitter and paper made from sustainable plant fibres like bamboo. So, we can continue our kind tradition of card giving without harming the planet.

测验与练习

一、为本文选择总结句。

a. People have sent greeting cards since the earliest days of writing.
b. People prefer sending greeting cards over digital communication.
c. Sending greeting cards is quite a recent tradition.

二、根据文章内容选出正确的选项。

1. Nowadays, if you want to communicate, it's more common to…
a. ask someone to deliver your messages.
b. contact someone digitally.
c. send them a card on special occasions.

2. The printing revolution of the 15th century meant that people with little money could work in greeting card manufacturing.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

3. Where was it popular to send beautifully written poems?
a. China
b. Egypt
c. Persia

4. People from the Victorian period often kept greeting cards.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

5. Nowadays, many card manufactures in the UK are using recycled materials for their greeting cards because…
a. of the rising concerns about the environment.
b. other materials are more difficult to design with.
c. they're generally cheaper.

三、用下列单词完成对本文的总结。

Nowadays, you can design greeting cards online using your own pictures. 1) _______ your love for your friends and family and 2) _______ for new traditions. They’ll be sure to see this greeting card as a 3) _______, 4) _______ with your extra special 5) _______.

adorned
convey
exchanged
keepsake
pave the way
personal touch
withstand

（答案见词汇表后）

词汇表

withstand 经受住（时间或考验）
convey 传达，传递
interaction 互动，往来交流
scroll 卷轴，长卷
poetic verse 诗文，诗句
calligraphy 书法
gesture 心意，姿态
pave the way 为…做准备，为…铺平道路
accessible 普及的，容易获得的
industrialisation 工业化
sweep through 席卷
widespread 普遍的
elaborate 精美复杂的，华丽精巧的
adorn 装饰，装点
intricate 精细的，错综复杂的
keepsake 纪念品，留念物
sentiment 情思，心意
blank 空白的
personal touch 个人特色
bio-degradable 可生物降解的
fibre 纤维

答案

一、将标题和段落配对。

1. a. People have sent greeting cards since the earliest days of writing.

二、根据文章内容选出正确的选项。

1. b.The tradition of sending greeting cards has withstood the rise of digital communication.

2. c. Not given. The text mentions how more people had access to affordable greeting cards but doesn’t mention factories or people with little money working in them.

3. c.Similarly, cards featuring classical Persian poetic verse written in calligraphy were exchanged for special times of the year.

4. a.The cards themselves became keepsakes, treasured for their beauty sentiment.

5. a.With increasing concerns about the environment and a projected card market estimated to reach £2.1 billion by the year 2030, many UK manufacturers are changing how they make their cards.

三、用方框中的单词完成对本文的总结。

Nowadays, you can design greeting cards online using your own pictures. Convey your love for your friends and family and pave the way for new traditions. They'll be sure to see this greeting card as a keepsake, adorned with your extra special personal touch.