C
Almost all cultures celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another in some ways. Different cultures celebrate the beginning of a new year in different ways, and at different times on the calendar.
In Western countries, people usually celebrate New Year at midnight on December 31st - January 1st. People may go to parties, sometimes dressed in formal (正式的) clothes, and they may drink champagne(香槟) at midnight. During the first minute of the new year, people cheer and wish each other happiness for the year ahead. But some cultures prefer to celebrate the New Year by waking up early to watch the sunrise. They welcome the new year with the first light of the sunrise.
Many cultures also do special things to get rid of(摆脱) bad luck at the beginning of a new year. For example, in Ecuador, families make a big doll from old clothes. The doll is filled with old newspapers and firecrackers. At midnight, these dolls are burned to show the bad things from the past year are gone and the new year can start afresh(重新). Other common traditions to keep away bad luck in a new year include throwing things into rivers or the ocean, or saying special things on the first day of the new year.
Other New Year traditions are followed to bring good luck in the new year. One widespread Spanish tradition for good luck is to eat grapes on New Year's Day. The more grapes a person eats, the more good luck the person will have in the year. In France, people eat pancakes for good luck at New Year. In the United States, some people eat black - eyed peas for good luck, but to get good luck for a whole year you have to eat 365 of them!
11. The passage is mainly about .
A. the meaning of “Happy New Year!”
B. several different New Year traditions
C. what to eat on New Year's Day
12. In some cultures, people throw things into rivers or oceans to .
A. bring good luck
B. keep away bad luck
C. forget everything
13. To have a happy new year, .
A. friends talk to each other in special ways
B. families make big dolls filled with old clothes
C. some people get up early to watch the sunrise
14. When eating black - eyed peas on New Year's Day, people think .
A. one pea brings one day of luck
B. black - eyed peas are the best medicine
C. the peas are helpful to count numbers
15. Which of the following is true?
A. In some countries, people dress in formal clothes to welcome the New Year.
B. In some countries, people burned the bad things to bring good luck.
C. In France, people eat pancakes to keep away from bad luck.

11.B 12.B 13.C 14.A 15.A

【分析】
本题为英语阅读理解题，共5道选择题，涵盖主旨题和细节题。解题思路：先通读全文把握文章核心内容，再针对每道题，定位到文章对应段落，对比选项与原文信息，逐一排除错误选项，选出正确答案。
【解析】
11题：文章围绕不同文化庆祝新年的多样传统展开，并非仅讲“新年快乐”的含义或新年饮食，故主旨为不同新年传统，选B。
12题：根据第三段“Other common traditions to keep away bad luck in a new year include throwing things into rivers or the ocean”，可知扔东西到河里是为了远离坏运气，选B。
13题：根据第二段“some cultures prefer to celebrate the New Year by waking up early to watch the sunrise. They welcome the new year with the first light of the sunrise”，可知早起看日出是迎接新年的方式，选C。
14题：根据第四段“in the United States, some people eat black - eyed peas for good luck, but to get good luck for a whole year you have to eat 365 of them!”，可推断1颗豌豆对应1天的好运，选A。
15题：A选项对应第二段“People may go to parties, sometimes dressed in formal (正式的) clothes”，正确；B选项烧娃娃是摆脱坏运气而非带来好运，错误；C选项法国吃煎饼是带来好运而非远离坏运气，错误，故选A。
【答案】
11.B 12.B 13.C 14.A 15.A
【知识点】
阅读理解主旨题、阅读理解细节题、英语文化常识
【点评】
本题以不同文化新年传统为阅读材料，题目侧重细节查找与主旨理解，需学生精准定位原文信息，难度适中，主要考查学生的信息提取和文本理解能力。
【难度系数】
0.6