导读：清明时节雨纷纷，疫情期间云祭扫。
Tomb-sweeping Day during the coronavirus outbreak
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The Qingming Festival is an important traditional Chinese holiday. It is also called Tomb-sweeping Day, for on that day Chinese people will offer sacrifices to their ancestors and sweep the tombs of the dead family members. Because the weather is usually clear and bright at that time, it is also called Pure Brightness Festival. As one of the Chinese 24 solar terms, it is an important seasonal symbol for agriculture. After the festival, the temperature rises up and rainfall increases. So it marks a good time to plow (耕地) and sow. It is also a good time for Chinese people to go outside to enjoy the greenery of spring.
In 2020, the Qingming Festival falls on April 4. To help control the epidemic, many Chinese cities have launched an online service platform for this year’s Tomb-sweeping Day. Yang Ling, who works at the Nanjing funeral management office, said that people can ask cemetery (公墓) workers to sweep tombs for them or honor their ancestors on cemetery websites.
Origin of the festival
The Qingming Festival dates back to the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) to commemorate (纪念) a loyal official called Jie Zitui. Jie cut a piece of flesh from his own leg in order to save his hungry lord who was forced to go into exile (流放). The lord came back to his position as the emperor nineteen years later and forgot Jie Zitui. But later he felt ashamed and decided to reward him. However, Jie had blocked himself up in a mountain with his mother. In order to find Jie, the emperor ordered that the mountain should be set on fire. Later Jie was found dead with his mother under a willow (柳树). In order to commemorate Jie, the emperor announced that the day Jie died was Hanshi (Cold Food) Festival — the day that no fire was allowed and only cold food could be eaten.The second year after Jie died, the emperor went to the mountain to honor him and found the willow where Jie died beside revived. So he gave the willow the name of “Qingming Willow” and set the day after Hanshi Festival to be the Qingming Festival. Gradually, the two festivals combined into the present Qingming Festival.
- Why is the Qingming Festival called Tomb-sweeping Day?
- Because on that day the weather is usually clear and bright.
- Because on that day Chinese people will meet their ancestors .
- Because on that day Chinese people will sweep the tombs of the dead family members.
- Because it sounds beautiful.
- What is the Qingming Festival called?
a.Tomb-sweeping Day b.Dragon Boat Festival
c. Lantern Festival d.Pure Brightness Festival
A.ab B.ac
C. ad D.all
3.What did many Chinese cities do during the Qingming Festival in 2020?
A.Many Chinese cities have canceled the Tomb-sweeping Day.
B.Many Chinese cities have launched an online service platform for this year’s Tomb-sweeping Day.
C.Many Chinese cities do nothing else as before.
D.Many Chinese cities have advised people to sweep tomb.
4.The Qingming Festival is to commemorate___?
A.Qu Yu B.Jie Zitui.
C.Chang’er D.Confucius
答案：CCBB
