[10-20 18:10:12] 来源：http://www.67xuexi.com 高二英语 阅读：85629次
The 365 days of the calendar are meant to match up with the solar year. A solar year is the time it takes the Earth to complete its orbit around the Sun, about one year. But the Earth’s yearly trip around the Sun takes a bit longer than 365 days. The orbit takes 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds, to be exact. That time equals roughly one quarter of a day., so the calendar and the solar year don’t match accurately. After a few years, that extra time in the solar year begins to accumulate. After four years, for example, the four extra quarter days will make the calendar fall behind the solar year by about a day.
According to the Honor Society of Leap Year Day Babies-a club for people born on Leap Day-there are an estimated 4 million people whose birthdays come but once every four years. But who wants to wait four years to celebrate his/her birthday? Most celebrate yearly on February 28 or March 1.
There was a time when strict rules prevented women from proposing marriage to their beloved. In most cultures, that’s not the case anymore. In fact, female pioneers who thought this rule was clearly unfair managed to get Leap Year established as an acceptable time for women to pop the question to unmarried men. So on February 29, a man could be surprised with an offer he couldn’t refuse. The first documentation(文献的使用) of this day of ladies’ choice was in 1288 in Scotland. Officials then decided to pass a law that allowed women to propose marriage to men of their choice in that year. They also made it law that any man who said no to a proposal in a leap day had to pay a fine. The fine could range(范围在……之间)from a kiss to payment for a silk dress or a pair of gloves.
72. According to the first two paragraphs, we can conclude that _________.
A. February 29 never appears on the calendar.
B. February 29 comes once every four years, every Leap Year
C. an ordinary year has one more day than a leap year
D. 2008 has 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds
73. What does the underlined phrase “pop the question” probably means _______.
A. Propose marriage B. Refuse marriage C. Ask questions D. Give directions
74. In the last paragraph, the underlined “they” refers to _______.
A. unmarried men B. single ladies C. Officials D. the Scottish
75. Which topic can best describe the last paragraph?
A. What Can Ladies Do With the Extra Day?
B. It’s Unfair to Prevent Ladies From Offering Love.
C. Respect Ladies in Leap Year.
D. Leap Year Is Ladies’ Choice.