February 29th

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1、February29th闰年的二月二十九1February29th闰年的二月二十九2008LeapYear2008谈闰年Readthetextbelowanddotheactivitythatfollows.阅读下面的短文，然后完成练习:Theyear2008hasoneextradayinit–February29th.Thisisbecauseit'swhatwecall'aleapyear'.Everyfouryears,theyearhas366daysinitinsteadof365–butwhydoesthishappen?Wel

2、l,itactuallytakestheplanetEarth365daysandsixhourstorevolvecompletelyaroundthesun.Afterfouryearsanextra24hourshaveaccumulatedsoanextradayisaddedtothecalendar.ItiscalledaleapyearbecausehundredsofyearsagoinEngland,theextradaywasn'tlegallyrecognised.Contractsthatweremadewereapp

3、arentlynotseenasbindingonthatday.TheBritishjustleaptoverthatday.Thereforeayearwith29daysinFebruaryisconsequentlycalledaleapyearandthat29thdayissometimescalledLeapDay.Ifyouarebornon29thFebruaryinaleapyear,therearedifficultiesincelebratingyourbirthdayasthedayonlyoccursonceeve

4、ryfouryears.Sopeopletendtocelebrateoneither28thFebruaryor1stMarcheveryyear.Thereisawell-knowntraditionintheUKassociatedwith29thFebruary,introducedmanycenturiesago.Womenareallowedtobreakwithtraditionandproposetotheirboyfriendsonthisday.Thisallstartedbackinthe5thCentury,whena

5、famousIrishsaint,Bridget,complainedtoSaintPatrick,anotherfamousIrishsaint,thatwomenhadtowaittoolongformentopropose.Accordingtothelegend,SaintPatricksaidanyfemalesyearningforaproposalcouldasktheirboyfriendtomarrythemonthisadditionaldayinFebruary.Thisso-calledtraditionwaseven

6、writteninlawinthe13thCentury.Scotlandpassedalawallowingwomentoproposetomeninaleapyear.Itwassaidthatifthemenrefused,theyhadtopayafine!Nowin2008,therearecallsfor29thFebruarytobecomeapublicholiday.Somepeoplebelievethatitshouldbeanofficialdayoff,becausenoonegetspaidextraforwork

7、inganextradayinaleapyear.Forthemomentthough,theBritishstillhavetogotoworkonthisday.2Glossary词汇表theplanetEarth–行星地球revolve–运转accumulated–累计legallyrecognised–法律上认可的binding–有约束力的leaptover–跳过去consequently–（由…）导致occurs–出现tendto–往往associatedwith–与…相关的tobreakwithtradition–打破传统prop

8、ose–提出/求婚saint–圣人legend–传说yearning–渴望additional–额外的/多余的so-called–所谓passedalaw–通过法律