Most people buy a lot of gifts just before Christmas. But some people think they buy too much. They have started a special day called Buy Nothing Day. They dont want anyone to go shopping on that day.
　　Buy Nothing Day is on November 29. Its 25 days before Christmas. At that time， we can see ads in newspapers and on TV telling us to “buy， buy， buy！”
　　The idea for Buy Nothing Day started in Vancouver， British Columbia. Now people all over the world celebrate Buy Nothing Day. In California， USA， parents and children get together to read stories， sing songs and paint pictures. The children talk about why they dont need many toys. Last year， in Manchester， England， people dressed up in costumes to tell people that they bought too much.
　　In Albuquerque， New Mexico， the high school students wanted to tell other students about Buy Nothing Day. They organized a dinner to give people information about Buy Nothing Day. They asked restaurants in the neighbors to donate the food. They put up posters and talked to other students about Buy Nothing Day. The dinner was a big suc?cess， and many students liked the idea of this new tradition. This year， they want to have another dinner to tell more people about Buy Nothing Day.
　　【理解检测】
　　根据短文内容，回答下列问题。
　　1.When do most people usually buy a lot of gifts？
　　2.When is Buy Nothing Day？
　　3.Where did Buy Nothing Day started？
　　4.What do children usually enjoy doing on Buy Nothing Day in California？
　　5.Why did the high school students organize a dinner in Albuquerque？
　　【篇章大意】
　　人们通常会在圣诞节前疯狂地购物，从而造成了很多不必要的浪费。于是，加拿大温哥华市首先发起了一个劝人们少买或不买商品的节日——“罢买日”，参加者在当天拒绝购买任何商品，以显示他们的决心。本文主要讲述了“罢买日”的时间，以及兴起的原因、地点，同时介绍了“罢买日”这天各国人们的活动情况。
　　【疑难点睛】
　　1.They have started a special day called Buy Nothing Day. 他们发起了一个特别的日子，叫作“罢买日”。
　　这是一个谓语动词为现在完成时的简单句。called是过去分词，意为“叫作;称作”，过去分词短语called Buy Nothing Day作a special day的后置定语。有时called可以和named（名为;称作）相替换。
　　2.The children talk about why they dont need many toys. 孩子们谈论他们不需要很多玩具的原因。
　　这是一个复合句。why they dont need many toys是由连接副词why引导的宾语从句;talk about是固定词组，意为“谈论”，可以与talk of相替换。
　　【答案解析】
　　1.Before Christmas. 事实细节题。根据句子“Most people buy a lot of gifts just before Christmas.”可知，大多数人通常在圣诞节前买很多礼物。
　　2.On November 29. 事实细节题。根据句子 “Buy Nothing Day is on November 29.”可知，“Buy Nothing Day”是在11月29 日。
　　3.In Vancouver. 事实细节题。根据句子“The idea for Buy Nothing Day started in Vancouver， British Columbia.” 可知，“罢买日”起源于温哥华。
　　4.Reading stories， singing songs and painting pictures. 事实细节题。根据句子“In California， USA， parents and children get together to read stories， sing songs and paint pictures.”可知答案。
　　5.Because they want to let other people know more about Buy Nothing Day. 推理判断题。根据最后一段的首句可知，他们组织这项活动的目的在于宣传“Buy Nothing Day”。