In the U.S. Mother’s Day is a holiday celebrated on second Sunday in May. It is a day when children honor their mothers with cards, gifts and flowers. First observance in Philadelphia in 1907,it is based on suggestions by Julia Ward Howe in 1872 and by Anna Jarvis in 1907.
Although it wasn’t celebrated in the U.S. until 1907,there were days honoring mothers even in the days of ancient Greece. In those days, however, it was Rhea, the Mother of the gods that was given honor. Later,in the 1600’s,in England there was an annual celebration called “Mothering Sunday.” It was celebrated during June, on the fourth Sunday ,the servants, who generally lived with their employers, were encouraged to return home and honor their mothers. It was traditional for them to bring a special cake along to celebrate the occasion.
In the U.S., in 1907 Ana Jarvis, from Philadelphia, began a campaign to establish a national Mother’s Day. Jarvis persuaded her mother’s church in Grafton, West Virginia to celebrate Mother’s Day on the second anniversary of her mother’s death, the 2ed Sunday of May. The next day Mother’s Day was also celebrated in Philadelphia, Jarvis and others began a letter-writing campaign to ministers, businessmen, and politicians asking to establish a national Mother’s Day. They were successful. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914,made the official announcement recognizing Mother’s Day as a national celebration that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May.
Many other countries of the world celebrate their own Mother’s Day at different times throughout the year. Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May, as in the U.S.
1..Mother’s Day in the U.S. was first celebrated .
A. in 1872 B. in 1907 C. in the 1600’s D. in 1914
2.The underlined word “observance” in the first paragraph probably means “ ”.
A. celebration B. principle C. holiday D. campaign
3.According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
A. All the mothers were given honor in the days of ancient Greece.
B. Only the servants’ mothers were given honor on Mothering Sunday in England.
C. President Woodrow Wilson announced Mother’s Day as a national celebration.
D. Ana Javis’s mother probably died on the 2nd Sunday of May in 1907.
4.What could be the best title for this passage?
A. Mother’s Day of the U.S B. Mother’s Day of the world
C. Ana Jarvis and Mother’s Day D. Styles of Mother’s Day
