down, and carry it home. The Yule log burned for the 12 days of Christmas (ending January 6) to bring luck for the year to come.

　　 Christmas was a big social event for the Washingtons. Friends and relatives traveled on horseback or by carriage to Mount Vernon in Virginia. Christmas meant fancy dinners and fancy parties-and even a few surprises!

　　 In 1787, George Washington had a surprise for his Christmas guests. The men didn't notice anything unusual when they woke at dawn to join George and his dogs for a fox hunt. The women kept busy in the living room, playing card games and chatting with Martha. George's grandchildren, Nelly and Washy, discovered the surprise as they played outside-a camel!

　　 Washington was very interested in rare animals. So when an entertainer showed up with an Arabian camel in nearby Alexandria, Virginia, Washington arranged to bring the animal to Mount Vernon for a day.

　　 Mrs. Washington had a few surprises of her own. Martha was a fine hostess and carefully chose the foods to be served during the holidays. The Christmas pie baked at Mount Vernon wasn't made with pumpkins or apples.

　　 Under the thick crust (酥皮) was a turkey. Stuffed inside the turkey were a goose, a duck, a partridge, and a pigeon-placed inside one another! Martha used four pounds of butter and a large amount of flour to make the crust. Her pie would last for weeks!

　　 Martha also prepared other surprises, such as ginger cookies, a decorated cake that looked like a hedgehog (刺猬), and plum pudding.

　　 But it was Martha's Twelfth Night cake that had a surprise inside. Hidden in the batter(面糊) of sugar flour, eggs, and fruit was a dried bean. Guests had to chew the cake carefully. The one who found the bean was named king or queen of the party.

　　【文章大意】　本文是记叙文。文章介绍了华盛顿总理和他的夫人给客人们准备圣诞节惊喜的故事。

　　1．To celebrate Christmas, the Washingtons always ________.

　　A．decorated the Christmas tree together

　　B．prepared Christmas gifts for each other

　　C．had some exciting adventures in the forest

D．lit an oak tree and kept it burning for 12 days