首页
登录
职称英语
Way back in 1582, some Italian scientists noted, with dismay, that there was
Way back in 1582, some Italian scientists noted, with dismay, that there was
游客
2023-10-15
21
管理
问题
Way back in 1582, some Italian scientists noted, with dismay, that there was something very wrong with their calendar. Watching the position of the sun they knew that there was a certain spot on which the sun should shine on March 21, but it actually got there on March 11—ten days too soon.
For some time it had been known that the calendar was running fast. Finally, Pope Gregory XIII was asked to make an official correction. The Pope agreed that the calendar had to be corrected, and that a better system had to be developed so that it would not run fast in the future.
It was easy enough to drop ten days from the calendar to make it correct again with the sun. But, how was the calendar to be kept right in the future, year after year?
The scientists figured one way, and then they figured another. But no matter how much mathematics they did, the answer never came out to an even figure. Finally, it was decided to continue counting every fourth year as a leap year (which the early Romans had introduced), but to skip every century year that cannot be divided by 400.
For example, the year 1600 was a leap year because it can be divided equally by 400. But 1700 was not: neither was 1800, nor 1900. Is the year 2000 a leap year? Yes, because it can be divided by 400. By this rearrangement of the leap-year schedule the calendar was slowed down.
This is the system we now use, and our calendar, named after the pope, is called the Gregorian calendar. Although it is not quite perfect (it is 26 seconds fast each year, according to sun time), it will be nearly three thousand years before our calendar will run fast by one whole day. So it won’t worry us, that’s for sure.
Most countries now use Pope Gregory’s calendar, but it took a long time before many were willing to change their old-style calendars. It was not until 170 years later that the English government corrected its calendar. This was done in 1752, and by that time the calendar had to be set back by eleven whole days. The change was made in September so that the day after September 2 became September 14.
Of course, some people got confused: some complained: and some were angry. Families who rented houses by the month, or people who had borrowed money on which they paid interest, grumbled that they had been cheated. They had to pay the full rate for a month that had been cut short by eleven days.
The difficulty of getting accustomed to the new calendar was increased because, at the same time the eleven days were dropped, a new date was fixed for starting a new year. Instead of March 25, people were told that the new year would start on January 1.
The dates for private celebrations, such as birthdays or anniversaries, also had to be adjusted according to the new-style calendar. Eleven days had to be added. For instance, George Washington’s birthday was February 11 according to the old-style calendar, but according to the new calendar it became February 22. Even today, the letters "0. S. " appear in many books after certain dates. George Washington’s birthday may be printed as February 22 (February 11, O. S.).
Today, people seem to be content using the Gregorian calendar. There is talk, however, of a new World Calendar in which holidays would always be celebrated on the same day of the week. In order to do this, changes would have to be made in the number of days in each month - changes which most people would probably rather not make.
Questions 71 to 75
Complete the summary below with information from the passage, using no more than three words for each blank.
In 1582, 【R1】______cut down ten days to make an official calendar correction. The scientists decided to continue counting every fourth year as a leap year, but to skip every century year that cannot be divided by 【R2】______. But even the Gregorian calendar is not accurate because it is 26 seconds fast every year according to 【R3】______. In 1752, the English government made the calendar correction in the month of 【R4】______. Due to the changes in calendar, the shortened term "O. S. " , which stands for 【R5】______, appeared in many books. Today, people are happy with the Gregorian calendar, though a new World Calendar is being taken into consideration. [br] 【R3】
选项
答案
sun time
解析
(根据文章第六段的第一第二句话可知,教皇的公历根据太阳时,每年会快上26秒。)
转载请注明原文地址:https://tihaiku.com/zcyy/3098988.html
相关试题推荐
Whatdoesthemanmean?[br][originaltext]W:Ihearthere’sagoodItalianres
Whatdoesthemanmean?[originaltext]W:Ihearthere’sagoodItalianrestauran
Scientistsclaimthatin50year’stime,therewillbecomputersthat【M1】__
Scientistsclaimthatin50year’stime,therewillbecomputersthat【M1】__
Scientistsclaimthatin50year’stime,therewillbecomputersthat【M1】__
Scientistsclaimthatin50year’stime,therewillbecomputersthat【M1】__
Scientistsclaimthatin50year’stime,therewillbecomputersthat【M1】__
Scientistsclaimthatin50year’stime,therewillbecomputersthat【M1】__
Scientistsclaimthatin50year’stime,therewillbecomputersthat【M1】__
[img]2019m5x/ct_eyyjscz2018j_eyyjsccloze_0048_201904[/img]Scientistsarepa
随机试题
Proteinsynthesisbeginswhenthegeneencodingaproteinisactivated.The
下列不属于建筑构件按其燃烧性能分类的是()。A.不燃性构件 B.难燃性
A.O-连接聚糖 B.N-连接聚糖 C.两者都是 D.两者都不是含有五糖核
ABC灭火器内充装剂是什么()。A.碳酸氢钠 B.磷酸铵盐
非甾体抗炎药最常见的不良反应是A.肾功能损伤 B.转氨酶升高 C.心血管不良
(2021年真题)关于期货合约,以下表述错误的是()A.金融期货合约的交割
A.免疫印迹法 B.ELISA(夹心法) C.直接凝集试验 D.ELISA
患者女,28岁。疑妊娠就诊,做绒毛膜促性腺激素检验的最佳尿液标本是()。A.晨
《隔离开关分合闸位置“双确认”改造技术规范》中姿态传感系统机械性能试验,冲击响应
变电站控制室及保护小室应独立敷设与主接地网多点连接的二次等电位接地网,二次等电位
最新回复
(
0
)