【Folkloreisthebranchofthestudyofmanwhichdealswithlocalcustomstalesandtraditions.Everybodyisastorehouseoffolklorethoughnoteverybodyrealizesit.Oftenindeedthosewhohaveneverheardthewordfolklorehavethegr】
Folkloreisthebranchofthestudyofmanwhichdealswithlocalcustomstalesandtraditions.Everybodyisastorehouseoffolklorethoughnoteverybodyrealizesit.Oftenindeedthosewhohaveneverheardthewordfolklorehavethegreateststoreofitforthepeoplewithleastbookeducationcommonlycherishmostfirmlyoldideasandsuperstitions(迷信)whichhavebeenpassedonbywordofmouthforgenerations.Everyonehasheardstoriesofghostswitchesfairiesandgiants.Weallknowsomeproverbsandhavecomeacrosssuchideasasforexamplethatitisluckytoseeblackcatandunluckytoseeasinglemagpie(喜鹊).WekeepcertainseasonsoftheyearasfestivalssuchasChristmasandwearefamiliarwiththespecialcustomsconnectedwithweddingsandfunerals.Allsuchthingsareofinteresttothosewhostudyfolklore.
Peoplewhostudyfolklorewon’tcriticizetheoldbeliefsandpracticestheycomeacrossassillychildishorold-fashioned.Insteadtheywilltrytocollectaccuraterecordsofthemandthenseehowtheseareconnectedwithotherideasandcustomsofotherplacesortimes.Bycomparingwithwhatisknownofoldentimesorthefolkloreofothercountriestheytrytodiscoverhowcertainbeliefsandpracticescameintobeingandwhatpurposetheyservenoworusedtoserveinthepast.
Oftenwefindthatthebeliefswhichseemmostpeculiarandunreasonableandthecustomswhichappearleastpracticalareofthegreatestinterestandimportancebecausetheyarecommonlytheoldest.Sometimestheywerepartofanancientritual(惯例)orservedausefulpurposewhenpeople’swayoflifewasdifferentfromwhatitisnow.Sowenotonlylearnaboutwhatpeoplethoughtanddidinthepastbutarebetterabletounderstandpresentcustoms.Peopleoftenkeepupcustomswhentheyhaveforgottentheoriginalreasonforthemandinthecourseoftimeafreshreasongetsattachedtothecustom.Thuswhensomejokertiesanoldshoetothebackofthetaxitakingthebrideandbridegroomtothestationfortheirhoneymoonhewouldsayitwas“forluck”butactuallyashoeisanoldfertility(繁殖力)symbolandhasaplaceintheweddingcustomsofChinaandPalestine.
1.Theunderlinedword“they”(inPara.2)mostprobablyrefersto_________.
A.practicesandbeliefsB.customsandtraditions
C.recordsandt