查看完整版本: February 29th 闰年的二月二十九

February 29th 闰年的二月二十九

[table=98%][tr][td=5,1]February 29th 闰年的二月二十九

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[b]2008 Leap Year 2008 谈闰年[/b]

The year 2008 has one extra day in it – February 29th. This is because it's what we call 'a leap year'.

Every four years, the year has 366 days in it instead of 365 – but why does this happen? Well, it actually takes [b]the planet Earth[/b] 365 days and six hours to [b]revolve[/b] completely around the sun. After four years an extra 24 hours have [b]accumulated[/b] so an extra day is added to the calendar.

It is called a leap year because hundreds of years ago in England, the extra day wasn't [b]legally recognised[/b]. Contracts that were made were apparently not seen as [b]binding[/b] on that day. The British just [b]leapt over[/b] that day. Therefore a year with 29 days in February is [b]consequently[/b] called a leap year and that 29th day is sometimes called Leap Day.

If you are born on 29th February in a leap year, there are difficulties in celebrating your birthday as the day only [b]occurs[/b] once every four years. So people [b]tend to[/b] celebrate on either 28th February or 1st March every year.

There is a well-known tradition in the UK [b]associated with[/b] 29th February, introduced many centuries ago. Women are allowed [b]to break with tradition[/b] and [b]propose[/b] to their boyfriends on this day.

This all started back in the 5th Century, when a famous Irish [b]saint[/b], Bridget, complained to Saint Patrick, another famous Irish saint, that women had to wait too long for men to propose. According to the [b]legend[/b], Saint Patrick said any females [b]yearning[/b] for a proposal could ask their boyfriend to marry them on this [b]additional[/b] day in February.

This [b]so-called[/b] tradition was even written in law in the 13th Century. Scotland [b]passed a law[/b] allowing women to propose to men in a leap year. It was said that if the men refused, they had to pay [b]a fine[/b]!

Now in 2008, there are [b]calls[/b] for 29th February to become a public holiday. Some people believe that it should be an official day off, because no one gets paid extra for working an extra day in a leap year. For the moment though, the British still have to go to work on this day.

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各位JJMM可记得propose啊～～

Mmmm, I will have to work on that day, too.

i have to work....everyday...

one day off  :140000