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  3. Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine

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问题     Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday?
    The history of Valentine’s Day—and its patron saint—is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition.
    So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young, single men—his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.
    According to a legend, Valentine actually sent the first "valentine greeting" himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl—who may have been his jailor’s daughter—who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed "From Your Valentine", an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and most importantly, romantic figure. It’s no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.
    The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, can be viewed today at the British Museum in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.
    In Great Britain, Valentine’s Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one’s feelings was discouraged. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.
Why was Valentine put to death in Rome?
选项 A、He married secretly.
B、He fell in love with the jailor’s daughter.
C、He performed marriages for young people secretly.
D、He refused to join the army.
答案C
解析 细节题。从文章第三段第五、六句Valentine…continued to perform marriages for young lovers insecret．When Valentine’s actions were discovered，Claudius ordered that he be put to death．可知，瓦伦丁被处死的主要原因是他违反法令，依旧秘密地为相爱的年轻人主持结婚仪式，所以[C]为正确答案。[A]和[D]在文中没有提到，而[B]是他已经被判死刑人狱后发生的事情，故均排除。
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