September 7 is Labor Day in the U.S., a national holiday that began more than 100 years ago to honor low-paid factory workers.

Labor Day also informally marks the end of summer. Many children return to school after Labor Day, and the warm days of summer turn cooler. Many Americans celebrate the holiday with one last family meal outdoors.

But Labor Day started with a struggle. On May 1, 1889, workers demonstrated on the streets of Paris. International Labor Day was born. Most industrialized countries in the world -- except the U.S. and Canada -- celebrate Labor Day on the first of May.

The first American Labor Day celebration was held in New York City on September 5, 1882. About 10,000 workers marched through the streets to show the strength of labor organizations.

For many years after that, American workers used the first Monday in September to demand better working conditions and pay. Music was part of many of those marches.

Labor songs traditionally tell stories of conflict and hopes for a better life. 

Many classic American labor songs came from workers in the coal mines of the South. Mine owners bitterly opposed workers' unions. In Kentucky, company police searched for union leaders. They waited outside a worker's home for several days to block him from organizing.

Another American labor song is called "Bread and Roses." It is based on a poem by James Oppenheim, published in December 1911.

The poem speaks about the women's labor movement. At that time, conditions in factories, where many women worked, were horrible. A fire at a clothing factory in New York killed 146 people.

A month after Mr. Oppenheim's poem was published, textile workers in Lawrence, Massachusetts, went on strike. Their protest won them higher pay and better working conditions. 

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1.Labor Day in the U.S. is a day to ____.

A started in 1922

B mark the beginning of summer

C honor low-paid factory workers

D start their school

解析：选C。词义猜测题。工厂老板为了阻止工人运动，堵在工人家门口，所以这里block应为阻止之意。

2.How did the International Labor Day come about?

A Children returned to school a day later.

B The warm summer days became cooler.

C Many families had one last meal outdoors.

D Workers demonstrated on the streets of Paris.

解析：选D。细节理解题。由第3段 On May 1, 1889, workers demonstrated on the streets of Paris. 可知，国际劳动节的产生与巴黎工人游行示威有关，故选D。

3.Originally, American workers marched in the streets to _________ .

A demand better working conditions and pay

B show their special talents

C sing traditional labor songs

D tell stories of conflict and hopes

解析：选A。细节理解题。由第5段 …to demand better working conditions and pay可知，最初的美国国家劳动节，美国工人要求提高工资，改善工作条件。故选A。

4.Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word ‘block’ in paragraph 6?

A protect

B separate

C stop

D desert

解析：选C。词义猜测题。工厂老板为了阻止工人运动，堵在工人家门口，所以这里block应为阻止之意。

5.Which of the following statements about the song “Bread and Roses” is wrong?

A The song is about the women's labor movement.

B The song gained more attention after the strike of the textile workers.

C The song gained more attention after the strike of the textile workers.

D The song is based on a poem.

解析：选B。推理判断题。由最后3段可知，这首歌Bread and Roses改编自一首诗，而那首诗是在纺织工人罢工之前，故B选项的说法是错的。