【问】 holiday，vacation与leave均作“假期”解。它们之间有无区别?
 【答】 单数形式的holiday是指一、两日的短期假日：
 1. We have a holiday every Sunday. (ECD)
 我们每星期日休息一天。
 2. Did he have a holiday on Saturday afternoons? (Mis)
 他星期六下午休息了吗?
 on holiday/on holidays 526
 较长期的假期常用复数形式holidays，但也可用单数形式holiday：
 1. When do the summer holidays begin?
 暑假什么时候开始?
 2. Didn't you know I had been to Florence for the Christmas holidays? (Voynich)
 你知道我到佛罗伦萨过的圣诞节吗?
 3. But she went to France for a holiday. (Macaulay)
 但是她去法国度假了。
 4. I shall be getting a whole month's holiday. (EED)
 我将有整整一个月的假期。
 vacation主要用于美国英语，既可表示长时间的假期，也可指一两天的短时的假日：
 1. Where are you going for your vacation? (LDCE)
 你到哪里去度假?
 2. The college is closed during (the) vacation. (LDCE)
 大学在假期关闭。
 3. I think I'll take a vacation this weekend.
 我认为这个周末我将放假。
 在英国英语里，英国大学和律师业也使用vacation这个词。例如，英国大学常用“the longvac.”来表示暑假。
 leave主要指军人或官员的假期或病假、事假：
 1. The soldiers are given two leaves each year. (ELD)
 士兵们一年可得两次假期。
 2. Will you be taking your leave in South Africa? (Greene)
 你会在南非度假吗?
 3. He informed him that he was on sick leave from a government office. (Shaw)
 他告诉他，他正在休病假，没在政府机关上班。
 4. He went home on leave. (OSD)
 他回家度假去了。
 请做下面的英语试题：
 1. I'm going away for a ____.
 A. holiday of a week B. week holiday
 C. holiday week________ D. week's holiday (Nelson，300C)
 2. “How about them? ”“Bill and Betty traveled a long distance ____ their vacation. ”
 A. on B. in
 C. at D. about