TheLunarNewYear

　　TheLunarNewYearisagreatoccasiontotheChinesepeople.Itlastsaboutthefirstfourdaysoftheyear,duringwhichpeopledonotworkexceptfortheworkersonduty.Studentsdonotgotoschool,andshopsaredosed.

　　Severaldaysbeforethenewyear,peoplebegintoprepare.Farmerskittpigs,sheep,cocksandhens.Citydwellersbuymeatfishandvegetables.Housesarecleanedcoupletsarepostedonthedoors.Colourfullanternsarehungatthegate.

　　Ontheeveofthenewyear,eachfamilyhasitsmembersgatherdtogetherandeatsafamilyreuniondinner.AfterthemealtheywatchTVuntiltheclockstrickestwelve.Theneveryfamilysetsofflongstringsofsmallfirecrackersandotherfireworkstowelcomethenewyear.Onthefirstdayofthenewyear,almosteveryoneisdressedinhisorherbest.Whenpeoplemeetontheway,theysaytoeachother"HappyNewYear".Friendsandrelativespaynewyearcallsandgivespresentstoeachother.Childrenindulgethemselvesingames.

　　SpringFestival,knownastheChineseNewYear,isthemostimportantholidayinChina.FromlateJanuarytoearlyFebruary,ChinesepeoplearebusypreparingfortheNewYear.Theycleantheirhouses,havetheirhaircut,andbuynewclothes.Jiaoziordumplingismostpopular.Tothosewholivefarawayfromtheirhome,thisfestivalisalsoaframilyreunionoccasion.

　　Andtheyoftengobackhometocelebratethefestivalwiththeirfamily.Thefirstdayofthenewyearisthetimewhenpeoplevisittheirfriendsadnwisheachothergoodluckinthenewyear.

　　OnNewYear'sEve,ourclasshadaparty.Theatmospherewasgood.Itwasoutoftheordinaryfromtheverybegining.Theboystudentfromonebedroomgaveanunusualperformance.WesawaboynamedLiXinminturnoffallthelightsinasuddensnap.Thenwiththreeresoundingcrowofacockechoinginthehall,thehallwasagainbrightlylitinasnap.

　　Then,therepresentativeofthebedroomZhuGuozhangaskedustoguessalineofapoemrelatedtotheabovesituation.HeaddedthatLiXinminalonewasbornintheyearofthedogandtheotherthreewereallbornintheyearofthechicken.Theyleftusallinconfusion.Anditwasourmonitorwhowasquickwitted.Heshoutedour,"Thedaybreaksasthecockcrowsthreetimesatdawn."ThehallAfterthat,theyhadanotheritem.ThistimeLiXinminwasplacedinthemiddleofthecircle.Whilehewasstandingthere,theotherthreestoodaroundhim,eachbowingdowntohimatanangleof120degrees.Itwasanidiom.ThistimeIgotitright:"Thedogstandsoutamongagroupofchickens.

　　ThespringfestivalisthetraditionfestivalinChina.Itisthesameasthechristmasdayinthewestcountry,itiswelcomethenewyear.

　　Itisthedaythatthefamiliesgettogether.

　　ThespringfestivalisusuallyintheFebruary,sometimesinJanuary.Inthespringfestival,everyfamilyallpastetheluckyinscriptions,theyfirethecracker,theyeatthedumplings.Thedaybeforethenewyear'sfirstdayisthenewyear'seve,sameasthechristmaseve,allthefamiliesgettogethertohavethenewyaar'sdinner,wisheseachother,talkaboutthewishesaboutthenewyear.Smallchildrenwillreceivethemoneygiventochildrenasalunarnewyeargift.

　　Yesterday,wedidn'thavecars.Buttodaywehave.Yesterday,wedidn'thaveTVsets.Buttodaywehave.Yesterdaywedidn'thavecomputers.Buttodaywehave.Duringthehundredsofyears,howfasttheworldhaschanged!Tha