A
The 15-day Spring Festival is the biggest holiday of the year for many Chinese to leave from their jobs to travel home and see their loved ones. But along with gathering come a lot of traditions aimed at making sure the year ahead is lucky and happy.
Here are some key dos and don’ts that many Chinese follow before and after the Lunar New Year.
DOs
Set off fireworks
The more fireworks or firecrackers you set off, the better.
Not only do you light up the night sky with a symphony of color, but the loud banging sounds are thought to scare off evil spirits.
Eat dumplings
Eating dumplings is a popular tradition in northern China because dumplings not only taste good but also look like pieces of gold.
Clean your home
Sweep, mop, vacuum, steam-do anything and everything to make sure your home is clean before the midnight on Lunar New Year eve. The aim here is to free your home from any bad luck that’s accumulated over the past year.
DON’Ts
Wash or cut your hair
Leave your hair as it is on the first day of the New Year.
The Chinese character for hair is the same first character in the word for prosperity(发达).
This means washing or cutting it off is seen as washing your fortune away.
Clean post-New Year
Cleaning of any kind on the first day is strictly forbidden.
You clean your home to avoid any bad luck before the New Year - now you want to be sure not to wipe, sweep or wash away any of the good luck that arrives after midnight.
Buy books
It’s bad luck to buy them during the 15-day Spring Festival.
The Chinese word for "book" (shū) sounds exactly the same as the word for "lose’"-so buying a book is considered an invitation to bad luck
Also, avoid giving books as gifts to anyone, because it’d be like wishing bad luck upon them.
1. Why is the Spring Festival the best time for many Chinese people according to the text?
A. They can enjoy a lor of delicious dishes.
B. They can get together with their family members.
C. It’s time for them to say good-bye to the past year.
D. The festival will bring them good luck and happiness.
2. You are expected to do the following on the first day of the New Year EXCEPT .
A. setting off fireworks B. enjoying tasty dumplings
C. cleaning your home D. leaving your books untouched
3. In which section of a newspaper can we see the passage?
A. Advertisement. B. Literature.
C. Culture. D. Travel.
【答案】1. B 2. C 3. C
【解析】
【分析】本文是应用文，介绍了中国新年前后人们该做和不该做的事情。
【1题详解】
细节理解题。根据第一段“The 15-day Spring Festival is the biggest holiday of the year for many Chinese to leave from their jobs to travel home and see their loved ones.”为期15天的春节是许多中国人一年中最大的节日，他们离开工作回家看望他们的亲人。可知，春节对于中国人来说是最好的时期，是因为他们可以和家人团聚，故选B项。
【2题详解】
细节理解题。根据倒数第二部分“You clean your home to avoid any bad luck before the New Year - now you want to be sure not to wipe, sweep or wash away any of the good luck that arrives after midnight.” 你在新年前打扫你的房子以避免任何坏运气——现在你要确保不要擦拭、清扫或洗掉午夜后到来的任何好运。文章建议新年前打扫房子，但是新年后不要打扫，所以在新年第一天不能打扫屋子。故选C项。
【3题详解】
推理判断题。根据第一段“But along with gathering come a lot of traditions aimed at making sure the year ahead is lucky and happy.” 但随着节日的到来，许多传统也随之到来，目的是确保来年好运和幸福。根据第一段以及全文内容，文章主要讲述新年的习俗，和传统文化有关，所以可能出自于文化专栏，故选C项。
