Most Americans think of New Year as a single day on January lst. However, Chinese-Americans and people from other{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(culture) that use different calendars each have another celebration as well. A good example of this is the Chinese New Year celebration in San Francisco, which is similar to{#blank#}2{#/blank#}we do in Shanghai.

    The most famous part of Chinese New Year in San Francisco is the parade, which{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(watch) by over three million people every year. Over a hundred entries take part in the parade{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(march) through downtown and Chinatown. In the course of the parade, cheering from the crowd is mixed {#blank#}5{#/blank#}music as local community groups wave banners, flags, and carry lanterns. Chinese themed floats will “float” by, including {#blank#}6{#/blank#}long Golden Dragon float that {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(take) one hundred people to operate. Local kung fu schools will perform lion dances when firecrackers explode around their feet.

    For many Americans, celebrating{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(they) ancestral culture is as {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (importance) as American culture, and they celebrate both. If you have a chance {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (visit) the United States, you may have the chance to see some of the celebrations yourself.

    I am a new student of Senior High. I am interested {#blank#}1{#/blank#} our school life. Let me tell you something about it.

    Every morning I go to school at 7:00. The first class {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (begin) at 8 o'clock. We now have {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (many) subjects than in junior school, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} we are not boring. You know why? That's because we have so many good {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (teacher) now. Our English teacher is always {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (enthusiasm) and we are very excited to work with her. Sometimes, we have misunderstanding between us. For example, once we {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (tell) to guess the meaning of each word, and so we thought {#blank#}8{#/blank#} not necessary to remember these words. But now we try {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (keep) more words in mind.

    Our after-school activities are also colorful. Among so many activities, I like playing basketball very much with my classmates {#blank#}10{#/blank#}Wednesday afternoons. I believe my senior life must be enjoyable.

    When the Spanish explorer Cortez reached Mexico in the sixteenth century, he found people there using a drink {#blank#}1{#/blank#} was called chocolate. It tasted quite strong because it had pepper in it. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (make) it taste better, the Spanish added sugar. When chocolate first came to Europe in the seventeenth century, people {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (start) to drink it with milk, instead of water. Nowadays, tons of chocolate {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (deliver) to factories, where they are turned into many popular sweets and cakes.

    On January 25, 2020, over a billion people in China and millions around the world will celebrate the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival. The ancient tradition, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} date is determined by the lunar calendar and falls somewhere between January 21 and February 20 each year, is the{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (long) and most important of all Chinese festivals.

The preparations will {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (official) begin with Little Year on January 17, 2019. It is observed with a day of memorial and prayer ceremonies. Other Little Year activities include cleaning the house {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(sweep) away bad luck and hanging spring couplets —red decorations hung in pairs —on doorways for wealth. Since red {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (believe) to keep misfortune and evil spirits away, it can be noticed in everything from clothing to {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(lantern) used to decorate houses.

    Often {#blank#}7{#/blank#}  (consider) the most important meal of the year, the reunion dinner is both delicious and rooted in Chinese tradition. {#blank#}8{#/blank#}whole chicken symbolizes family togetherness, while long uncut noodles show longevity (长寿). Wealth is represented by dumplings and spring rolls. Children receive red envelopes filled {#blank#}9{#/blank#} money and inspiring messages from elders and are often allowed to stay up late to watch the {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(amaze) fireworks shows.

    The two-week long celebrations will end on February 8 — the day of the full moon — with the Lantern Festival.