SPRING FESTIVALS From (1) _______ times people have celebrated the end of winter and the new life that spring brings. One of the most important Christian festivals is Easter, (2) _______ Christians remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter, however, is not the (3) _______ spring festival. In Sweden, people celebrate the end of the winter by making (4) _______ bonfires. Fire also plays an important part in the Hindu festival of Holi. In some villages children are (5) _______ round bonfires by their mothers to protect them (6) _______ danger in the coming year. Buddhists in Thailand soak (7) _______ in water when celebrating their New Year, which (8) _______ in the middle of April. In Antigua in Guatemala they carpet the streets with flowers. Chinese spring parades are (9) _______ colourful, but (10) _______ flowers they have large dragon puppets which dance in the streets. 1. a. earliest 2. a. which b. latest b. when c. previous c. because d. old d. by then 3. a. single 4. a. giant b. one b. tremedous c. only c. extreme d. lonely d. huge 5. a. gone 6. a. in b. carried b. out of c. brought c. against d. run d. from 7. a. through 8. a. falls b. one other b. appears c. each other c. happens d. mutually d. occurs 9. a. the same 10. a. instead of b. as b. on behalf of c. not less c. in spite of d. equally d. place of
Read the passage carefully then choose the correct answers. In Viet Nam, there is great excitement built up well before Tet Nguyen Dan. First, every family organizes a trip to the cemetery to visit the graves of their ancestor. After that, to create an air of prosperity, wealth and fun for the first three days of the Lunar New Year, people are kept busy cooking traditional foods, buying gifts, and making other preparations. Certain items deemed to be bought or made are banh chung, dried watermelon seeds, tea, dried sausages, fruit (fresh and candied), ornamental plants and flowers. Red and yellow flowers are ideal as they make the house more welcoming. On the New Year's days, only good comments and wishes can be expressed. Children receive their Ii xi (or red envelopes with lucky money inside). People make a visit to family members, neighbors, and close friends. And people who live apart from their family try to get together on these days. Clearly enough, games and various forms of entertainment are staged and these often last a week. Varying traditional specialties including wrestling, buffalo fighting, dragon or unicorn dancing take place in different regions. 11. Before Tet, people usually _________. a. are very busy with the preparations b. have great excitement and fun c. rebuild their ancestral graves d. spend time on traveling 12. Which of the following, according to the passage, is not usually eaten during Tet? a. candied ginger b. sausages c. watermelon d. beef stew 13. Why are red and yellow flowers popular in decorating the house at Tet? a. Because they are friendly and pleasant: b. Because they make the house look comfortable to be in. c. Because they represent good luck. d. Because they are attractive and cheap. 14. On the New Year's days, _________. a. people are busy cooking traditional foods b. everybody receives their 'lucky money' c. only good comments can be made d. houses are cleaned and decorated with trees and flowers 15. Which of the following is not mentioned in the passage? a. Tet is period of concord and hope. b. Tet is a sort of bond that ties the living and the' dead. c. Tet is a great season of joy and of entertainment. d. Tet is an occasion for a family reunion.