When I was a child, I spent each Thanksgiving with my large family at my     1     (grandparents) in Maryland, US. It’s a wooden cabin (小屋) on the side of a hill, in     2     small and green forest. For me, that cabin meant Thanksgiving.

Our     3     (one) greeting (打招呼) was from Grandma’s dog, Jesse. He met us at our car and jumped up and down     4     (excited) when we carried our bags into the house. Inside were my grandparents, aunts uncles and cousins. Aunt Sue touched my face and told me how big I’d gotten. Grandpa     5     (shake) my hands to welcome us.

The next day, by the time I woke up, Grandma and Mom had already begun cooking. We all helped out. Dinner was finally     6     (serve) at about 4 p.m. Before we ate, Grandma asked each person to say at least one thing that he or she was thankful for. I said, “I want to say     7     (thank) to my parents, my grandparents and the food!” I was too hungry to think of anything better.     8     everyone finished speaking, we enjoyed ourselves together. It was all delicious food. What we like the     9     (good) was the homemade apple pies.

Then, we took a long walk through the forest. Under the late-autumn stars, we made a campfire (营火) and talked     10     things when we were together. I looked back up the hill at the cabin, and one word appeared: “Happiness” .

Mums do a lot of hard work. They cook and clean for us. They also cheer us up     1     we feel upset. Mother’s Day is the time for us to say “Thank you” to     2     (we) mums.

In most countries, people celebrate Mother’s Day on the     3     (two) Sunday in May every year. On this day, people like     4     (buy) flowers for their mums.

Mother’s Day is not only about giving     5     (gift). Helping our mums with some housework can make them feel relaxed     6     (easy). Watching an     7     (interest) movie with them is also a good idea. Sometimes just saying “I love you, Mum” is the best gift for our mums. In fact, any small thing we do for them can help them have     8     good time on that day because we know the special day is about love.

Mother’s Day is     9     May 14th this year. So why not plan a special Mother’s Day for your mum? Don’t     10     (miss) the chance (机会).

How do you celebrate the new year? People in many countries take part in many different a    1    . People in Australia and the United States often enjoy fireworks at midnight. Some people eat with friends and neighbours as a way to hope for good luck. Other people have a party with friends and families. They all believe celebrating the new year is a great way to think about the past and hope for a bright future.

Out with the Old, in with the New

In many countries, it is important to give s    2     for new and good things. People in different areas have different ways of doing so. In many countries, people deal with old things to make room for new ones. Burning Christmas trees to show the end of the Christmas season is one popular way. People in some countries throw out their old or used things. In order to say goodbye to the old year, many people stay up until midnight on New Year’s Eve. In this way, they can be awake (醒着的) to b    3     the new year.

Splashing (泼洒) Water

Other countries celebrate the new year by splashing water. Some people splash water on each other to bring good luck. Others throw water out of their windows to send away bad luck.

Celebrating with Parties and Food

In many countries, people enjoy good food with their loved ones. Having festival meals and desserts is a way to celebrate the coming year. At New Year’s Eve parties, people often c    4     “ten, nine, … two, one” in the last ten seconds to welcome the new year.

Strange Traditions

You may think these traditions are u    5     but they are common (普遍的) for other people. For example, in Canada, some people celebrate the new year by jumping into the freezing water of English Bay. They do this to bring an end to the year that has passed. These traditions are all done for fun. The important thing about celebrating the new year is thinking about the old year and making plans for the new one.