1 . Tet is the most important holiday in Vietnam and there are many customs telling people what to do and what not to do during the holiday.

Returning all borrowed things

Before Tet, people should return all the things, including money, that they have borrowed from others. It is believed that people should not start a new year with borrowed things, otherwise in that year they would not be able to make both ends meet.

House-sweeping

One thing people should avoid doing is sweeping the house or emptying the rubbish basket especially on the first day of the new year. People believe that if you sweep the floor, all the luck and money will f low out of your house. So when visiting one’s house in Tet, you should not drop anything onto the floor and make it dirty.

Giving lucky money

On the first day of Tet, adults (those who have already got married and have income) are supposed to prepare some lucky money to give the kids when visiting their relatives as a symbol of luck for the coming new year. People are also supposed to say best wishes to others. These activities are done with the expectation that luck and good things are brought to everyone.

Gift-exchanging

Gift-exchanging is another common custom during the Tet holiday, which is used mostly in business. The process of giving and receiving gifts help to improve the relationships between business partners. The popular presents are cookies, chocolates, fruit baskets, wine, soft drinks or other kinds of treats. Usually, people can buy a pack of gifts in the shops which includes many different kinds of food.

2 . On the top floor of a workshop in Athens, Greece, a team of artists are busy creating faithful copies of the famous statue of Alexander the Great and the Venus de Milo.

“Our work mostly ends up at gift shops around the world. Museums also ask us to make copies of artworks. Prices start at $24 for a small Venus statue and go as high as $11,560 for a faithful copy of it.” says Maria Zafeiri, an artist at the workshop for 30 years. “It’s exciting when our statues end up in a museum and thousands of eyes admire them. They bring even more visitors to Greece.”

Making copies of ancient Greek statues isn’t new. Researchers and artists began reproducing ancient Greek sculptures shortly after the National Archaeological Museum in Athens opened in 1829.

“The first copies were not for commercial reasons, but for scientific ones. Scholars wanted to study the ancients.” says Maria Zafeiri. “Later, everyone wanted statues in their house, above the fireplace. They were in all European living rooms.”

Some copies of ancient statues were terrible, but other reproductions were so faithful that they ended up in places like the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. In 2018, the museum determined its famous Kouros statue—supposed to date from 650 to 480 BC and bought for $6 million—was probably a forgery (赝品), and removed it from view. “There are methods to fool the experts.” Maria Zafeiri says. “Such forgeries create a false image of Greek culture and mislead researchers.”

But aren’t Maria Zafeiri and her workshop also producing forgeries? “I think the difference between a forgery and a reproduction is the intention. There are reproductions of designer bags, but that becomes forgeries when the reproducer says they’re real.” says Maria Zafeiri. “Our shop just feeds the desire of travelers to own something lovely to pack up or ship home. A good reproduction can extend your trip. It’s similar to a photograph of yourself while on vacation, it brings you back to that beautiful day at the Acropolis.”

7 . Between the 16th and 17th century, the efforts of France’s Jesuits played a key role in the transportation of science and culture between China and the West. Their first mission to reach China dates back to 1552, when St. Francis Xavier arrived on a Chinese island. He died on the island a year later, having never reached the mainland. But three decades later, the Jesuits made a second and successful attempt. During their stay, the Jesuits introduced Western science, mathematics, astronomy, and visual arts to China and took part in philosophical conversations with representatives of Confucianism. Importantly, the Jesuits also took precious art and cultural artworks back to France. Their furniture, architecture and design all became influenced by the Chinese style.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the popularity of chinoiserie (中国风格) continued to increase, particularly in England. Many of the architectures were covered with chinoiserie wallpaper relating to flowers, birds and trees. But shortly after, the popularity began to wane. The appeal of China and East Asia had to compete with other tastes, such as Turkish, Egyptian and Greek.

The first three decades of the 20th century witnessed a revival (复兴) in the popularity of chinoiserie both in Europe and America. Chinese dragons were drawn on cushions, curtains and wallpaper, while Chinese coats and hairstyles proved popular with women. The style was associated with modernity and was a by-product of World War I. Chinoiserie was associated with wealthy, stylish women and attached itself to the boom in entertainment as people dressed up to visit cinemas.

In 2024, chinoiserie is making yet another comeback. The rise of social media and home blog lifestyle pages has seen demand increase for imitations (模仿) of Chinese artwork and furniture. But critics point out how much of it is based on an idea of Chinese art and design and who actually creates it.

Fireworks are essentially rockets in their simplest form. They produce noise, light and smoke, and sometimes they even explode sending up floating materials, like confetti (五彩纸屑). They can be designed to burn in all different colors and patterns, so people often set off a number of them in an effort    1    (create) an interesting fireworks display or show.

Historians believe fireworks     2    (appear) for the first time in ancient China in the second century B.C., when they were made from bamboo stalks and gunpowder that would explode when    3    (throw) into a fire. They were said to drive away evil spirits. By the 15th century, fireworks had become popular in Europe,    4    (common) used for religious festivals and public entertainment. And when the U.S. settlers left Europe, they brought fireworks with them and made them a    5    (centre) part of the first Independence Day,    6    tradition still followed today.

Fireworks are wildly popular,    7    they have been linked to air pollution increases, and    8    (expert) are concerned about their negative effects    9    wildlife. Although they’re fleeting and infrequent, fireworks shows spray out a toxic concoction (混合物) that rains down quietly into lakes, rivers, and bays throughout the country. Many of the chemicals in fireworks are also persistent in the environment,    10    means they stubbornly sit there instead of breaking down.

9 . Embrace Diversity: 2024 International Cultural Festival

Welcome to the 2024 International Cultural Festival, a celebration of diversity, unity, and global harmony! This year’s festival promises to be a spectacular showcase of cultures from around the world, bringing people together to appreciate the richness and uniqueness of each heritage.

Cultural Extravaganza:

Join us for a mesmerizing journey through the diverse cultures represented at the festival. From captivating dance performances to tantalizing culinary delights, the International Cultural Festival is a feast for the senses. Immerse yourself in the vibrant colors, enchanting music, and the spirit of camaraderie that transcends borders.

Interactive Workshops:

Engage in hands-on activities and workshops that offer a deeper understanding of various cultures. From traditional art and craft demonstrations to language tasters, these interactive sessions provide a unique opportunity to learn and appreciate the slight differences that make each culture special.

Global Marketplace:

Explore the Global Marketplace, where you can shop for unique handicrafts, traditional clothing, and exotic spices. This is a chance to support local artisans and take home a piece of the world’s cultural tapestry.

Educational Forums:

Research on deeply thought-provoking discussions and presentations on the importance of cultural diversity in today’s interconnected world. Learn how embracing different perspectives can foster understanding and tolerance, and ultimately contribute to global peace.

The 2024 International Cultural Festival is not just an event; it’s a celebration of the shared humanity that unites us all. Mark your calendars and join us in promoting harmony through cultural diversity. Let’s make this festival a memorable testament to the beauty of our global tapestry.

There is a Chinese story of an old man in his 90s working with his family to remove mountains to connect the outside world     1     others’ doubts. The story has inspired the Chinese to unite and overcome difficulty with     2     (determine) and hard work.

The story became a reality in Lin County, Henan Province in the 1960s. A 1,500-kilometer-long waterway along the cliffs (悬崖) of the Taihang Mountains     3     (build) by the local people within 10 years, bringing precious water from the Zhanghe River in the bordering Shanxi Province to the drought-hit area.

Initially, finding drinking water was     4     headache for residents: People had to fetch water from five kilometers away every day.     5     (ease) this area’s water shortages, the local government decided to construct a canal across the mountains,    6    construction was a remarkable engineering achievement.

People tied ropes around their waists and     7     (hang) off cliffs, drilling holes in rock, and then dug canals with simple tools. From February 1960 to July 1969, they leveled 1,250 mountain tops and dug 211 tunnels (隧道),    8     (remove) 22.25 million cubic meters of earth and rocks.

Their efforts gained multiple     9     (benefit). It was the canal that     10       (dramatic) changed the life of the local people, irrigating (灌溉) 36,000 hectares of land and solving water supply difficulties to some 567,000 people. Their deeds have been hailed (称颂) as the “spirit of the Red Flag Canal.”