It was my first time     1     Spring Festival in China with my host family. Spring Festival is highly     2     by every Chinese family. Preparations began a week before the Festival. First, the house was cleaned from top to bottom. My host mother Mrs Chen said this was to     3     the dirt of the past year and get ready for the new year.

Next, the Chinese character Fu was attached upside down to front door. It is believed that when Fu is put upside down, happiness arrives.

The greatest excitement began the night before Spring Festival. Fireworks were being     4     across the city, suddenly     5     up the night sky. Children were covering their ears but with an     6     look on their faces. Mrs Chen said that it was to scare away the monster NIAN.

These carnivals might include parades, dancing in the streets day and night, loud music and colourful    1    of all kinds. Easter is an important religious and social festival for    2    around the world. It celebrates the return of Jesus from the dead and the coming of spring and new life. Japan's Cherry Blossom Festival happens a little later. The country,    3    with cherry tree flowers, looks as though it is covered with pink snow.

At that time people would    1    if food was difficult to find, especially during the cold winter months. Today's festivals have many    2    : some are    3    , some seasonal, and some for special people or events.

Our eating habits have changed, as    1     our way of life, and the fuel we need for our body is also different. Other nutrients, such as fiber and minerals, help keep our body    2     well. Vitamins, which we can get from eating vegetables, fruit, fish and drinking milk, help our body    3     disease. It is probably better, however, if we spend our time and money in buying good food and     4     a balanced diet. If we eat healthy food in the right    5    , we do not have to buy any supplements. The same goes for “crash diets” that some companies say will make us    6     fast.     7     eating expensive diet food or going on unhealthy diets, we can simply try to eat less fat and sugar and     8     more.

Kwanzaa is a seven-day festival     9     the culture and history of African Americans. Kwanzaa is a time for learning    10     joy. On the last day of Kwanzaa, family and friends     11     to enjoy a large meal and to celebrate the new year.

    12     a new festival may seem an unusual way to celebrate history and culture, but we are in fact creating new festivals every year.     13     we celebrate a festival it changes a little and in that way we keep our culture    14     . The Spring Festival, Christmas, Ramadan, Kwanzaa and all the other holidays and festivals help us understand who we are, remember where we come from, and     15     our hopes for a happy future.