1 . The Spring Festival, also known as the Lunar New Year, is the most important     1    (tradition) festival in China, which falls in late January or early February.

The historical reason for beginning the New Year in such a time is     2     it is the time between autumn harvest and spring plowing and planting. In other words, it is the time for rest, relaxation and celebration after a year's hard work.

Except this practical reason for celebrating the Spring Festival, a popular Chinese legend offers another     3     (explain), which is       4     (general) accepted in China. In ancient times, a devil called “Nian” that lived under the sea would attack people once a year on the eve of the New Year. It jumped out from the sea and attacked villages,     5     (eat) people, animals and plants. As they could no longer bear Nian's cruel persecution（迫害）, the villagers gathered     6     (discuss) how to deal with Nian and some people suggested that the devil was afraid of loud noises, red color and flame. So people     7     (light) firecrackers and fireworks, put up red couplets on     8     (they) gates and beat drums to drive Nian away. The idea worked     9    Nian ran away.

Since ever, the custom and tradition of celebrating the Spring Festival has formed and the practices of putting up red couplets on gates, setting     10     firecrackers and fireworks, etc. have been passed down.