It is just past five o’clock on the Chinese New Year’s Eve, and Luo Yan lifts the cover of a large bowl to breathe in the rich smell of the soup     1     his wife and mother have prepared.

Luo Yan and his wife and son have settled in the big city far away from their hometown. Their journey from the city where they live and work back to their hometown was a     2    漫长而又疲乏的 one just a few years ago. However,     3     the high-speed train has made it more convenient for them to go back home. During the four-hour trip, they chatted happily with each other.

    4    一到家, they find Luo’s parents eagerly waiting for them. Indeed, the family couldn’t be happier to be together. As midnight approaches, Luo Yan takes his parents, wife and son outside to set off firecrackers.     5     The whole village is lit up with the flashes of fireworks.