5 . Just then, Senora Ines arrived and asked Rosaura if she wouldn't mind helping serve out the hot dogs, as she knew the house so much better than the others.

“See?” said Rosaura to the girl with a bow, and when no one was looking she kicked her in the shin (胫骨).

Apart from the girl with a bow, all the others were delightful. The one she liked best was Luciana, with her golden birthday crown, and then the boys. Rosaura won the sack race, and nobody managed to catch her when they played tag. When they split into two teams to play charades, all the boys wanted her for their side. Rosaura felt she had never been so happy in her life.

The best came after Luciana blew out the candles. First the cake. Senora Ines had asked her to help pass the cake around, and Rosaura had enjoyed the task very much because everyone called out to her, shouting ^“Me, me!” Rosaura remembered a story in which there was a queen who had the power of life or death over her subjects. She had always loved that, having the power of life or death. To Luciana and the boys she gave the largest pieces_，and to the girl with a bow she gave a piece so thin one could see through it.

After the cake came the magician. A true magician, he could untie handkerchiefs by blowing on them and make a chain with links that had no openings. He could guess what cards were pulled out from a pack and a monkey was his assistant. He called the monkey "partner".

The final trick was wonderful. One of the children had to hold the monkey in his arms and the magician said he would make the monkey disappear.

Rosaura thought that this was truly the most amusing party in the whole world.

Get ready to say good-bye to the old, hello to the new! What’s the occasion? The coming of the New Year.

Many Western cultures measure their days with the solar calendar. Therefore, they     1    the coming of New Year on January 1. Cultures in Asia and Middle East use other calendars, such as the more ancient lunar calendar. They celebrate the New Year at other times.

Events and ceremonies vary from country to country. But in each places, New Year celebrations are a big     2    Most world cultures have been celebrating the New Year for centuries. The earliest New Year celebrations took place during spring or harvest time. With better weather ahead, or plenty of food to eat in winter, people naturally felt like having a party!

As the days became longer and as nature     3    itself, people also felt like they could have a new start. Past disappointments could be forgotten. The New Year could bring better     4     , more opportunities and new challenges. Such universal themes remain the same today.

Some cultures have unusual New Year traditions. Italians throw old things out of their windows at midnight,     5    the departure of the old. Mexicans fire guns into the air to keep away misfortunes.

New Year celebrations also     6    having fun. Some cultures view the New Year as an opportunity to let off fireworks. In New York City’s Times Square, thousands gather on December 31 to     7    down the last seconds of the year. A giant silver ball is lowered at the stroke of midnight.

London, England, hosts an annual New Year’s Day     8    that draws nearly a million spectators. The largest parade in Europe, it features bands and enormous balloons. These ballons are so huge that they     9    over nearby buildings!

How will you celebrate the New Year? Think about the     10    you find meaningful during this season. Do you hope for a new start or a chance to turn over a new leaf? Whatever the case, we wish you well. Happy New Year!

Winter Solstice (冬至)

Winter Solstice, also     1    (know)as Midwinter or Winter Festival, means the     2    (arrive) of winter.

Winter Solstice is the 22nd in the present system of solar terms, but it was in fact the first one to     3    (create) and observed by people in ancient China. They     4    (believe) that from Winter Solstice, the next cycle began. Winter Solstice, therefore, was regarded as the     5    (begin) of a new year,     6     explains why Winter Solstice was not only set as a solar term, but has also been observed as     7     important festival.

The winter season starts in most areas in China from the day on. But because     8     its huge land area, the climate differs greatly from place to place. For example, the night time temperature during this period in northeast China drops to as low as -20℃ , while it is still around 10℃ in some places in South China like Guangzhou.

Eating dumplings on Winter Solstice is a tradition in northern China. Compared with dumplings, sweet dumplings (tangyuan) are even     9    (popular) for locals in southern China. In     10    (they) mind, the round shape of sweet dumplings symbolizes the reunion.