Harbin is the capital of Heilongjiang province. Harbin is now a large and open city,     1     (influence) deeply by Russia, Europe, and Japan in     2     (it) culture, architecture, and lifestyle. Harbin is one of the most popular destinations for winter tours,    3    (host) the world’s biggest ice and snow festival.

Harbin     4     (become) world-famous for having the largest ice and snow festival. The opening ceremony is held     5     January 5 every year. Lasting for more than two months, Harbin Ice and Snow international festival is also     6     longest snow festival in the world.     7     (near) all the ice for the festival is cut from the Songhua River in Harbin.

The most popular place is the Harbin Ice and Snow World,     8     is like a frozen Disneyland, and you can see the big ice and snow castles, carto on sculptures and enjoy the biggest     9     (vary) of snow sports and activities in the world.

There are also ice and snow sculptures exhibitions on Sun Island and an ice lantern show in Zhaolin Park.

Harbin has long been a popular winter destination for snow tourism and skiing experiences. If you are skiing lovers, Yabuli Ski Resort and Jihua Ski Resort     10     (recommend).

6 . I did return to college. But the pressure of a full-time job and college classes was hard to bear.

One Friday afternoon, a co-worker asked about my weekend plans. I tried to avoid these conversations because I had no money and schoolwork was demanding. To prevent any further conversation, I said, “Oh, I am taking a mini vacation, just a little weekend holiday.” There was surprise but no further conversation.

“What a cheat I am,” I thought. “And they will want details on Monday. It will just stress me more when they all find out that I lied.”

On the long drive home from work, I made a plan. I could pretend I was on vacation and never go anywhere. At home, I pulled down all the shades, checked my messages and shut off the phone. Then I jumped in the shower and put on sweats. With some snacks in my easy reach, I took out three books that I had been anxious to read for the past months. “Well, I am on vacation. This can be my imaginary holiday. I will check in with the world on Monday morning,” I said to myself. Then I cracked open the first book. By Sunday evening, I was well into the third book.

When the alarm went off on Monday morning, I dressed, had breakfast and went to work. I was busy when several co-workers came by. “Wow,” they said, “you must have had a great vacation. You look so rested.” It wasn’t until then that I realized I wasn't stressed anymore.

“Maybe,” I told them, “it was just an imaginary holiday.” They laughed and went off to their desks.

I did graduate from college eventually and got a job with some paid vacation. But I still take imaginary holidays where I turn off the phone and electronics, tell everyone that I will be “away” and spend a weekend reading.

I have decided that imaginary holidays are one way I can take care of myself. Perhaps that was part of my college education.

7 . My son’s seventh birthday is approaching, so conversation at my house has naturally turned to organizing his party.

For his sixth birthday, we booked the local trampoline(蹦床) park. This worked out well. But the whole event cost us hundreds of pounds. This year, I’m trying to convince him that the dinosaur-themed park down the road offers just as much fun—and you don’t even need to wear special socks! This will be cheaper, because we aren’t required to hire a space—we can simply buy tickets for his mates.

But I still keep pondering over one thing—party bags. Why should a bunch of seven-year-olds, who have already been treated to a day out and a mountain of sugar, also be handed a bag full of pound-shop gifts for simply bothering to show up?

Party bags are an environmental disaster. I reckon my son attends 20 parties per year, and at each party there are 20 kids in attendance, which means 400 plastic bags in total. Within these 400 bags are perhaps 800 plastic toys, almost all of which fall apart on the journey home and then get binned instantly. The waste is shocking, and I don’t want to be part of it.

I know there are some party bag alternatives: one couple I know covered a table with Mr. Men books and got the kids to choose one each. At another party, I saw the hosts fill a bucket with soft toys and crumpled newspaper, and do a lucky dip (抽奖). Admirable efforts.

Even if that is a nice try, and even if the contents in the party bags don’t fall apart, so what? Will our guests think more highly of our child because of the party bags from our party? Will my child’s ability to make and keep friends be improved?

Well, the tradition for kid’s party bags ends with me, and it ends here, and it ends now. Who’s with me?

8 . It seems a bit strange to imagine ancient Egyptians celebrating their birthdays with layered cakes topped with lighted candles.    1    

The first birthday cakes were nothing of what they are today and weren’t even called birthday cakes.    2    At that time only they could afford to celebrate with something sweet. That is how cake became associated with special occasions.

Ancient Egyptians are credited with“inventing”the birthday celebration. And ancient Greeks borrowed the tradition but rightfully realized that a dessert would make the celebration all the more meaningful. So they baked moon-shaped cakes to offer up to the moon.    3    

It wasn’t just the ancient Egyptians and Greeks who celebrated with sweet cakes.    4    And it’s believed that the original birthday cake came from them. Rather than just celebrating birthdays, though,ancient Rome was known for celebrating all things with a cake including wedding,but there was an exception—the birthdays celebrated were only for men who were citizens,and they had to be famous.

Modern birthday parties are said to get their roots from the 18th-century German celebration. On the morning of a child’s birthday, he or she would receive a cake with lighted candles that added up to the child’s age plus one.    5    The birthday child would make a wish,try to blow out all the candles in one breath,and dig in.

Texas, the second most populous US state, embraced Lunar New Year celebrations last month,     1     were more fabulously than ever before, in places ranging     2     public libraries to children’s museums, local bars and Asian restaurants in both big cities and some small towns.

Post Houston, a downtown entertainment and cultural center in the state’s largest city,     3    (host) a massive Lunar New Year festival on Sunday with eye-catching performances, a carnival-like Asian pop-up market    4    (feature) food vendors, games, crafts and other cultural activities, as well as a grand party in the night. Lion and dragon dances,     5     (accompany) by the booming, rhythmic beating of drums and gongs, whipped up a festive atmosphere, gaining thunderous applause and cheers from     6     crowd of more than 1, 000 spectators.

“We didn’t have a lot of activities in the past. But     7     (thankful), times are changing” said Brooks. “It is a great representation of the culture. . . It’s just a great way for people to accept it, respect it,     8     also embrace it.” Getting into the spirit of Lunar New Year, the woman said her hope for the Year of the Rabbit is “health, happiness, prosperity and peace for everyone, and     9    (equal) for everybody and every culture. It’s what everybody deserves     10    (have) in this world, in America and everywhere.”

10 . It was my tenth birthday. The _________ list began with a few close friends, but it quickly grew to a total of seventeen. Nearly every girl in my fifth grade class had been invited to my house for a big_________. I was especially happy when they excitedly accepted the_________. It would be a night of scary stories, pizza and lots of presents. But as I later realized, I would truly_________ only one gift I received that night.

That night, we were playing games when the doorbell rang. “Judy, come here for a minute,” Mom called from the front door.

I_________ my eyes and shrugged to my friends as if to say, “Now who would dare_________ me at a time like this?” I walked toward the front door reluctantly, and then stopped. There on the front porch stood Sarah Westly— the quiet girl who sat next to me in music class—and she was holding a gift.

How had I forgotten to invite Sarah? I remembered that I only_________ a name to the list when someone had shown an interest in me. But Sarah had never done that. Never once did she squeeze (挤) into the_________ of kids surrounding me at lunch time.

I guess I had forgotten to invite her simply because she wasn’t_________ to be invited.

“I can’t__________,” she said, looking down. “My dad’s waiting in the car.” “Can you come in for a little while?” I nearly__________.

“Thanks, but I have to go,” she said, turning toward the door.

Inside the box was a small__________ about three inches tall with its tail wagging (摇 摆) in the air. It was the best gift I had received, __________ I was never really into dogs. I later found out that the figurine looked exactly like Sarah’s dog, Seymour.

I didn’t know it then, but now I__________ that Sarah was my one true childhood friend. She was an__________ friend who stood by me, always encouraging and understanding me.