Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday that falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. Among the versions of the festival’s origin, the most     1     (wide) accepted one dates back over 2, 000 years to the legend of Qu Yuan,     2     well-known poet of the State of Chu during the Warring States period (475 BC-221 BC).

After his Chu state was conquered (征服), Qu threw     3     (he) into a river. People threw zongzi into the water to honor him and used boats to prevent fish eating Qu’s body. That gave rise     4     the customs of dragon boat racing and eating zongzi.

Every year, the festival     5     (celebrate) not only in China but also in other parts of the world to honor Qu,     6     behavior still touches people to this day.

During the festival, various activities are held, with dragon boat races being an important tradition. Boats are believed     7     (show) the essence of the dragon, which is thought to bring good luck and prosperity. The races represent the spirit of teamwork and     8     (strong).

In addition to the boat races, the eating of zongzi, a traditional food made of rice     9     (wrap) in bamboo leaves and filled with various sweet fillings,     10     (be) another distinguishing feature of the festival.

The lantern fair in Zigong, Southwest China’s Sichuan province, boasts a history of more than 1,000 years.     1     (mark) the Year of the Dragon, many of the lanterns show the Chinese sign of the zodiac (生肖), but there are also     2     wide variety of other lantern designs to meet different needs. Visitors     3     prefer traditional lanterns can find lanterns with flowers and birds, and legendary figures, while lanterns with modern patterns such as cultural     4     (trend) and online games are gaining popularity among young people.

In addition to the     5     (elegance) craftsmanship, modern technologies such as 3D printing and artificial intelligence have also been used to make the lanterns     6     (nice) and more vivid. The lantern show is also accepting the concept of environmental protection. A set of lanterns     7     (feature) the famous Chinese statue “Bronze Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow” from the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD) was created by using different kinds of waste materials, including tires and plastics to form its outside decorations.

This year’s show will not come to an end     8     July 31. The sets of lanterns     9     (update) to keep up with other traditional Chinese festivals, such as the Dragon Boat Festival. Visitors can also enjoy folk arts, and Chinese music performances during     10     (they) lantern-viewing tours.

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday signed legislation that makes Chinese Lunar New Year a state holiday. The move recognizes the diversity of cultures which Asian Americans have brought to California, the third     1     (large) state in the US.

The legislation lets any state employee take eight hours of vacation, annual leave or compensatory leave     2     (celebrate) Chinese New Year.

In a     3     (sign) letter, Newsom emphasized the diversity and cultural significance that Asian Americans represented in California and     4     (encourage) all Californians to participate in the festival.

Lunar New Year is celebrated by thousands of Asian and Pacific Islander Californians at community events that illustrate     5     state’s rich cultural history and commitment to racial, religious, and cultural diversity. Many jurisdictions (辖区) in California have already made Lunar New Year an     6     (office) school holiday.

Also on Friday, a ceremony     7     (hold) in San Francisco’s city hall to raise China’s national flag in celebration of the 73rd anniversary of the     8     (found) of the People’s Republic of China.

Zhang Jianmin, China’s consul general in San Francisco, raised the flag with Meron Foster, a senior officer at the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Protocol. Zhang expressed his gratitude     9     San Francisco’s “very genuine gesture of friendship” toward China,     10     he spoke to an audience of us elected representatives, business figures and community members.

May 21st this year marks the first International Tea Day, which was named officially     1     the United Nations on November 27th, 2019. To celebrate     2     festival, a number of events took place at the Chinese Businessman Museum in Beijing on Thursday.

The chairman of the China Culture Promotion Society     3     (address) the opening ceremony. “As a main promoter of the International Tea Day, the birthplace of tea and the     4     (large) tea­producing country, China has a     5     (responsible) to work with other countries to promote the healthy development of the tea industry. It can help to build a community with a     6     (share) future for mankind,” he said.

The “First International Tea Day Tea Road Cooperative Initiative” issued (发布) at the ceremony calls for people working in the tea industry to come together to promote international cooperation     7     cultural exchanges. A four­year tea promotion — Tea Road Cooperative Plan — was also issued in accordance with the initiative.

    8     (strengthen) the connection with young people, the event included a number of public promotional activities on social media,    9    (invite) twenty­nine tea professionals from around the world to have thirty­six hours of uninterrupted live broadcasts.

The Chinese Ancient Tea Museum was officially unveiled (揭幕) at the ceremony, opening     10     (it) first exhibition: The Avenue of Truth—A Special Exhibition of Pu’er Tea.

Every culture in the world celebrates festivals. Though different festivals have different origins, the spirit of     1     (share) joy, gratitude, love, or peace is common in all festivals.

The harvest festival,     2     takes place after all the crops have been gathered in, can be found in almost every culture. People celebrate it       3     (show) their gratitude to the year’s supply of food. But the     4     (celebrate) vary from country to country. In ancient Egypt, it featured a parade and a great feast with music, dancing, and sports during the springtime     5     during the Mid-Autumn Festival in China, families gather to admire the shining moon and enjoy delicious mooncakes.

Customs change with the     6     (develop) of modern society. In China, many big cities     7     (give) up the custom of lighting   firecrackers in order to avoid air pollution.

Nowadays, businesses take advantage of the celebrations and make festivals     8     (commercialise). Although some are     9     it, others believe the increase in spending is good for the economy and public happiness.

Festivals reflect people’s wishes, beliefs, faiths and attitudes towards life. If you study festivals     10     (careful), you may be surprised to find that different cultures actually have a lot in common after all.

My American friend     1     (kind) invited me to her home     2     (celebrate) this year's Thanksgiving Day. I     3    （experience）my first ever Thanksgiving. On the day，we watched the Thanksgiving parade（游行）in New York City on TV. My friend's family sat     4     front of the television. They came from all over the States and enjoyed being together.     5     (look) at their happy faces, I thought it was really a holiday for families, just like the Mid-Autumn Festival in China.

That evening, we had a big Thanksgiving dinner. This     6     (tradition) meal included roast turkey, mashed potatoes and assorted vegetables. When the dishes and plates arrived at the table, we started to take turns to say the things we were thankful for. This, in fact, is a Thanksgiving tradition     7     many families practice in the US.

Then, the food     8     (pass) around the table and we all ate far too much. I also had desserts with my dinner. There were different kinds of pies, such as apple pies, pumpkin pies and coconut pies.

If one mentions Thanksgiving, one must talk about Black Friday, the Friday that follows Thanksgiving Day. Shops across the United States will give their     9     (big) sales of the whole year on Black Friday. Many people go crazy about     10     .I saw many long queues outside the shops on that day.