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.

9 . Everyone celebrates his birthdays in different ways. A birthday is _________ to be a happy day. However, this year, it seemed like everybody had forgotten about mine.

When I _________ up in the morning, nobody came to wish me a happy birthday. In the kitchen, there was no special breakfast _________ for me. Not even a simple _________ or present was in sight. My parents did not seem to realize that I was _________ at being forgotten. My mother even sent me out to buy some vegetables for her.

I was _________ it all the way to the supermarket and back. As I opened the door, however, people jumped out from behind the furniture and yelled. “Surprise! Happy birthday!”

My whole family was there, including my grandparents and all my friends! The _________ dining table was now _________ with plates of fried chicken wings, meatballs, colourful jellies and fruit, and there was a pile of presents on one end of it. My mother carried out a large chocolate cake with ten candles on it, and everybody began to sing. I was excited and tried hard to hold my _________.

When the singing was over, I __________ out the candles with all my strength. My mother took the cake __________ to cut up and everybody came forward to give me their gifts. Then, we __________ the delicious snacks and fruit together. When most of the food was __________, my mother pulled out a large package that she had prepared for our games. We played a game named “Pass the Parcel” and my cousin, Alex, won (an) __________ toy. Then we played other games, which __________ with all of us laughing. After that, we went into the garden to play __________ activities.

By the time everybody left. I was absolutely exhausted. However, I couldn’t stop __________ from ear to ear. As I went to bed, I thought about how __________ it was to have such a birthday. That was one of the most __________ birthdays I ever had. That night, I fell asleep __________ not only by all my birthday presents but also love from my family and friends.

10 . All around the U.S., there are unbelievable book festivals where literary devotees can connect with their favorite authors and fellow bookworms alike.

Books By The Banks: Cincinnati USA Book Festival

Now in its ninth year, Book by the Banks is a day-long festival that takes place every October in Cincinnati. Local, regional, and national authors attend, and there are book signings, group discussions, and activities for all ages — all meant to promote literacy（读写能力） and lifelong learning.

Wordstock: Portland’s Book Festival

When it comes to festival names, Wordstock: Portland’s Book Festival gets an A+. Although it is a one-day event, Wordstock manages to put in tons of activities for readers of all ages. Along with a huge book fair, the festival includes a range of writing workshops, author events, a beer tent, pop-up readings and concerts, and more.

Brooklyn Book Festival

The largest free literary event in New York City, the Brooklyn Book Festival has brings together a variety of well-known writers and publishers, as well as up-and-coming authors. The week-long festival is targeted at adults, but there's a children's day too.

New Orleans Book Festival

The New Orleans Book Festival is still an amazing celebration. The two-day festival takes place along Big Lake at City Park and is full of family-friendly entertainment. Between musical performances, readings, group discussions, and activities for kids, it's perfect for all ages. Best of all，Every child who attends receives free books.