Directions: Read the following passage and complete the brief outline that follows. Write no more than 5 words for each blank.
Interesting Traditions Around the World
Traditions are passed down from generation to generation to inform us of our history. Some are widespread and taken on by one and all, like celebrating New Year and birthdays, and then there are some that are quite strange or interesting and practiced only by a small group of people.
Famadihana, also called the turning of the bones, is a festival in Madagascar that honors the dead and celebrates family ties. Every seven years or so, families who can afford rich dinners for guests and new clothes for the living families and the dead, celebrate the festival. They give out gifts for the dead and crying is discouraged during the celebration.
Bali’s Day of Silence, or Nyepi, as they call it, is a holiday celebrated with eating little or no food as well as meditation, the practice of thinking deeply in silence. The whole island shuts off all sounds, lights, and all other activities, so there is peace all around. Days before the actual celebration, Balinese people make the ogoh-ogoh (dangerous animals) statues (雕像) that will be used and paraded through the streets the day before Nyepi. The statues are then usually burnt after supposedly attracting dangerous animals.
Having started in Middle Ages, flag throwing has long been popular in Tuscany. As the Italians love a good celebration, army parades were held with marching bands and flag bearers. Since flags are considered sacred, the flag bearers have to make sure that they do not fall to the ground. Today, flag throwing is not just popular in Tuscany but also in the whole of Italy.
Some traditions may sound strange, yet people hold them close to their hearts and still practice the age-old rituals to this day. These rituals are part of their culture and history and are able to shape and describe people.
Outline:I. IntroductionAs a form of historic culture, some traditions are shared altogether and others are 53 and celebrated by only a few.
II. Body partPeople in Madagascar celebrate Famadihana to honor the dead and 54 .
During Nyepi in Bali, people eat little or no food and 55 ; days before the festival, statues are made and later they will be burnt.
Flag throwing features army parades and gains popularity in Italy.
III. ConclusionPeople still hold fast to some age-old rituals, because these traditions can 56 .