Modern Chinese use the solar calendar(阳历)as English people do. But at the same time, they use their own lunar
calendar(阴历). Each
lunar year is given the name of one of these animals: the rat, the ox, the
tiger, the hare, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the goat, the monkey, the
chicken, the dog and the pig. This list lasts for twelve years and then starts
again.
Each Chinese month starts on the day of the new moon. And the full
moon comes on the 15th day of the month. The new year always starts between
January 21 and February 20. On the last day of lunar year, there is a big
family dinner. All members of the family except married daughters try to be
present at this meal, they have to travel many miles to get home of their
parents. Everybody is very happy. After the dinner, the children keep awake to
welcome the New Year.
The New Year celebrations last for 15 days, from the new moon to the
full moon. On the first day, children and unmarried people go to visit their
elders.
()1. If next year is the year of the
monkey, what was the name of last year?
A. It was the year of the horse.B. It was the year of the
hare.
C. It was the year of the rat.D. It was the
year of the ox.
()2. Suppose that next Chinese New
Year’s Day is on 15th February, when will people have their big family dinner?
A. On February 15.B. On February 16.
C. On February 14.D. On February 13.
()3. The family usually have their
family dinner at the home of ______.
A. the married sonB. the married daughter
C. the unmarried sonD. the
parents
()4. People celebrate the New Year
______.
A. for 15 days
B. from the new moon to the full moon in the first month of the
lunar year
C. from January 21 to February 20
D. both A and B
()5. From this selection we know that
each Chinese month is measured by ______.