Customs of the Lantern Festival
Eating yuanxiao
Yuanxiao, also called tangyuan in the south, is the special food for the Lantern Festival. It is believed that yuanxiao is named after a palace maid, Yuanxiao, of Emperor Wu Di of the Han Dynasty. Yuanxiao is a kind of sweet dumpling, which is made with sticky rice flour filled with sweet stuffing (甜馅). And the Lantern Festival is named after the famous dumpling, It is very easy to cook—simply drop them in a pot of boiling water for a few minutes—and eaten as a dessert.
Guessing lantern riddles
Guessing lantern riddles (谜语) is also a necessary part of the Festival. Lantern owners write riddles on a piece of paper and post them on the lanterns. If visitors have answers to the riddles, they can pull the paper out and go to the lantern owners to check their answers. If they are right, they will get a little gift. The activity during people’s enjoyment of lanterns appeared in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). As riddle guessing is interesting and full of wisdom, it has become popular among all of China.
Watching fireworks
On the night of the Festival, except for great lanterns, fireworks form a beautiful scene. Most families spare some fireworks from the Spring Festival and let them off in the Lantern Festival. Some local governments will even organize a fireworks party. On the night when the first full moon enters the New Year, people are really excited by the fireworks and the bright moon in the sky.
【小题1】What can we know about yuanxiao?A.It is difficult to cook. | B.It is made with sticky rice flour. |
C.It is named after a famous poet. | D.It is the special food for the Spring Festival. |
A.A free meal. | B.A new lantern. | C.A new riddle. | D.A small present. |
A.Health. | B.Education. | C.Culture. | D.Entertainment. |
In recent days, a netizen left a comment on the official website of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, urging the relevant authorities to issue a statement to encourage residents to not be influenced by superstition and continue with their marriage plans as usual during the Year of the Dragon.
The Social Affairs Department of the Ministry of Civil Affairs promptly responded, stating that they would pay attention to this issue. The department explained that there is a year in the lunar calendar that does not have the beginning of spring solar term (节气), which occurs approximately once every two to three years.
The Spring Festival, also known as Chinese New Year, is celebrated on the first day of the first lunar month each year. However, its date on the Gregorian calendar (公历) varies from year to year. Start of Spring, which is the first of the 24 solar terms, is considered the official beginning of spring.
Why did the ancients think that “no spring year” was not suitable for marriage? As the weather warms up and spring arrives, the earth awakes from its winter hibernation. The rain falls, the thunder surges, and everything in the world comes alive once again. At such a good time, they usually associated the beginning of spring with fertility. If spring does not come, reproduction will not be prosperous. “No spring” means “no child”, and getting married is the most taboo. Superstitions about this time of year often focus on avoiding marriage or other important events because it is believed to be unlucky.
The Social Affairs Department of the Ministry of Civil Affairs emphasized that these superstitions, which mean false beliefs without scientific evidence, should not have the final say about people's decisions about their marriages or other important life events. They encouraged residents to continue with their plans as usual during this period and not be influenced by superstition.
The department also reminded the public that marriage is a personal decision that should be based on love, mutual respect, and consideration for each other’s future. They emphasized that the government will continue to provide support and assistance to ensure that all citizens can enjoy a stable and happy life.
【小题1】What was the reason behind the netizen’s comment on the Ministry of Civil Affairs’ website?A.To request detailed information about the spring solar term this Year of the Dragon. |
B.To express dissatisfaction with the government policies to issue a ban on marriage this year. |
C.To motivate inhabitants to resist the impact of unscientific beliefs in the Year of the Dragon. |
D.To criticize the Ministry of Civil Affairs for their delayed response. |
A.Due to unfavorable weather conditions in the “no spring” solar term. |
B.Because it was believed to bring bad luck and misfortune. |
C.As a result of scientific evidence proving it was unlucky. |
D.To avoid conflicts with traditional customs and the wedding ceremonies. |
A.Encouraging residents to follow traditional superstitions by getting married as planned. |
B.Discouraging people from getting married during the Year of the Dragon. |
C.Emphasizing that unscientific beliefs should not have an impact on marriage decisions. |
D.Urging the public to protest against the complicated traditional Spring Festival celebrations. |
I had always heard that North Americans value independence, and that Europeans value, togetherness. But I never fully understood it until 2 months ago, when I left my Ph.D. lab in Canada for a 4-month research in a lab in France. On my first day, Pierre — a Ph.D. student whose desk is across from mine — tapped me on the shoulder and asked: "Coffee?" I nodded and followed him down the hallway to the common room, where other grad students were filing in. I sat there, cautiously sipping the bitter liquid five times stronger than my normal Americano and trying hard not to reveal my uncultured tastes, while lab chatter(闲聊)filled the air.
Coffee breaks are a routine part of work life here. The chatter sometimes turns to serious scientific topics. But mostly, the meetups offer a chance to unwind — to share stories about life inside and outside the lab and to connect with people who understand what you're going through.
The lighthearted atmosphere and sense of community is a welcome contrast to my life in Canada, where I spent most of my workdays all alone. I went into the lab each morning with set goals for my day. At lunch, I'd keep my eyes glued to my computer while I shoveled(大量送入)forkfuls of salad into my mouth, trying to power through my to-do list.
Our lab held weekly meetings where we'd take turns presenting our latest, work and getting feedback from colleagues. But we didn't take daily coffee breaks. My labmates and I were too busy collecting data and publishing papers.
Looking back now, I realize how much we were missing. Researchers need community because good ideas don't just come from reading literature and thinking deep thoughts; it's helpful to bounce ideas off others, particularly in a nonthreatening environment. It's also helpful to have a spot to share the day-to-day ups and downs of life as a grad student. How else are you supposed to know that you're not the only one suffering from challenges like anxiety?
【小题1】What can we learn about the author from the first paragraph?A.He has a European dependent personality. |
B.He was ill at ease in the new environment. |
C.He was ashamed of his uncultured background. |
D.He is too vain to work with other grad students. |
A.break away from his work life in Canada. |
B.get involved in serious scientific topics. |
C.relax and exchange ideas with people. |
D.collecting data from his colleagues. |
A.Demanding but satisfactory. |
B.Impersonal but efficient. |
C.Challenging and tiresome. |
D.Stressful and independent. |
A.Why Scientists Should Take Coffee breaks? |
B.Coffee Inspires Creativity in Scientists |
C.Lighthearted Atmosphere Counts |
D.North American Life VS. European Life |
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