Think of carnival,【小题1】you think of crowds, costumes, and confusion. “Carnival” comes from two Latin words, meaning no more meat. In Europe, where it began, carnival 【小题2】(follow) by forty days without meat, as people prepared for the Christian festival of Easter. For weeks on end, people walked round the streets【小题3】(wear) masks doing what they wanted without being recognised. However, the government realized wearing masks had become a problem. Their use was limited by laws, the first of which 【小题4】(date) back to the fourteenth century. Today, as you wander through the streets, you see thousands of masks but you have no idea【小题5】the faces behind them look like.

When night 【小题1】 (fall), do things at the Palace Museum come alive? This year, the Palace Museum organized its first light show in the evening in 【小题2】 (celebrate) of the Lantern Festival.

Public enthusiasm was raised when the museum made an announcement that people could visit parts of the outer walls from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm on February 19th and 20th. Visitors didn’t have to pay for the tickets but they had to make reservations in advance. All tickets 【小题3】 (book) within 10 minutes.

For 【小题4】 first time, people were allowed 【小题5】 (visit) the Forbidden City at night. Three thousand lucky ticket holders were treated 【小题6】 a spectacular (壮观的) light show, which lit up 【小题7】 was China’s imperial palace from 1420 to 1911. The 【小题8】 (wonder) show was also broadcast online, attracting tens of millions of viewers.

The night visitors could also climb up to the Meridian Gate on the south side and walk through the southern and eastern sections of the walls, which were lit up by red lanterns. Some areas near the walls were also lit up to offer 【小题9】 (guest) a better night view.

We don’t know if there will be another night tour in the future, but we’re still looking forward to 【小题10】 (get) the chance.

Festivals 【小题1】(celebrate) all around the world. They have a wide range of 【小题2】(origin), such as religions, famous figures, and important events. Every festival has 【小题3】(it) different customs and unique charms. However, no matter how different they may seem, all over the world, the spirit of sharing joy, gratitude, love, or peace is common in all festivals.

【小题4】 all the traditional festivals, the harvest festival can be found in almost every culture. This important 【小题5】(agriculture) festival takes place after all the crops have been gathered in. People celebrate 【小题6】(show) that they are grateful for the year's supply of food.

Customs play a significant and relatively stable role in festivals, 【小题7】 sometimes they can change over time. With the development of modern society, some traditions may fade away and others may be established.

Festivals are an important part of society. They are occasions 【小题8】 allow us to relax and enjoy life, and forget about our work for a little while. They help us understand 【小题9】 we came from, who we are, and what to appreciate. If you study festivals carefully, you may be surprised to find that different cultures 【小题10】(actual) have a lot in common after all.