Different families have different table manners. For example, some people don’t talk while they eat, some do. Some people talk with their mouths full, others don’t. Some people put their elbows (肘) on the table, but others consider it unacceptable. 【小题1】. Here’s some good advice. If you’re new somewhere just watch what other people do and don’t do. If you follow the people you’re eating with, you’ll always have good table manners in their eyes.

I grew up in an old-fashioned family. The main time my family saw each other was at dinner. 【小题2】. We talked about our day through the dinner whether we had good stories or not.A reason we talked so much was that our parents didn't allow us to get up until we finished all of our food. Being the daughter of a Greek cook and an Italian woman, my mom always put doubleportions (双份) of delicious meals on our plates. 【小题3】. I still remember my father making us eat dinner for almost two hours just because we couldn't finish our food!

Here comes the year 2023, the Year of the Rabbit! Rabbits are quiet, smart in Chinese culture. Many Chinese good sayings have rabbits in them. I’m sure you will come up with a few when you’re reading this sentence.

In Chinese culture, the rabbit stands for the moon. People used to believe a rabbit was living on the moon. The rabbit is called the Jade Rabbit or the Moon Rabbit. It’s the pet of the moon goddess Chang’e. It makes medicine by grinding herbs (捣草药). Rabbits can have a lot of babies in a short time. In this way, people in the past also saw the rabbit as a good sign. They believed having more children could bring them luck and happiness.

Western people also see the rabbit as a sign of good luck. They believe a rabbit’s foot can bring good luck to its holder. This may go back to an old tradition. When teenage hunters caught rabbits to provide food for the people, getting the rabbit foot means they are welcomed as both hunters and adults. Rabbits also show up in other areas of Western culture. In the book Alice in Wonderland, Alice follows a rabbit to get away from her world and start her adventure (冒险). There is the Easter Bunny, too. Rabbits are close to the idea of new life because they have lots of babies. The night before Easter, kids often make nice little homes in their gardens for the Easter Bunny.

In China, the 12^th month of the lunar calendar is called layue. The month is full of interesting festivals and customs.

Laba Festival, which falls on the eighth day of layue, is the first festival in this month. From this day on, people begin to get ready for the Chinese New Year. On Laba Festival, people eat hot Laba porridge. There are usually eight things in the porridge:rice, red beans, peas, dried lotus seeds (莲子), dates (红枣), and there different kinds of fruits and nuts. The porridge is not just good for your health, but a blessing for the coming Chinese New Year.

Laba porridge is not the only tasty food in layue. Laba garlic (蒜) is popular in the north. People begin to soak garlic in vinegar from that day on, and eat it with dumplings during the Chinese New Year. While in the south, people like making sausage.

Another major celebration before the Spring Festival is xiaonian. It is usually on the 23^th or 24^th day of the last lunar month. Traditionally it is an important occasion (时刻, 场合) when people offer sacrifice (祭品) to the Kitchen God who looks after the family.

Don't forget to clean your room. This is also an important thing to do to prepare for the Chinese New Year. It means sweeping away the dust of the old year and welcoming a fresh start.

Now, the last thing for you to do is to wait for the coming Spring Festival.