Almost all cultures celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another in some way. Different cultures celebrate the beginning of a new year in different ways, and at different times on the calendar.

In Western countries, people usually celebrate New Year at midnight on December 31st. People may go to parties, sometimes dressed in formal (正式的) clothes, and they may drink champagne (香槟) at midnight. During the first minutes of the new year, people cheer and wish each other happiness for the year ahead. But some cultures prefer to celebrate the new year by waking up early to watch the sunrise. They welcome the new year with the first light of the sunrise.

Many cultures also do special things to get rid of (摆脱) bad luck at the beginning of a new year. For example, in Ecuador, families make a big doll from old clothes. The doll is filled with old newspapers and firecrackers. At midnight, these dolls are burned to show the bad things from the past year are gone and the new year can start afresh (重新). Other common traditions to keep away bad luck in a new year include throwing things into rivers or the ocean, or saving special things on the first day of the new year.

Other New Year traditions are followed to bring good luck in the new year. One widespread Spanish tradition for good luck is to eat grapes on New Year's Day. The more grapes a person eats, the more good luck the person will have in the year. In France, people eat pancakes for good luck at New Year. In the United States, some people eat black-­eyed peas for good luck—but to get good luck for a whole year you have to eat 365 of them!

假如你是刘伟，你的英国笔友吉姆(Jim)对中国的传统节日很感兴趣，他来信向你询问有关情况。请你用英语给他写一封回信，简单介绍中国的传统节日端午节。内容包括：

I am glad to receive your email. I heard you are interested in our traditional festival. Let me tell you something about the Dragon Boat Festival. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When I was a student in France, a local friend invited me to have lunch at her home. During the meal, I found all her family had their hands on the table, except me. Later I learned that it’s impolite to put your hands under the table.

—Tom

When I was a student in the UK, I went to a pub with two local friends. We all had a drink and I drank mine quickly. My friends still had half-full glasses so I bought another drink, just for myself. My friends said, “You can’t do that. When in a pub in the UK, you should buy drinks for you and your friends.” I was so embarrassed (尴尬的) .

—Henry

I spent a year studying in Germany. I was shocked the first time I went to a lecture (讲座) .At the end of the lecture, all the students started knocking on their desks. How strange! A student told me that in Germany, students don’t clap their hands (拍手) to show they like something. They knock on their desks instead.

—Lily

I love making birthday cards. One day, when I was a student in South Korea, I made a birthday card for a local friend. But when I gave the card to her, she cried, “My name is written in red ink (墨水) !” She said in South Korea, a name written in red ink means that the person has died.

—Mary

How is everything going? I’m glad to hear that you are coming to China. Let me tell you some customs in China. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I hope that the advice is helpful. Please feel free to ask me if you want to know more.

Yours,

Li Hua

At midnight on New Year’s Eve (除夕), people in Rome, Italy, throw out all the things they no longer want. The streets are filled with old chairs, beds, clothes and dishes. In Madrid, Spain, the New Year comes in more quietly. People get together in the centre of the city. Each holds a bag of grapes. As the clock strikes (敲) twelve, the people eat the grapes—one for each strike.

In Tokyo, people eat noodles on New Year’s Eve. This food is said to bring long life. Early the next morning, some Japanese families climb Mount Fuji. There they watch the first sunrise of the new year.

In Norway, people hide their brooms on New Year’s Eve because they believe witches (巫婆) can travel by riding brooms. Without brooms, witches won’t come and ride them to travel in the world.

你觉得你的校园生活安全吗？请你写一篇题为“How to Keep Safe in School”的英语短文，谈谈你的看法。

How to Keep Safe in School

Do you know that our school life could be dangerous if we are not careful enough? For example,