快乐的春节

It's winter vacation again. I'm looking forward to the Spring Festival. Spring is coming. This Spring Festival, my father took me to my grandparents' home in the countryside.

又到了寒假，盼望着，盼望着，春节的脚步近了，春天来了。今年春节，爸爸带我到乡下的爷爷、奶奶家过年。

When I was a child, I also went to the countryside, but at that time it was too small to have much impression on the countryside. At noon on the second day of the lunar new year, the weather was very good. My father took me to the ridge of the countryside to turn around. Standing on the ridge of the field, I looked at the wheat seedling flying in the wind in the distance. It was green, and the nameless flowers at the foot of the nearby foot were in clusters. Here, there, there, all colors were very beautiful. Now I know what is the real spring. I was very happy. I grabbed a wheat seedling with my hand and observed it carefully. In spring, the wheat seedling was green, and there was a tender malt between the two big leaves. My father told me that this tender malt would grow and blossom, and finally form the wheat we wanted to eat.

小时候，我也到过农村，不过那时候太小，对农村没有多少印象。大年初二中午，天气很好，爸爸带我到农村的田埂上转了一圈，站在田埂上放眼一望，远处麦苗迎风飘扬，绿色一片，近处脚下无名的小花一簇簇的，这儿一片，那儿一片，五颜六色好看极了，现在我才知道什么叫生机一片，什么是真正的春天。我高兴极了，用手抓住一棵麦苗，仔细观察了起来，春天的麦苗绿油油的，两片大的叶子中间还有一个嫩嫩的麦芽，爸爸告诉我就是这嫩嫩的麦芽长大会开花最后就会结成我们要吃的小麦。

Then I caught a small flower with my hand. The petals were hexagonal. I smelled a little fragrance. I felt it and left a little pollen on my hand. It was slippery, but I couldn't name it. I asked my father and he said he didn't know. He told me there were too many unknown flowers and grass in the countryside. Can you count them? The countryside in spring is so beautiful!

随后我又用手捉住一朵小花，花瓣是六角形的，闻闻还有一点点清香，摸摸还会在手上留下一点点花粉，滑滑的，就是叫不出名字，我问爸爸他也说不知道，他告诉我在农村象这种不知名的小花小草太多了，你数得过来吗？春天的农村真是太美丽了！

The Spring Festival, Chinese New Year is the most important festival for all of us. All family members get together on New Year'Eve to have a big meal. At the same time, everyone celebrates to each other. At about 12 o'clock, some parents and children light crackers. The whole sky is lighted brightly. We may watch the fireworks excitedly. How busy it is!

春节，中国的新年是我们所有人最重要的节日。所有的家庭成员都在除夕夜聚在一起吃大餐。同时，每个人都互相庆祝。大约12点，一些家长和孩子点燃了鞭炮。整个天空都亮了起来。我们可以兴奋地观看烟花。多忙啊！

On the first early morning of one year, many senior citizen get up early and they stick the reversed Fu or hang some couplets on the front door. Some house's windows are sticked by red paper cuttings.

一年中的第一个清晨，许多老年人早早起床，在前门贴上颠倒的福或挂上对联。有些房子的窗户上贴着红色的剪纸。

The Chinese New Year lasts fifteen days. So during the fifteen days, we always visit our relatives from door to door. At that time, children are the happiest because they can get many red packets form their parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and so on. The last day of the Chinese New Year is another festival. It names the Lantern Festival.

中国的新年持续十五天。所以在这十五天里，我们总是挨家挨户地拜访亲戚。在那个时候，孩子们是最快乐的，因为他们可以从父母、祖父母、叔叔、阿姨等那里得到很多红包。中国新年的最后一天是另一个节日。它命名为元宵节。

So the Chinese New Year comes to the end.

所以中国的新年就要结束了。

Far and away the most important holiday in China is Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year. To the Chinese people it is as important as Christmas to people in the West. the dates for this annual celebration are determined by the lunar calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar, so the timing of the holiday varies from late January to early February.

中国最重要的节日是春节，也就是中国的新年。对中国人来说，这和圣诞节对西方人一样重要。这个一年一度的庆祝活动的日期是由阴历而不是公历决定的，因此节日的时间从1月下旬到2月上旬不等。

To the ordinary Chinese, the festival actually begins on the eve of the lunar New Year's Day and ends on the fifth day of the first month of the lunar calendar. But the 15th of the first month, which normally is called the Lantern Festival, means the official end of the Spring Festival in many parts of the country.

对普通中国人来说，这个节日实际上从农历新年前夕开始，到农历正月初五结束。但正月十五（通常称为元宵节）意味着中国许多地区春节的正式结束。

Last year's Spring Festival is special. My uncle and my aunt came back from Shanghai. My family were very happy to keep the Spring Festival with them. And it was the most exciting festival of all the festivals.

去年的春节很特别。我的叔叔和婶婶从上海回来。我的家人很高兴能和他们一起过春节。这是所有节日中最令人兴奋的节日。

On New Year's Eve, my father and my uncle talked about their work together. My mum did some cooking with my aunt Grandparents and I watched the New Year TV programs. At about six o'clock, we had a special family dinner. We all thought the dumplings were delicious.

除夕夜，我父亲和我叔叔一起谈论了他们的工作。我妈妈和我婶婶祖父母一起做饭，我看了新年电视节目。大约六点钟，我们吃了一顿特别的家庭晚餐。我们都觉得饺子很好吃。

On the first day of the New Year, we visited our relatives. In the afternoon, we went shopping in Jiefang Road. My uncle bought some Jay's CDs. He likes Jay's music very much. There were so many people on the road. It was more alive than any other time of a year.

在新年的第一天，我们拜访了我们的亲戚。下午，我们去解放路购物。我叔叔买了一些周杰伦的CD。他非常喜欢周杰伦的音乐。路上有那么多人。比一年中的任何时候都更活跃。

On the second and the third days, we spent a wonderful weekend in the country. There were much bigger trees than in the city. And the animals were more beautiful than in the city. We all enjoyed ourselves.

第二天和第三天，我们在乡下度过了一个美好的周末。那里的树比城里的大得多。这些动物比城里的还要漂亮。我们都玩得很开心。

I had an interesting Spring Festival. How about you?

我过了一个有趣的春节。你呢？

近年来我国的发展世人瞩目，中国的传统文化正越来越受到各国朋友的关注。请根据提示，以“The Spring Festival”为题写一篇短文，向外国朋友介绍我国的春节。

根据所给要点及参考词汇，可适当发挥。

① 春节是中国农历年(the lunar year)的第一天

② 春节前：一个月前开始准备(prepare)食物，打扫卫生，装饰(decorate)房子

③ 除夕(On Chinese New Year's Eve)：家人团圆(get together)，吃年夜饭(big dinner)，守夜(stay up till midnight)，放烟花鞭炮(play fireworks and crackers)

④ 大年初一(the first day)：穿新衣(put on new clothes)，向父母拜年(greet parents)，收压岁钱(get lucky money)

范文：

In China, the Spring festival is the first day of the lunar year. People usually start preparing for the festival one month before it comes. They prepare delicious food, clean and decorate their homes. On Chinese New Year's Eve, the family all get together for a big dinner. They stay up till midnight, and then play fireworks and crackers for good luck. On the first day of the lunar New Year, children put on their new clothes and greet their parents. They are very happy to get lucky money from them.

在中国，春节是农历一年的第一天。人们通常在节日到来前一个月开始为节日做准备。他们准备美味的食物，打扫和装饰他们的家。在中国除夕夜，一家人聚在一起吃大餐。他们熬夜到午夜，然后放烟花爆竹以求好运。在农历新年的第一天，孩子们穿上新衣服，向父母问好。他们很高兴从他们那里得到压岁钱。