什么是农历新年

What Is the Lunar New Year?

慢速| 中考 | 575词 | 5min35s

刘立军 供稿

Part I. QUESTIONS

Listen to the news and choose the best answer to each question you hear.

Q1. When will the Year of the Dragon start according to the text?

A. At the end of January.

B. On February 10.

C. During the Spring Festival.

D. After 15 days of celebration.

Q2. Which animal in the Vietnamese zodiac replaces the rabbit found in the Chinese zodiac?

A. Cat.

B. Dragon.

C. Buffalo.

D. Goat.

Q3. What are the fears of Nian, the monster from the Lunar New Year story?

A. Fireworks, dragons, and light.

B. Red color, silence, and darkness.

C. Fire, loud noises, and the color red.

D. Water, bright lights, and firecrackers.

Q4. What is the purpose of the activities during the Lunar New Year celebrations according to the ancient story?

A. To entertain families with fireworks.

B. To celebrate ancestors with food offerings.

C. To prepare traditional games for the community.

D. To chase away bad luck and welcome good fortune.

Q5. Which tradition is common among many Korean families during the Lunar New Year?

A. Wearing red clothing.

B. Holding a ceremony called “charye”.

C. Playing traditional games.

D. Decorating homes with orchids.

Q6. Based on the passage, why might cleaning the home be a special activity for some during the Lunar New Year?

A. To make room for gifts of money.

B. To prepare for the visit of ancestors’ spirits.

C. To symbolize starting the new year fresh and clean.

D. To avoid the attention of Nian, the monster.

Q7. What is “changshou mian” and what does it symbolize in Chinese culture during the Lunar New Year?

A. A type of firecracker that symbolizes warding off evil spirits.

B. A traditional game that symbolizes family unity.

C. Red lanterns that symbolize good luck and joy.

D. Long-life noodles eaten with a wish for longevity.

Q8. What is the main theme of the passage?

A. The history and significance of the Lunar New Year celebrations.

B. The importance of ancestor worship during the Lunar New Year.

C. The different foods associated with the Lunar New Year.

D. The comparison of Lunar New Year traditions in various cultures.

Part II. TRANSCRIPT

What Is the Lunar New Year?

(Q1) On February 10, Asian American communities around the world will ring in the Year of the Dragon. Some Lunar New Year celebrations will be public, like parades and fireworks. But, families will also gather for private parties.

What is the Lunar New Year?

The Lunar New Year is a major holiday in several Asian countries. And people celebrate over several days or even weeks. It is called the Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam and Seollal in Korea. The holiday begins on the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends 15 days later on the first full moon. Because the holiday is based on the moon, it falls somewhere between the end of January and the end of February. The lunar calendar is based on 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. The animals are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. (Q2) In the Vietnamese zodiac, the cat replaces the rabbit and the buffalo is in place of the ox. For 2024, it is the year of the dragon for both.

Tet 是“Tết Nguyên Đán”的简称，是越南春节的简称

the Chinese zodiac 中国十二生肖

buffalo n. 水牛（分非洲水牛和亚洲水牛两种）

What are some traditions around the Lunar New Year?

One well-known ancient story speaks of Nian, a terrible monster that eats human flesh on New Year’s Day. But (Q3) Nian has some fears that weaken him. He fears the color red, loud noises and fire. So, (Q4) Lunar New Year activities include putting up red paper dragons on the doors of homes. People also burn red lanterns all night and set off firecrackers to chase away the monster. To this day, the Lunar New Year celebration is centered on removing bad luck and welcoming all that is good and successful. Red is considered a lucky color to ring in a new year. In many Asian cultures, the color symbolizes a good future and joy. People wear red clothing, decorate their homes with red paper lanterns and use red envelopes to present loved ones with gifts of money. Gambling and playing traditional games are common during Lunar New Year among celebrants around the world. Ancestor worship is also common during this time. (Q5) Many Korean families take part in a ceremony called “charye.” Female family members prepare food and male members serve it to ancestors. The final act involves the entire family sharing a meal and asking for help from their ancestors for the coming year. Vietnamese culture holds a similar tradition. People cook traditional dishes and place them on a home altar in honor of their ancestors.

celebrant n. 参加聚会（或庆典）的人

altar n.（教堂、庙宇的）圣坛，祭坛，祭台

How do diaspora communities celebrate?

Members of Asian American communities around the U.S. also organize parades, parties and other events around the Lunar New Year. Lion and dragon dances are common, as are fireworks, traditional food and cultural performances. (Q6) People do special cleanings of their homes and decorate using orchids and other brightly colored flowers.

diaspora n.（任何民族的）大移居

What are some special foods for the New Year?

Each culture has its own special foods for New Year celebration, including dumplings, rice cakes, spring rolls, tangerines, fish and meats. In Chinese culture, for example, “changshou mian” or “long-life noodles” are eaten with a wish for a long, healthy and happy life. Koreans celebrate with “tteokguk,” a soup that contains thinly sliced rice cakes. And Vietnamese culture has “banh chung”, a traditional dish made from rice, mung bean and pork belly. The dish is usually covered with banana leaves, shaped into a square and tied up with strings for steaming.

tangerine n. 柑橘；蜜橘

mung n. 绿豆

Part III. KEY

Q1. B. 细节题。文章中提到：“On February 10, Asian American communities around the world will ring in the Year of the Dragon.”意为：“在2月10日，世界各地的亚裔美国社区将迎来龙年。”可知，龙年将在 2 月 10 日开始。因此答案为B。

Q2. A. 细节题。文章中提到：“In the Vietnamese zodiac, the cat replaces the rabbit...”意为：“在越南生肖中，猫取代了兔子……”。可知，越南生肖中猫取代了中国生肖中的兔子。因此答案为A。

Q3. C. 细节题。文章中提到：“Nian has some fears that weaken him. He fears the color red, loud noises and fire.”意为：“年有一些恐惧的东西会削弱它。它害怕红色、巨大的噪音和火。”可知，年兽害怕红色、巨大声响和火。因此答案为C。

Q4. D. 细节题。文章中提到：“Lunar New Year activities include... to chase away the monster.”以及“...the Lunar New Year celebration is centered on removing bad luck and welcoming all that is good and successful.”意为：“农历新年活动包括……赶走怪物。”以及“……农历新年庆祝活动的核心是消除坏运气，迎接一切美好和成功的事物。”可知，农历新年庆祝活动的目的是赶走厄运，迎接好运。因此答案为D。

Q5. B. 细节题。文章中提到：“Many Korean families take part in a ceremony called “charye.””意为：“许多韩国家庭参加一个叫做‘茶礼’的仪式。”可知，在农历新年期间，许多韩国家庭都有举行“茶礼”的传统。因此答案为B。

Q6. C. 推理题。文中虽未直接阐述清洁房屋的原因，但结合新年庆祝活动多与辞旧迎新相关，清洁房屋很可能象征着以崭新、干净的状态开始新的一年。因此答案为C。

Q7. D. 细节题。文章中提到：“In Chinese culture, for example, ‘changshou mian’ or ‘long-life noodles’ are eaten with a wish for a long, healthy and happy life.”意为：“例如，在中国文化中，人们会吃‘长寿面’或者说‘长命百岁面’，并希望有一个长寿、健康和快乐的生活。”可知，“changshou mian” 是长寿面，它在中国文化中象征着长寿。因此答案为D。

Q8. A. 主旨题。整篇文章围绕农历新年的庆祝活动展开，介绍了农历新年的时间、名称、基于的生肖，讲述了相关传统故事及传统习俗，还提及不同文化的庆祝方式和特殊食物，整体围绕农历新年庆祝活动的历史和意义。虽然文章还涉及了食物、祖先崇拜和不同文化之间的比较，但这些内容都只是文章的部分内容，不能概括全文主旨。因此答案为A。

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