Almost every place celebrates the new year, but the date when the new year starts depends on the calendar you use. For example, in the Iranian (伊朗的) solar calendar, New Year (Nowruz) is celebrated around 21 March, and for Jewish people, New Year is Rosh Hashanah and is celebrated in September or October. The calendar which is used the most in the world is called the Gregorian calendar. In this calendar, New Year is on 1 January.
New Year’s Eve is the last day of the old year. In many places, people have a party or go out in the evening with their friends and family to watch amazing fireworks (烟花) or light shows. People often watch a big clock and count down the last ten seconds (10! 9! 8! … 3! 2! 1!) before midnight, the moment the new year starts, then say “Happy New Year!”
People do different things to celebrate New Year. In some countries, people sing a special New Year song. In the UK the song is called “Auld Lang Syne”, and people usually sing it just after midnight. In Greece, you can have a piece of a special cake or bread. Inside only one piece of the cake or bread is a coin. If you get that piece, you have good luck for the next year! In other countries, colours are important. In Brazil, for example, people often wear white clothes for good luck, yellow clothes for happiness and money or red clothes for love. In the Philippines, circles mean coins or money, so people wear clothes with circles and eat 12 round fruits, one for each month of the year.
New Year is celebrated in so many different ways, but everywhere people are happy and excited for the new year and enjoy this time with their friends and family.
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1.When do most people celebrate New Year?
A In January.
B In March.
C In September.
D In October.
解析：选A。A 细节理解题。根据第一段最后两句“The calendar which is used the most in the world is called the Gregorian calendar. In this calendar, New Year is on 1 January.”可知，世界上使用最多的日历叫做公历，在这个历法中，新年是在1月1日。即大部分人都在一月庆祝新年。故选A。
2.Which way to celebrate New Year’s Eve isn’t mentioned in the passage?
A Watching fireworks.
B Eating dumplings.
C Watching light shows.
D Having a party.
解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据第二段第二句“In many places, people have a party or go out in the evening with their friends and family to watch amazing fireworks or light shows.”可知，很多人在12月31日和家人朋友一起聚会或外出观看烟花秀或灯光秀，文章并未提到一起吃饺子。故选B。
3.What’s the main idea of the third paragraph?
A Reasons for celebrations.
B A special New Year song.
C Traditions around the world.
D Different plans for the next year.
解析：选C。C 段落大意题。根据第三段第一句“People do different things to celebrate New Year.”人们用不同的方式来庆祝新年，并结合该段接下来提到的一些国家庆祝新年的方式可知，本段主要介绍了世界各地人们关于新年的传统习俗。故选C。
4.Why do people in Brazil wear white clothes?
A To wish for love.
B To wish for good luck.
C To wish for happiness.
D To wish for more money.
解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据第三段倒数第二句的“In Brazil, for example, people often wear white clothes for good luck...”可知，巴西人穿白色衣服是为了祈求好运。故选B。
5.Where is the text most probably taken from?
A A daily newspaper.
B A science textbook.
C A museum guide.
D A culture magazine.
解析：选D。D 推理判断题。本文主要介绍了世界各地人们庆祝新年的不同方式，结合选项可知，本文最有可能来自一本关于文化方面的杂志。故选D。
