Fireworks lighted up the skies across China as millions around Asia greeted the Year of the Sheep on Thursday, kicking off celebrations with an annual televised gala that was thought highly on social media for the wonderful performance. The show lasts for about four hours and is broadcast nationwide, featuring singing, dancing, skits and comedy performance.  

Lunar New Year is also celebrated in other parts of Asia, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, North and South Korea, Mongolia and among Chinese communities in Southeast Asia. 

It is believed by Hong Kong people that the Year of the Sheep, also known as the Year of the Goat, should be calmer in general than the previous Year of the Horse, which was characterized by tragic international air accidents, terror attacks, global political upheaval, an Ebola virus panic and war.

Singapore, a large Chinese city-state, greeted the New Year with a countdown party in the heart of Chinatown on Wednesday, ending up with a fireworks display at midnight. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, 63, was discharged from hospital Wednesday in time for the Lunar New Year celebrations after going through an operation for cancer on Monday.

In Australia, Sydney is celebrating the Year of the Sheep, given the animals were the backbone of the country’s early farming success, with the country once said to be “riding on the sheep’s back” due to moneymaking wool exports. Tourism officials said Chinese arrivals were also set to increase for the festival, with Chinese airlines putting on charter flights for the holiday period. China is Australia’s most valuable and fastest growing inbound tourism market, with 95,000 Chinese arrivals recorded in January 2014 -- the month that the Spring Festival fell that year -- an increase of 67 percent on the previous year.

Qunar, a Chinese online travel service, announced a 350 percent jump in overseas flight bookings for the Lunar New Year holiday period in 2015 compared with last year, with trips to the United States winning the biggest gain.

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1.What did the Chinese people do to celebrate the spring festival?

A Singing, dancing, going on social media and lighting up the sky.

B Lighting fireworks, watching the yearly televised gala and so on.

C Singing, dancing, playing comedies and making trips abroad.

D Lighting fireworks and celebrating the spring festival on social media.

解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据文章第1段可知，中国人用燃放烟花、看春晚等方式欢度春节。

2.What do Hong Kong people believe the Year of Sheep to be?

A People worldwide should enjoy a peaceful life all year round.

B There should be political incidents and terror attacks worldwide.

C Part of the world will be disturbed with disease and war.

D There will be tragic air incidents and terror attacks in the year.

解析：选A。A 细节理解题。根据文章第3段should be calmer in general than the previous Year…可知今年是羊年，今年的生活与去年相比更为宁静祥和。不会像马年那样全年充斥着空难、恐怖袭击、埃博拉疫情及战争。

3.What does the underlined word discharged most probably mean in the fourth paragraph?

A Not charged.

B Treated.

C Removed.

D Greeted.

解析：选C。C 词义理解题。根据句中的in time…celebration可知，新加坡总理李显龙出院，与家人共度春节，此处的discharge意为“允许离开”。

4.Why are sheep important to Australia?

A Because they ride on the sheep’s back.

B Because sheep make up the tourism market.

C Because Australia’s success relies on sheep.

D Because wool makes big money for Australia.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。根据文章第5段due to moneymaking wool exports可知，羊之所以对澳大利亚人重要，原因是羊毛出口为澳大利亚挣来大钱。

5.What can we infer from the passage?

A People prefer making trips to America during spring festival.

B Chinese people like traveling abroad during spring festival.

C Spending spring festival abroad gains popularity in China.

D A large number of Chinese people are rich enough to travel abroad.

解析：选C。C 推理判断题。根据文章第6段a 350 percent jump in overseas flight bookings可以判断，春节期间境外旅游越来越受中国人的欢迎。