Now Your Turn
SAMPLE DIALOG
A: If you want to know about Christmas, I can tell you that it's an occasion for family reunions.
Family members have dinner together.
B: That's also true of the Chinese Spring Festival.
A: Americans usually eat turkey for Christmas dinner. My mother bought an enormous twenty-five pound turkey for it. And our neighbors had goose and ham on both Christmas Eve and Christmas night.
B: Chinese have a huge dinner on the Spring Festival Eve. Usually a fish is served, because its pronunciation in Chinese means "surplus" or "abundance". We also eat a lot of meat and seafood.
A: A turkey is often so gigantic that we eat leftovers for days.
B: A Chinese dinner is known for many kinds of food. We simply can't eat them all at once. So we also eat leftovers for days.
A: Rich food isn't good for your health. Some Americans refuse a huge dinner and stick to a healthy meal of salad.
B: The same is true here in China. Some people prefer tofu and vegetables to meat.
A: Another important part of Christmas is the gifts. We heap up our presents under the Christmas tree or put them in stockings. Children are excited about gifts.
B: In China we give children money in a red envelope.
A: To enjoy a merry Christmas, Westerners exchange gifts, send Christmas cards, sing Christmas carols and throw parties.
B: The Chinese set off firecrackers and fireworks to add to the jubilant atmosphere. In some places they also stage dragon and lion dances. And they visit relatives during the festival.
A: Both the Spring Festival and Christmas are fascinating.
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