A. High Lights of your week
B. Breaking News in the worldChinese New Year
Written by Jason Cuce
Chinese New Year 2016 falls on Monday, February 08, 2016Red Lanterns in an Alley
Photo © Morgane Constanty at SXC
Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, is one of the most important, if not the most important, celebrations in Chinese culture. The celebrations surrounding the holiday last 15 days, and there are a myriad of festivities and observed traditions that occur within those 15 days. Many of these festivities revolve around the origins of the holiday and the mythical beast called Nian, which means "year" or "years" in Chinese.
History and Mythology
A long time ago in China, a monster called Nian (?) came down from the mountains once a year and terrorized villagers - small children in particular. The villagers were very afraid of the Nian, so they attempted to use any method possible to frighten the monster away or get it to leave. One of the tactics involved making food for the monster and leaving it on the doorstep so that it would be full and go back to the mountains. At another time, the villagers noticed that it was afraid of a small child who was wearing red. They realized that the Nian was afraid of the color red, and began wearing red at that time of year to keep the beast away. In addition to wearing red, they found that loud noises and fireworks helped frighten the monster.Celebrations
As legend has it, the Nian still lives in the mountains of China. It is customary to wear red and shoot fireworks each year during the Spring Festival, to help keep the Nian and other evil spirits away. The traditional "Lion Dance" involves several of these customs and many others. According to Wikipedia, each day has its own unique celebration. For example, on the first day of the Spring or New Year Festival, people will gather together for large feasts and spend time with family. On the fourth day, people begin returning to work. The eighth, ninth and tenth days involve celebrating the birth of the Jade Emperor, who is considered to be the head of the heavenly bureaucracy. The festival ends on the fifteenth day which is also known as the Lantern Festival.D: Complete each idiom:
- Kevin is coughing and sneezing. He is feeling under the _____________.
- Kevin didn't finish his homework. When his teacher finds out, he will be in hot __________.
- Do you need help fixing the car? I'd be happy to lend you a ____________.
- I'd like to get started on this project. Would you please help me get the ball ____________.
- Max's hamster is very old. I'm surprised it hasn't kicked the __________ yet.
- I heard an annoying, slow dripping sound. The sound is driving me up a ______________.
- All that glitters isn't ____________.
- Easy come, easy _____________.
- Hold your ____________ or you will eat crow.
- You cannot have your __________ and eat it too.
a). Read the following passage.
After Terah was seventy years old, he had three sons: Abram, Nahor, and Haran, who became the father of Lot. Terah‟s sons were born in the city of Ur in Chaldea, and Haran died there before the death of his father. The following is the story of Terah‟s descendants. Abram married Sarai, but she was not able to have any children.
The LORD said to Abram: Leave your country, your family, and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you. I will bless you and make your descendants into a great nation. You will become famous and be a blessing to others. I will bless anyone who blesses you, but I will put a curse on anyone who puts a curse on you. Everyone on earth will be blessed because of you.
Abram was seventy-five years old when the LORD told him to leave the city of Haran. He obeyed and left with his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions and slaves they had gotten while in Haran. When they came to the land of Canaan, Abram went as far as the sacred tree of Moreh in a place called Shechem. The Canaanites were still living in the land at that time, but the LORD appeared to Abram and promised, “I will give this land to your family forever.” Abram then built an altar there for the LORD.
Later the LORD spoke to Abram in a vision, “Abram, don‟t be afraid! I will protect you and reward you greatly.” But Abram answered, “LORD All-Powerful, you have given me everything I could ask for, except children. And when I die, Eliezer of Damascus will get all I own. You have not given me any children, and this servant of mine will inherit everything.” The LORD replied, “No, he won‟t! You will have a son of your own, and everything you have will be his.” Then the LORD took Abram outside and said, “Look at the sky and see if you can count the stars. That‟s how many descendants you will have.” Abram believed the LORD, and the was pleased with him.
Abram was ninety-nine years old when the LORD appeared to him again and said, “I am God All-Powerful. If you obey me and always do right, I will keep my solemn promise to you and give you more descendants than can be counted.” Abram bowed with his face to the ground, and God said: I promise that you will be the father of many nations. That‟s why I now change your name from Abram to Abraham. I will give you a lot of descendants, and in the future they will become great nations. Some of them will even be kings.
Although Abraham was very old, Sarah had a son exactly at the time God had said. Abraham named his son Isaac, and when the boy was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, just as the Lord had commanded. Abraham was a hundred years old when Isaac was born, and Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. Now everyone will laugh with me. Who would have dared to tell Abraham that someday I would have a child? But in his old age, I have given him a son.”
Genesis 11:26-29; 12:1-7; 15:1-6; 17:1-6; 21:2-7 (CEV)
b). Circle the letter of the best answer or answers for each blank according to the reading.
1. God told Abraham to leave ____________________.
a. his country
b. his relatives
c. Haran
d. Canaan
2. God told Abraham to go to ___________________.
a. Ur
b. his country
c. the land he will show him
d. the land he came from
3. God said he would make Abraham‟s descendants into __________.
a. a large army
b. a large country
4. God said he would ___________________ Abraham.
a. bless
b. curse
c. give many descendants to
d. bless others because of
5. When God spoke to Abraham, he _____________ God.
a. believed
b. doubted
c. trusted
d. had faith in
6. God declared Abraham right with him because Abraham _________ God.
a. believed
b. obeyed
c. listened to
d. doubted
7. God was good to Abraham and Sarah and kept his _____________.
a. son
b. promise
8. When Isaac was born, Sarah ________________.
a. was sad and cried
b. was happy and laughed
c). Answer the following questions by writing complete sentences. Then
discuss your answers.
1. Summary the part or the whole story in your own words. What do you like the most about this story?
2. What did God ask Abraham to do? Do you think that these were easy or difficult things for Abraham to do? Why?
3. God told Abraham that his descendants would be a great nation and that some of his descendants would be kings. Do you think it was easy for Abraham to believe this promise? Why or why not?
4. How did Abraham show that he believed God and trusted him?
5. Why did God choose Abraham and bless him? Was he good to Abraham because Abraham was a good man?
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