Jack是在人大学习的美国留学生，Liu Mei 是人大大二学生。寒假过后，Liu Mei和Jack又见面了，Jack想知道Liu Mei的寒假是如何度过的， Liu Mei便告诉了Jack一些她们家乡关于春节的风俗习惯，比如除夕吃饺子、放烟花，大年初一给孩子们发放压岁钱，走亲戚等等。Jack听了之后对中国的春节很感兴趣，希望将来能够和Liu Mei一起回她们家乡过春节。

Liu Mei: Hi，Jack. Glad to see you again.

Jack: Hi, Liu Mei. How did you spend your winter vacation?

Liu Mei: I went home. I had a wonderful time with my family..

Jack: Oh, tell me something interesting about your winter vacation.

Liu Mei: Ok. I’ll tell you how I spent the Spring Festival.

Jack: That will be lovely.

Liu Mei: On the eve of the lunar new year① , we had our supper with all the members of the family getting together, eating one popular food named "jiaozi" which are dumplings boiled in water. After dinner, the most of the family stayed up all night② watching TV programs dedicated to the New Year"s celebration. At midnight, the sky was lit up by fireworks which symbolize the sending out of the old year and the welcoming in of the new year③ .

Jack: What did you do on the first day of the festival?

Liu Mei: I got up early and stayed at home. I exchanged New Year greetings with my brothers and sisters. I blessed my parents a happy new year and wished them a long life. Those children in family greeted their parents④ and received their New Year gifts. They got lucky red envelopes⑤ with money inside.

Jack: What did you do from the second day on?

Liu Mei: Well, we visited relatives and friends, exchanged New Year greetings. In addition, there were many kinds of performances, such as local operas, lion dances, dragon lanterns, acrobatic shows ⑥ and so on. I like very much to watch these performances with local features.

Jack: Oh, what a wonderful time you had at home!

Liu Mei: Yes. I think so.

Jack: I hope next Spring Festival I could go to your home.

Liu Mei: That’s great! Welcome you.

Jack: OK. It’s a deal⑦ .

① the eve of the lunar new yea：除夕夜

② stayed up all night：守岁，除夕夜里一般都要“守岁”。

③ the sending out of the old year and the welcoming in of the new year：辞旧迎新

④ greeted their parents：给父母拜年

⑤ lucky red envelope：红包，里面装的是长辈给孩子们的“压岁钱”

⑥ lion dances, dragon lanterns, acrobatic shows：舞狮子，耍龙灯，耍杂技。

⑦ It’s a deal： 意思是“就这么办, 一言为定”。