Red Packets in Chinese Culture

Giving Hongbao (red packets) is a tradition in China. Traditional red pockets are often decorated with gold Chinese characters（汉字）, such as ___ 1 ___and wealth.

How red packets a re used

During Chinese New Year, __ 2 ___is (are) put inside red packets which are then handed out to younger generations by their parents, grandparents, relatives, and even close neighbours and friends.

The ___ 3 ___

Red represents luck and good fortune in Chinese culture. That is __ 4 ___red packets are used during Chinese New Year and other celebrations.

How to give and receive

Giving and receiving red packets is a ___ 5 ___act. Therefore, red packets are always __ 6 ___and received with both hands.

Someone who receives a red packet at Chinese New Year or on his or her birthday should not ___ 7 ___it in front of the giver. __ 8 __, things are different at a Chinese wedding, where the guests usually give the red packets to the attendants and sign ___ 9 ___names on a large scroll ( long piece of paper). The attendants will open the packets at once, ___ 10 __the money inside, and record it on a register（登记簿） next to the guests' names.

The amount （数量）

The amount of money is relative to your relationship to the person who receives-the ___ 11 ___your relationship is, the more money is expected. Anyway, it is not the amount of the money that matters, but the care and love you hold for others .

What not to gift

Certain amounts of money are to be __ 12 ___. Anything with a four is not good because four sounds similar to __ 13 ___in Chinese. Even numbers（偶数）, except four, are better than odd-as good things are believed to come in __ 14 ___. For example, gifting ＄20 is better than ＄21.

The money inside a red packet should ___ 15 ___be new. Folding the money or giving dirty or wrinkled bills is in bad taste.

Hongbao is a symbol of love from others, as well as a sign of good luck.

A．	1. praise	B．	dream	C．	happiness	D．	advice
E．	2. paper	F．	money	G．	letters	H．	notes
I．	3. colour	J．	size	K．	shape	L．	history
M．	4. when	N．	why	O．	how	P．	where
Q．	5. strange	R．	simple	S．	smart	T．	serious
U．	6. presented	V．	filled	W．	covered	X．	gathered
Y．	7. watch	Z．	hide	[．	open	\．	accept
]．	8. Moreover	^．	However	_．	Otherwise	`．	Besides
a．	9. his	b．	their	c．	your	d．	our
e．	10. count	f．	change	g．	choose	h．	collect
i．	11. worse	j．	harder	k．	closer	l．	wider
m．	12. avoided	n．	increased	o．	afforded	p．	returned
q．	13. birth	r．	fear	s．	death	t．	envy
u．	14. groups	v．	rows	w．	teams	x．	pairs
y．	15. sometimes	z．	never	{．	seldom	|．	always