Now we are ready to start.

Speaker A. I know many people love Christmas, but my favourite holiday is New Year. For me, it is a very important period when you can give a fresh start to everything in your life. As for me, I always throw away old and unnecessary things on the 31st of December. I know people in many countries do it  — the Japanese, for instance, clean their house from top to bottom before New Year comes. It is important to leave the past behind, and getting rid of clutter helps!

Speaker B. As for me, I don’t like New Year much. I think that people are very naïve if they think they can change their lives at a certain midnight. There is no magic about it  — just another midnight, that’s it. I find it strange that people make all these New Year resolutions and promise themselves to start going to the gym or eat healthy food or learn Chinese. If you really want to do something, you should just go ahead, why wait for a certain time of the year to do it?

Speaker C. I think there are few holidays and celebrations which have such deep roots as New Year. In some countries the traditions of celebrating New Year are not very old, but most European countries have been celebrating it for a long time indeed. I particularly like the story about how people started decorating fir trees. It’s interesting that they used to be decorated with apples and sweets, but now we have beautiful ornaments made of glass.

Speaker D. I have a pen friend in Russia, and she told me that New Year is the most important celebration in their culture. This is predominantly a family holiday. The whole family gathers together and enjoys good food while catching up on each other’s news. They may play board games or sing songs, or even go for a walk if weather permits. I think it’s a wonderful tradition to spend this night with your nearest and dearest  — and being so close to them.

Speaker E. For me, Christmas is a family occasion, whereas New Year is just a time to do crazy things. Last year I went to Lake Baikal and spent New Year with my friends, who are divers. We took a fir tree underwater and put some tinsel on our diving suits. That was amazing! This year I’m going to be in Brazil for New Year. I’m going to dance on a Brazilian beach in a colourful long dress and then throw flower petals into the water. This will be truly unforgettable!

Speaker F. I think it is very important to do everything right when you’re getting ready to celebrate New Year. As for me, I always try to find out exactly what food you need to cook or what colour dress is recommended to wear to celebrate New Year. I think it’s important to clean your house and decorate it and be in a very good mood on the 31st of December! Otherwise, the coming year may not turn out as lucky as you want it to be, and that’s what I’m afraid of.

You have 15 seconds to complete the task. (Pause 15 seconds.) Now you will hear the texts again. (Repeat.) This is the end of the task. You now have 15 seconds to check your answers. (Pause 15 seconds.)