P3 Cloze 39

I believe more food is consumed during the New Year celebrations than any other.time of the year for a Chinese family. A wide ________ of traditional food and snacks are usually prepared for family, friends and visitors. These are served to guests or given as gifts.

On New Year's Day, some Chinese families usually eat a vegetarian dish called "jai". The various ________ in "jai" include roots or fibrous vegetables.

Many people ________ asuperstitious but desired quality to each of them in the hope that by eating them or having them in their meals, their wishes or dreams will be fulfilled.

For example, the lotus seed signifies having many male ________ in the family,

the ginkgo nut represents silver ingots and the black moss seaweed is supposed to mean an excess in ________.

The Chinese, however, avoid having beancurd or tofu in their meals for its ________ meant death and a lack of luck.

Other dishes ________ awhole fish for togetherness and abundance, and a chicken for prosperity.

The chicken must be ________ with a head, tail and feet to symbolise completeness.

Noodles served during this time should remain ________ asthey represent long life.

Ultimately, the tremendous amount of food prepared at this time is meant to ________ abundance and wealth for the household.