Section C

Directions: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information. For these blanks, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the

The Mid-summer Day, a hundred-year-old tradition in Scandinavia, falls on June 22nd or 23rd, when the sun will reach its highest point in the sky, to create the longest day of the year. In【B1】______ part of Scandinavia, one can see the【B2】______ sun and the night never reaches complete darkness.

Many places celebrate Mid-summer on St. John's day, June 24th, while in Sweden it is honored on the Friday【B3】 ______ to June 20. Many centuries ago this day was to pay【B4】______ to water, fire and plants. It was also a time to cleanse one's soul. However, over time, this holiday lost much of its【B5】______ meaning. Actually, Mid-summer marks a change in the farming year, specially the break between the completion of spring【B6】______ and the hard work of summer hay- in Scandinavia, and in such Eastern European countries as Estonia and Lithuania.

How did and do people celebrate the festival?

Family and friends get together to【B7】______ themselves with such wonderful food as herring(鲱鱼),【B8】______ potatoes, sour cream, bread, and beer, followed by strawberries or fresh fruit. After the meal, people would dance.【B9】______ . Now it is just for fun.【B10】______ —remember, the sun does not set at all in Scandinavia at this time of year!【B11】______ .

【B1】