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My name is Meng Ke.I'm 11 years old.

TRANSLATION:

I live near Sandoupingin the province of Hubei.Hubei province is in central China.My house is on a hill.It's close to the River Yangtze.My family used to liveright next to the river.Then we had to move awaybecause a huge dam was built.The dam is calledthe Three Gorges Dam.They built it to help Chinawith flood controland generate electricity.It's one of the biggest damsin the world.

I can see the damand the River Yangtze from my roof.My grandpa said he met a lotof foreignerswhen they were building it.The electricity is sent from hereto all over China.

The River Yangtze startson the Tibetan Plateau,in Qinghai province,and ends in Shanghai.In the olden days before moderntransport,this was the main route for productsto be sent from province to province.It's the longest river in Asia,and the third longest in the world.

I live with my grandparents.They look after me because my parentswork in another province.My grandpa and Iusually do the shopping together.Today we've gotlots of things to buybecause it's our Spring Festival.Everyone buys special reddecorations.

It's called Spring Festivalbecause it's usually in the spring.This year it's in January,and it's still really cold.It's a very exciting day becausemy mum and dad are coming home.So we have to get everything ready.

Fireworks are very importantfor the Spring Festival.Everyone buys them.Even though Grandpa thinksthey're not very safe,he always buys quite a few fireworks,especially for me.

There's lots to dobefore my parents arrive.Once we have dropped our shoppinghome, we have to get the vegetables.My grandpa has his own vegetablepatch. It's not far from our house.I like going with Grandpato get the vegetables.

One last thing I have to dois sweep the floor.This is also a part of theChinese Spring Festival tradition.You have to make sure you sweep awaybad luck and make it clean,so that good luck can arrive.

I'm so happyand excited they're coming home.I haven't seen them for nearlya year.My aunt, uncle and cousin have alsocome speciallyfor the family reunion.

Now everything is ready and we justhave to wait for my mum and dad.They're coming all the wayfrom Guangdong province.Dad needs to drive over 20 hoursto get home.

Here they are!I feel so excited.My mum and dadhave brought presents for everyone.Lots of tasty sweets,new clothes and new shoes.

The colour red is very important,because we have an old storyof an evil beast called Nian.It used to eat all the people's foodand even eat little children.This evil beast hated the colour red,so that's why red is lucky,because the evil beast willrun away from red.

The scrolls mean, "May happinessfall on anyone"who comes inand out of the house."

Mmm! Something smells nice.We have dumplingsmade by all my family.These chocolates are in the shapeof our ancient Chinese money.The money was madefrom real gold and silver.

At dinner, all the food we haveis traditional for Spring Festival.Everyone in my village is nowsetting off firecrackers.The evil Nian was scaredof the sound of firecrackers.I hope that you have the opportunityto come to Chinato celebrateSpring Festival together.