進入英語學習論壇下載音頻 去聽寫專區一展身手

While China and others in Asia ring in the lunar Year of the Rabbit this week, Vietnamese are purring about the coming Year of the Cat.

Exactly why and when Vietnam dumped the rabbit and adopted the cat for its version of the 12-sign lunar zodiac is up for debate and may have been partly the result of a complex translation error.

These days, though, the idea of hopping back to the rabbit would be highly disagreeable to most Vietnamese.

Besides the cat, the other 11 zodiac signs are ox, tiger, dragon, snake, rat, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. Each is believed to bring its own peculiar and unique characteristics to the cycle.

The cat helps offset the dog, its natural enemy, said Nguyen Bao Sinh, who runs a pet hotel in Hanoi that charges 500,000 dong ($25.65) a night per animal.

"This expresses a balance of yin and yang in the cosmos that is more complete, that better unifies the contradictions, and so it is richer and better to have the cat," he added.

In China, the rabbit is regarded as one of the happiest signs, with people born in that year renowned for their kindness, reliability and loyalty, though with an air of mystery.

In Vietnam, rabbits are considered food. Cats also appear on the occasional menu as "little tigers," although the practice of eating them is technically banned.

To most, though, they are clean, sociable and smart companions, and their year brings high hopes for harmony.

"The image of the cat is cultured and the nature of a cat is gentle, sociable and close to people," said Hoang Ngoc Bao, a veterinarian and cat enthusiast.

At an outdoor pet market not far away, Hanoi resident Cao Thu Ha was buying a new cat for the new year, saying that cats are like children in bringing happiness to a family.

Questions:

1. What country will ring in the Year of the Cat instead of the Year of the Rabbit?

2. What are the other 11 signs in the lunar zodiac?

3. What are the characteristics of the Year of the Rabbit in China?

Answers:

1. Vietnam.

2. They are ox, tiger, dragon, snake, rat, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

3. The rabbit is regarded as one of the happiest signs, with people born in that year renowned for their kindness, reliability and loyalty, though with an air of mystery.

去聽寫專區一展身手

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）

About the broadcaster:

Nelly Min is an editor at China Daily with more than 10 years of experience as a newspaper editor and photographer. She has worked at major newspapers in the U.S., including the Los Angeles Times and the Detroit Free Press. She is also fluent in Korean.