Learn by Listening Level 2

[00:00.10]New Year's|[00:01.72] "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one!|[00:08.81] HAPPY NEW YEAR!"|[00:10.86] What is New Year's?|[00:12.42] Well, to me a New Year is|[00:14.47] when the date of the year changes.|[00:16.71] This year it is 2001,|[00:18.64] and on December 31 at midnight it will change to 2002.|[00:23.24] I wonder who invented the changing of years|[00:25.91] and how it was made the way it is.|[00:28.65] It must have been someone a long time ago,|[00:31.08] since it's already 2001.|[00:33.50] When New Year's comes closer,|[00:35.74] a lot of people talk about New Year's resolutions.|[00:39.04] I don't bother making "resolutions"|[00:41.40] because I never do them anyway!|[00:43.70] And the ones that I do make are usually ones|[00:45.82] that will happen anyway.|[00:47.44] I guess it's just common sense.|[00:49.55] The biggest reason why I like New Year's is|[00:52.72] because of the fireworks that we have here in Canada|[00:55.59] and many other countries, too.|[00:57.58] You should see some of the fireworks that go off.|[01:00.81] There are many different colours.|[01:02.93] There's pink, blue, purple, yellow, green,|[01:06.72] red, even white, silver and gold.|[01:09.96] Fireworks make loud bangs, squeals, siren sounds,|[01:14.37] and sometimes all at once.|[01:16.49] There are lots of different sounds,|[01:18.42] but I can't even explain what they are all like.|[01:21.65] Fireworks are best when it's very dark outside.|[01:25.42] They light up the whole sky!|[01:27.66] Sometimes, they look as though|[01:29.46] they are going to fall on you.|[01:31.21] I like New Year's because it's fun in other ways,|[01:34.34] but the fireworks are the best part.|[01:36.21] You can buy fireworks to use for your own fireworks show.|[01:40.00] However, you have to be careful|[01:42.62] that no one gets burned or hurt.|[01:44.67] Usually, there are parties at New Year's.|[01:47.65] Some people really dress up fancy and even wear masks.|[01:51.70] They don't know who one another is until midnight|[01:55.18] when they take their masks off.|[01:56.92] As midnight comes very close,|[01:58.48] everybody begins to count down,|[02:01.22] and then everyone yells out "Happy New Year's"|[02:04.33] and bang pots and pans or ring bells or honk horns.|[02:08.31] Join me in the count down on New Year's Eve.|[02:11.17] "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five,|[02:18.45] four, three, two, one - HAPPY NEW YEAR!"