新西兰英语 382 Summer Holidays

（单词翻译）

　　The New Year began with concerts and fireworks in many places. It is mid¹ summer in New Zealand at the moment, with long warm days.
There are a number of music festivals, an international tennis tournament in Auckland, and the usual summer sport such as cricket² and yachting.
Many businesses are closed until January 5th or later so this is holiday time for many workers. School children are on holiday too, until the beginning of February. Camp grounds are full at this time of year and some families have a small cottage, called a bach, beside the sea or a lake or a river. Families spend time at the beach: swimming, surfing, boating, fishing, playing ball games, having a barbecue or doing nothing much at all. There are rainy days too which are not so good for campers.
Many people visit their families in other parts of New Zealand during this holiday period, especially at Christmas time. The police warn us to drive carefully to avoid accidents at this time of year when so many people are travelling. At the moment, the road toll³ for this holiday period is nine. That means nine people have died in car accidents since Christmas Eve.
Questions
1. Is the New Year celebrated⁴ in your country?
2. What do people do during the summer vacation in your country?
3. Do businesses close during the summer vacation?