Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 23 to 27. Fill in the appropriate word in question 24

        Easter is a holiday in late March or early April, the first Sunday after the first full moon after 21 March. Many people (23) _________it with their family or have a short holiday/ vacation. It is also an important Christian festival. Easter Sunday, the day of the Resurrection, is the end of Lent (24) _________ the most important date in the Christian year. Many people who do not go to church at other times go on Easter Sunday. It was once common for people to wear new clothes to church on this day. Women wore new hats, called Easter bonnets. Today, people sometimes make elaborately decorated Easter bonnets for fun. A few people send Easter cards with religious symbols on them or pictures of small chickens, lambs, rabbits and spring flowers, all traditionally associated (25)          _________ Easter.

        The Friday before Easter Sunday is called Good Friday and is (26) _________ as the day Christ was crucified (= hanged on a cross to die). On Good Friday many people eat hot cross buns (= fruit buns decorated with a simple cross). The Monday after Easter is called Easter Monday. In Britain Good Friday and Easter Monday are both bank holidays. In the US, each company decides for itself (27) _________to close or remain open on those days.