Breaking News English

Thousands of Chinese [couples / couple] got married on Friday because the date 4th January 2013 [sounds / sound] like "endless love until death" when spoken [at / in] the Chinese language Mandarin. The newlyweds hoped the day would [prove / proven] to be an auspicious one on which to tie the [string / knot] . At least 10,000 couples walked down the aisle in Beijing [lonely / alone] . Even though registry offices were fully [bookings / booked] , hopeful brides and bridegrooms braved freezing weather in the hope the registrars could fit them in. The government had to [lie / lay] on thousands of extra staff to accommodate the increased number of people wanting to [take / have] the plunge. In Hong Kong, the city's five marriage registries were fully booked by September 20 last year. The city saw 558 people become man and [wife / woman] on Friday.

Dates that are [numerically / numeral] unique are very popular in China as people believe they are lucky. [Matching / Matches] days, months and years - like 12/12/12 and 11/11/11 - are [considering / considered] to bring good fortune. The next [such / so] date will be January 1st in the year 2101. Newlywed Chen Foshan told the china.org website: “We promised to get married today a long time ago, if doomsday didn't come first.” Marriage is becoming [big / large] business in China because the country’s middle class is [booming / boomed] . People spend a lot of money on [extravagant / extravagance] ceremonies and receptions. One of the biggest expenses is an [evaporate / elaborate] wedding album. The happy couple is photographed at [various / variety] locations wearing different costumes. Photos of the actual [vows / bows] or exchanging of rings are not usually taken.