A: Hey there! Did you catch the news yesterday?

B: Nope, what's up?

A: Check this out! Five mountains around Kyoto were all lit up with cool fire characters and symbols for that festival thingy!

B: Which one? I don't remember any special event recently.

A: It's called Gozan Okuribi, held every August 16 to send off ancestral spirits during the Bon holidays. They light up these characters like "large" on hillsides!

B: Whoa, that sounds cool! Was it only one or more?

A: Nah, there were multiple designs! The first was "large", followed by a boat and a shrine gate.

B: That's pretty neat. I wonder who went to watch it?

A: Lots of people did! Over 22,000 in fact! Even folks like this family with a 7-year-old girl enjoyed the spectacle and thought the "large" character was beautiful.

B: That's sweet! I bet they had fun. Did you hear why her dad went?

A: Yeah, he mentioned that he couldn't visit his family grave but was glad to be here at this event with his daughter instead.

B: That's a nice sentiment. People really come together for these traditional events, don't they?

A: Absolutely! If you ever wanna check it out next year, we should go together!
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Five mountains encircling Japan's ancient capital of Kyoto glowed with fiery characters and symbols on Saturday night in the city's traditional bonfire festival.



Gozan Okuribi is held every August 16 to send off ancestral spirits during the Bon holidays.



The first kanji character meaning "large" was lit at 8 p.m. on a hillside overlooking the city. Four more designs followed in sequence including a boat and a shrine gate.



Crowds gathered across Kyoto to watch the spectacle. About 330 people viewed the event from the rooftop of a textile center in the city.



Visitors took photos or simply admired the beauty of the fires.



A 7-year-old girl visiting with her family said the character for "large" was bright and beautiful.



Her father said he has been unable to visit his family grave, so he is glad that he could come to the event with his daughter.



Police say the festival attracted a crowd of about 22,000.
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Quiz 1:
Question text: What event is held annually on August 16 in Kyoto?
A. New Year's Eve Celebration
B. Gozan Okuribi
C. Cherry Blossom Festival
D. Moon Viewing Festival

Quiz 2:
Question text: What is the first kanji character lit during the Gozan Okuribi festival?
A. A shrine gate
B. The character for "large"
C. A boat
D. A dragon

Quiz 3:
Question text: Approximately how many people attended the Gozan Okuribi festival in Kyoto?
A. Around 7000
B. About 12,000
C. Nearly 20,000
D. Approximately 22,000

[Answer block]
Answers:
Quiz 1: B
Quiz 2: B
Quiz 3: D