Spring is a good time for kite flying -- a popular activity in China. On a sunny day with a good breeze(微风), you'll see hundreds of colorful kites flying in the sky. They have all kinds of shapes like swallows and peaches. Some of the shapes have special meanings. For example, swallows mean good luck and peaches bring you a long life. The city of Weifang in Shandong is the home of the kite. The city holds an international kite festival in April every year. There are competitions for kite-flying skills and new styles of kites. The most famous is the competition for the "Kite King ". Thousands of kite fans from more than 30 countries visit the city to take part in the competitions, or to just enjoy this colorful event(事件). The largest kite in the world is a big "octopus (章鱼)". It's about 1,100 square meters, twice as big as a basketball court. Li Jingyang, a kite fanin Jilin, spent eight months making it in 2008. The kite was invented by Chinese people over 2,000 years ago. According to historical (历史的) record, kites were first used by soldiers to send news to their friends. In the Tang Dynasty, flying kites became a popular game played by everyone. As it was introduced to the West in the ll00s, the kite brought a great influence(影响) on Western life. In 1782, the lightning rod (避雷针) was invented with the help of a kite. Modern aircraft came from kites, too. At the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, a board reads: "The earliest man-made aircrafts were the kites and missiles (投射武器) of ancient China." 小题1:What activity is very popular in spring?
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