1.kick off 开始
例句：The 15-day festival, also known as Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, kicks off on the second new moon after the winter solstice...
这持续十五天的节日，又称作农历新年或春节，在冬至后的第二个新月开始……

2.in use 被使用、通用
例句：...or according to the Gregorian calendar in use since the 16th century, sometime between January 21 and February 19.
...或根据十六世纪开始使用的公历，中国新年大约落在一月二十一号和二月十九号间。

3.base on 根据、以……为基础
例句：But Chinese New Year goes back a lot further than the 16th century—it's based on the ancient Chinese calendar...
不过中国新年可回溯至十六世纪更久远以前——它是以中国古老历法为根据...

4.take place 举行、发生
例句：Over the centuries, holiday festivities have spread far beyond China and now take place all over the world.
几世纪来，节日庆典已远佈至中国以外的地方，如今在全世界举行。

5.clean out 打扫、清除
例句：To prepare for Chinese New Year, lots of people clean out their houses to rid them of ghosts and bad luck associated with the old year.
为了准备过中国新年，许多人打扫房子以除去和旧的一年有关的鬼魂和厄运。

6.rid of 除去
例句：To prepare for Chinese New Year, lots of people clean out their houses to rid them of ghosts and bad luck associated with the old year.
为了准备过中国新年，许多人打扫房子以除去和旧的一年有关的鬼魂和厄运。

7.pay off 偿清债务
例句：They might get a new haircut and clothes, settle disagreements, or pay off debts in order to start the year fresh.
他们可能会剪个新发型和买新衣、化解纷争，或还清债务好有个新年新气象。

8.in order to 为了……
例句：They might get a new haircut and clothes, settle disagreements, or pay off debts in order to start the year fresh.
他们可能会剪个新发型和买新衣、化解纷争，或还清债务好有个新年新气象。