The Chinese Animal Zodiac

Last week in Marion's class we were talking about superstition. The Animal Zodiac was the most mainstream superstition in China. So I searched Internet try to explain the Chinese animal zodiac.

The Chinese animal zodiac is a rotating cycle of 12 animals (Rat, Ox, Tiger, Hare, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig. ), a different one for each year. These recurring animals represent a concept of time, traditionally used for dating the years in China. The Chinese lunar calendar is based on the cycle of the moon, somewhat different to the western solar calendar, with the beginning of the Chinese year falling somewhere between late January and early February.


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With good knowledge and memory of the Chinese animal zodiac, it is possible to estimate a person's age, by asking what animal of the Chinese zodiac they are born in - this would place the person's age within the cycle of 12 years. It is a more polite way of discovering someone's age than asking them directly ^-^. For example my animal zodiac is Hare, do you know how old I am?

Here I'll give you some method;
2001 is the Year of the Snake,
2002 is the Year of the Horse,
2003 is the Year of the Sheep,
2004 is the Year of the Monkey,
2005 is the Year of the Rooster,
2006 is the Year of the Dog,
2007 is the Year of the Pig...
Can you numerate what Animal Zodiac you are right now? Waitting for you to reply ^-*.