Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct word that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

     In England, there is a traditional belief that whoever first arrives at the threshold of the household will bring good luck to the family for the coming year. The tradition is (23) _______ ‘First Footing’. As part of ‘First Footing’ tradition, English people pray for a young, healthy, handsome, and dark-haired male to be their first footer of the New Year. A woman, a blonde, or a red-colored person is not welcome for the day, (24) _______they are considered to bring bad luck for the entire year.

     Moreover, if that person carries coal, money, bread, salt, or holy mistletoe with him, then it is considered to be a (25) _______ of good luck and prosperity for the rest of the year. Traditionally, the first footer is meant to follow certain customs and traditions. One of them is that the first footer (26) _______always enter the house from the front door, and exit from the back door. Also, the first footer should place the fuel (as carried along) on the fire, should place the loaf on the table, and should (27) _______water on the head of the householder. Tradition also calls for gifting of the mistletoe by the visitor to any household member.

The tradition is (23) _______ ‘First Footing’.