Festivals
BasicChinese and Western festivals.
- Chinese festivals: Spring Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Dragon Boat Festival.
- Western festivals: Christmas, Easter, Halloween.
- Festival food pairs: mooncakes (Mid-Autumn), zongzi (Dragon Boat), turkey (Christmas).
文體小知識：Chinese and Western festivals.
§Text Passage
1There are many colourful festivals in Hong Kong every year. During the Spring Festival, we visit our relatives and children receive red packets. The streets are full of red decorations and flower markets. At the Mid-Autumn Festival, families eat mooncakes and look at the full moon together. Children carry beautiful lanterns in the park at night. Every festival has its own special food and stories. I love the warm feeling of every festival.
2During the Dragon Boat Festival, we eat zongzi and watch exciting dragon boat races. The boats move fast, and everyone cheers loudly. At Christmas, we exchange gifts and sing carols with friends. The shops are bright with lights and decorations. My favourite Christmas song is 'Jingle Bells'. At Easter, we have a holiday and eat chocolate eggs.
3My favourite festival is Chinese New Year because I can see all my cousins. We play games and share sweet treats. Grandmother gives us lucky red packets. Every festival brings family members closer together. I also love the delicious food at every festival. Which festival do you like best?
§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation
There are many colourful festivals in Hong Kong every year.
香港每年都有好多繽紛的節日。
During the Spring Festival, we visit our relatives and children receive red packets.
農曆新年那時，我們會去拜年，小朋友會收到利是。
The streets are full of red decorations and flower markets.
街上隨處都是紅色裝飾同年宵花市。
At the Mid-Autumn Festival, families eat mooncakes and look at the full moon together.
中秋節那時，一家人一起吃月餅、賞月。
Children carry beautiful lanterns in the park at night.
晚上，小朋友會在公園提著漂亮的燈籠。
Every festival has its own special food and stories.
每個節日都有自己的特色食物同故事。
I love the warm feeling of every festival.
我好喜歡每個節日那種溫暖的感覺。
During the Dragon Boat Festival, we eat zongzi and watch exciting dragon boat races.
端午節那時，我們吃糉、看刺激的龍舟比賽。
The boats move fast, and everyone cheers loudly.
龍舟去得好快，大家一起大聲打氣。
At Christmas, we exchange gifts and sing carols with friends.
聖誕節那時，我們會和朋友互送禮物、唱聖誕歌。
The shops are bright with lights and decorations.
商店掛滿燈飾同裝飾，很漂亮。
My favourite Christmas song is 'Jingle Bells'.
我最喜歡的聖誕歌是《Jingle Bells》。
At Easter, we have a holiday and eat chocolate eggs.
復活節我們有假期，還會吃朱古力蛋。
My favourite festival is Chinese New Year because I can see all my cousins.
我最喜歡的節日是農曆新年，因為可以見到所有表兄弟姊妹。
We play games and share sweet treats.
我們一起玩遊戲、分享甜點。
Grandmother gives us lucky red packets.
奶奶會派利是給我們。
Every festival brings family members closer together.
每個節日都令家人關係更親密。
I also love the delicious food at every festival.
我還好喜歡每個節日的美食。
Which festival do you like best?
你最喜歡哪個節日？
1Summary 重點摘要
Chinese and Western festivals.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
The Chinese New Year.
The moon festival.
The festival with dragon boat races.
A Western festival in December.
A spring festival with eggs.
A round cake for Mid-Autumn.
Sticky rice wrapped in leaves.
A present.
3Step by step Steps
- ChineseThe main Chinese festivals are Spring Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival and Dragon Boat Festival. Example: Spring Festival is the most important festival in China. Remember to begin each main word of a festival name with a capital letter, and the word Festival is usually part of the name. Use at for doing things at a festival, as in at Spring Festival, but use in for the month, as in in September or October. Do not mix up the two prepositions.
- WesternCommon Western festivals include Christmas, Easter and Halloween. Example: People give presents to each other at Christmas. Note that we use at before Christmas, as in at Christmas, but on for a specific day, as in on Christmas Day. Festival names also need a capital letter at the start. Easter and Halloween usually take no article, so simply say at Easter and at Halloween.
- FoodDifferent festivals have different traditional foods: mooncake, zongzi, turkey and chocolate eggs. Example: People eat mooncakes at Mid-Autumn Festival. Note that mooncake is a countable noun and adds s in the plural; zongzi is a borrowed word with the same singular and plural form, so you can say two zongzi; turkey is countable for the whole bird but uncountable as food on the table, as in We ate turkey for dinner.
- ActivitiesCommon festival activities include give gifts, have a family dinner, watch a parade and visit relatives. Example: We have a big family dinner at Spring Festival. Note that the article a in have a family dinner cannot be left out. Watch is different from look at: watch is used for things that move or change, such as watch a parade and watch fireworks, so choose the verb carefully.
- Match festivals and foodLearn the pairs of festivals, foods and customs: Spring Festival goes with red packets; Mid-Autumn goes with mooncakes; Dragon Boat goes with zongzi; Christmas goes with turkey. Example: At Mid-Autumn Festival, people eat mooncakes and watch the full moon. These pairings reflect cultural customs and are often used in questions and writing. A wrong pairing confuses the reader, so memorise each festival together with its food.
- Customs in the present tenseUse the simple present to describe festival customs, because customs are facts that repeat every year. Example: People eat mooncakes and watch the moon at Mid-Autumn Festival. The subject people is plural, so the verb stays in its base form. Remember to change to the past tense for one personal experience, as in Last year, I ate mooncakes with my family. Tell the two tenses apart by the time words: every year takes the present, last year takes the past.
5Worked example Example
Question: How do we introduce a festival from three sides: when it is, what people do, and what they eat?
- Step 1: Say when the festival is, using the months or the season — Mid-Autumn Festival is in September or October.
- Step 2: Describe what people do, using the simple present for customs — People watch the full moon with their families.
- Step 3: Say what people eat at the festival — They eat mooncakes. You can add what the food looks or tastes like.
- Step 4: Add one of your own memories, changing to the past tense — Last year, I ate mooncakes with my family in the park.
- Step 5: End with a feeling that sums up the mood of the festival — It is a warm and happy festival.
- Answer: Sample answer: Mid-Autumn Festival is in September or October. People watch the full moon and eat mooncakes with their families. Last year, I ate mooncakes in the park with my family. It is a warm and happy festival.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1Spring Festival?
Q2Mid-Autumn?
Q3Dragon Boat?
Q4Christmas?
Q5Mooncake?
Q6Zongzi?
8Recap Recap
- Chinese festivals: Spring Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Dragon Boat Festival.
- Western festivals: Christmas, Easter, Halloween.
- Festival food pairs: mooncakes (Mid-Autumn), zongzi (Dragon Boat), turkey (Christmas).
- Customs use the simple present: People eat mooncakes.
- Capitalise every main word in festival names: Chinese New Year.