Describe a family and explain a custom

Printable paper with separate answer pages Step-by-step lessons

Original teaching practice. Read one pattern, cover its model and try the questions before checking the separate answer section. Examples adapted from Chinese Grammar Wiki (AllSet Learning, CC BY-NC-SA) retain the course-reference provenance.

Describe a family and explain a custom

Give basic family information and describe a festival activity.

Before you start: Recall family relationship words and to have / there is有yǒu for having family members. because因为yīn wèi introduces a reason and so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ a result; each account concerns the people and occasion it actually names.

Build the meaning

to have / there is有yǒu describes family members or possessions. I / me我wǒto have / there is有yǒu一个yí gèolder sister姐姐jiě jiě gives the relationship and quantity.

because因为yīn wèi……so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ…… links a reason and result. Chinese can use both markers; English often translates the relationship with just because or so.

Work through a decision

because因为yīn wèiolder sister姐姐jiě jiěto return home回家huí jiā(completed / change)了le，so / therefore所以suǒ yǐeveryone大家dà jiādegree / adjective linker很hěnhappy高兴gāo xìng – everyone is happy because the older sister has come home. Identify to return home回家huí jiā(completed / change)了le as the stated reason and degree / adjective linker很hěnhappy高兴gāo xìng as the result. This gives the family’s explanation on this occasion, not proof that every family feels the same way or follows the same festival custom.

Compare: Spring Festival (Chinese…春节chūn jiéwe / us我们wǒ menhome家jiā吃饺子chī jiǎo zi describes this family eating dumplings at Spring Festival. It does not say all families must do so. A reason-result account also differs from two events merely listed together; use the reason explicitly stated instead of inventing one.

Useful words in context

older sister姐姐jiě jiě jiějie – older sister. I / me我wǒto have / there is有yǒu一个yí gèolder sister姐姐jiě jiě。
family member家人jiā rén jiārén – family members. I / me我wǒand / with和héfamily member家人jiā rénto have a meal吃饭chī fàn。
Spring Festival (Chinese…春节chūn jié Chūnjié – Spring Festival. Spring Festival (Chinese…春节chūn jiéwe / us我们wǒ mento be at home在家zài jiā。
because因为yīn wèi yīnwèi – because. because因为yīn wèiolder sister姐姐jiě jiěto return home回家huí jiā(completed / change)了le。
so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ suǒyǐ – so / therefore. so / therefore所以suǒ yǐwe / us我们wǒ menin the same place一起yì qǐto have a meal吃饭chī fàn。

Listen before reading the script

Ask a partner to read the listening script from the answer section while you keep it covered. Then attempt the listening question. If you work alone without audio, use the script for reading practice; it is not a listening test.

Read a different account

Spring Festival (Chinese…春节chūn jié，林安lín ān(modifier / structural particle)的deolder sister姐姐jiě jiěto return home回家huí jiā(completed / change)了le。because因为yīn wèifamily member家人jiā rénat / in在zàiin the same place一起yì qǐ，so / therefore所以suǒ yǐeveryone大家dà jiādegree / adjective linker很hěnhappy高兴gāo xìng。evening晚上wǎn shàngthey他们tā men吃饺子chī jiǎo zi。

Try the reading question before checking the English meaning in the answer section.

Speak with a partner

Describe one fictional family activity during a festival. Ask what another family does, without assuming the same custom.

Check the distinction: Festival customs differ by region and family. The example is one family’s practice, not a rule for everyone.

Learn step by step · Practise and review.

Practice without the models

Choose a pattern, cover its teaching examples, and attempt its questions. Use the labels to find feedback in the separate key.

Describe a family and explain a custom

0501.1 Listening. Why does the family call the sister?

A. She is not at home
B. She cooked dumplings
C. She is a teacher

0501.2 Reading. What causes the family’s happiness in the reading?

A. They buy a phone
B. They are together
C. The school opens

0501.3 Complete the result marker: because因为yīn wèifamily member家人jiā rénat / in在zàiin the same place一起yì qǐ，…………everyone大家dà jiādegree / adjective linker很hěnhappy高兴gāo xìng。

0501.4 Match each word with its meaning in this unit.

1. older sister姐姐jiě jiě
1. family member家人jiā rén
1. Spring Festival (Chinese…春节chūn jié
1. because因为yīn wèi
1. so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ
A. family members
B. Spring Festival
C. so / therefore
D. older sister
E. because

0501.5 Write a family activity and one reason-result sentence.

Write or say your own response before reading the key.

0501.6 I / me我wǒto have / there is有yǒu一个yí gèolder sister姐姐jiě jiě。一个yí gè means one and older sister姐姐jiě jiě means older sister. Which information is supplied?

A. Every family has an older sister.
B. The sister will return tomorrow.
C. The speaker has one older sister.

0501.7 because因为yīn wèiolder brother哥哥gē gētomorrow明天míng tiānwant / will / need要yàoto go to work上班shàng bān，so / therefore所以suǒ yǐtoday今天jīn tiānto return home回家huí jiā。older brother哥哥gē gē means older brother, tomorrow明天míng tiānwant / will / need要yàoto go to work上班shàng bān must go to work tomorrow, and today今天jīn tiānto return home回家huí jiā goes home today. First locate because因为yīn wèi, the reason marker. Why does he go home today?

A. Because everyone always returns home on this date
B. Because the account says he dislikes the family
C. Because he must work tomorrow

0501.8 Read: 林安有lín ān yǒu两个liǎng gèyounger brother弟弟dì di。今年春节jīn nián chūn jié，一个yí gèyounger brother弟弟dì dito return home回家huí jiā，other另lìng一个yí gèat / in在zàischool学校xué xiào。evening晚上wǎn shàngfamily member家人jiā rénin the same place一起yì qǐvariant of 吃吃chī(cooked) rice米饭mǐ fàn。younger brother弟弟dì di means younger brother and other另lìng一个yí gè the other. Which account fits this family?

A. One brother returns, the other is at school; the family eats rice.
B. Both brothers return home; the family eats rice together that evening.
C. One brother returns, the other is at school; the family eats dumplings.

0501.9 Use Mandarin for the new sentences or dialogue. You may explain your reasoning in English. Invent a fictional family gathering. Give a relationship and quantity, describe one activity, and explain one choice with because因为yīn wèi…so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ…. Ask a partner a question about that family. State why the account does not establish a custom for everyone.

Write or say your own response before reading the key.

A fresh situation

R1. Interpret and repair. A learner reads because因为yīn wèiSpring Festival (Chinese…春节chūn jié，family member家人jiā rénto return回来huí lái(completed / change)了le as proof that every family follows one identical custom. What should you limit?

R2. Use it yourself. Explain a fictional family's holiday arrangement and ask a partner about theirs without assuming it is the same.

Write your responses before opening the key. Compare meaning as well as form; a different valid answer need not copy the model.

Open the answers after your attempt

Answers and explanations

Check after your attempt. For open tasks, compare the message and the stated criteria, then revise one detail.

Describe a family and explain a custom

0501.1 A. She is not at home

not不bùto be at home在家zài jiā is given as the reason for calling.

0501.2 B. They are together

because因为yīn wèifamily member家人jiā rénat / in在zàiin the same place一起yì qǐ states the cause.

0501.3 so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ

so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ introduces the consequence.

0501.4 1–D: older sister姐姐jiě jiě = older sister; 2–A: family member家人jiā rén = family members; 3–B: Spring Festival (Chinese…春节chūn jié = Spring Festival; 4–E: because因为yīn wèi = because; 5–C: so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ = so / therefore

Use the example sentences to check each word’s meaning in context.

0501.5 One possible response: older sister姐姐jiě jiěto return home回家huí jiā(completed / change)了le。because因为yīn wèifamily member家人jiā rénat / in在zàiin the same place一起yì qǐ，so / therefore所以suǒ yǐwe / us我们wǒ mendegree / adjective linker很hěnhappy高兴gāo xìng。

Check meaning and form:

Name the people or relationship.
Give a specific activity.
Keep the reason and result in the intended direction.

Compare the meaning and structure with the checklist. Your own response may differ from the model.

0501.6 C. The speaker has one older sister.

The sentence gives one relationship and quantity for this speaker. It supplies neither a rule for other families nor a return plan.

0501.7 C. Because he must work tomorrow

tomorrow明天míng tiānwant / will / need要yàoto go to work上班shàng bān is the reason after because因为yīn wèi. No universal custom or dislike is stated. Today and tomorrow belong to different parts of the explanation.

0501.8 A. One brother returns, the other is at school; the family eats rice.

The text separates one brother returning home from the other being at school, and names (cooked) rice米饭mǐ fàn, rice, for the meal. The first choice moves both brothers home; the second changes the food. No rule about other families is established.

0501.9 One possible response: Possible account: I / me我wǒto have / there is有yǒu一个yí gèolder sister姐姐jiě jiě。because因为yīn wèiolder sister姐姐jiě jiětomorrow明天míng tiānwant / will / need要yàoto go to work上班shàng bān，so / therefore所以suǒ yǐwe / us我们wǒ mentoday今天jīn tiānin the same place一起yì qǐto have a meal吃饭chī fàn。Question: you (plural)你们nǐ menwhy?为什么wèi shén metoday今天jīn tiānin the same place一起yì qǐto have a meal吃饭chī fàn？Reply: because因为yīn wèiolder sister姐姐jiě jiětomorrow明天míng tiānwant / will / need要yàoto go to work上班shàng bān。This family chooses today because of the work schedule; other families may choose differently.

How to revise: If the reason merely repeats the choice, supply the circumstance that explains it. If you wrote everyone does this, narrow the account to the people whose practice you actually described.

Check meaning and form:

Keep the named family relationship and quantity consistent.
Give a specific activity for this fictional family.
Make the reason explain the stated choice.
Avoid turning one household’s practice into a universal cultural rule.
Write or speak the requested sentences, questions or dialogue in Mandarin; optional English reasoning does not replace them.

If the reason merely repeats the choice, supply the circumstance that explains it. If you wrote everyone does this, narrow the account to the people whose practice you actually described.

Listening script and meaning

Spring Festival (Chinese…春节chūn jiéI / me我wǒand / with和héfamily member家人jiā rénvariant of 吃吃chī(cooked) rice米饭mǐ fàn。older sister姐姐jiě jiěnot不bùto be at home在家zài jiā，so / therefore所以suǒ yǐwe / us我们wǒ mento / for / give给gěishe / her她tāto make a telephone call打电话dǎ diàn huà。

At Spring Festival I eat rice with my family. My sister is not at home, so we call her.

Reading meaning

At Spring Festival, Lin An’s older sister comes home. Everyone is happy because the family is together. In the evening they eat dumplings.

Speaking model

A: Spring Festival (Chinese…春节chūn jiéyou (plural)你们nǐ mento make做zuòwhat什么shén me？ B: we / us我们wǒ menin the same place一起yì qǐto have a meal吃饭chī fàn。you (plural)你们nǐ men(and …? / softener)呢ne？

Compare the intended message first. Ask a listener to comment on intelligibility and pronunciation; matching the written model does not establish speaking accuracy.

Fresh-situation answers

R1. The sentence gives a reason for this family's return; it does not establish a universal custom. Describe the named people and context before generalising.

R2. One possible response. we / us我们wǒ menhome家jiāto celebrate the Chinese…过年guò niáno'clock时shíin the same place一起yì qǐto have a meal吃饭chī fàn。you (plural)你们nǐ menhome家jiā(and …? / softener)呢ne？This describes one family's practice and invites another account. A partner may give a different custom or say they do not celebrate it.