Festivals, reasons, contrasts and choices
| English | 中文 | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| reason | 原因 | yuán yīn |
| festival | 节日 | jié rì |
A decision before an answer
- you你to drink tea喝茶or / still还是coffee (loanword)咖啡？ asks you to choose. you你to like喜欢tea茶or或者coffee (loanword)咖啡 describes alternatives in a statement.
- Your goal: Exchange basic information about New Year and traditional food.
Read the relationship
- Use or / still还是 in an alternative question: you你variant of 吃吃(cooked) rice米饭or / still还是noodles面条？Use or或者 for alternatives in ordinary statements.
- Give reasons and contrast information.
Choose the alternative question:
还是 connects the offered choices.
Use the defining rule
- because因为…so / therefore所以… connects reason and consequence. although虽然…but但是… connects a concession and contrast.
- Ask alternative questions and connect actions in sequence.
虽然…但是… expresses:
It combines concession and contrast.
Check the conditions
- Introduce festival plans with date, people and activity. Do not treat one family’s traditions as universal.
- Ask alternative questions and connect actions in sequence.
although虽然today今天very很cold冷，but但是we / us我们want / think / miss想to go去to see看friend朋友。It concedes cold weather while keeping the plan. because因为to rain下雨，so / therefore所以we / us我们to sit坐public transport vehicle公交车。It gives a reason for the travel choice. The connectors encode different relations.
因为下雨，____我们坐公交车。
所以 introduces the consequence.
Apply the task format
- Use early先…again / then再… for ordered actions. These patterns let you explain a simple plan rather than recite disconnected nouns.
- Ask alternative questions and connect actions in sequence.
A word meaning “or” depends on whether you are asking a choice question or making a statement.
Which answer fits this case?
Exchange basic information about New Year and traditional food
Every Chinese family eats exactly the same foods at New Year.
Traditions vary by family and region.
Keep the distinctions
- reason cause原因 — Why an action or condition occurs.
- festival holiday节日 — A day or period of celebration.
- Exchange basic information about New Year and traditional food.
- Give reasons and contrast information.
- Ask alternative questions and connect actions in sequence.
Match each term with its precise meaning in this lesson.
Keep the distinctions stated in the teaching example.
Put this lesson’s reasoning or event sequence in order.
The order follows the stated process; check each stage before the next.