Chinese New Year

High school (ages 12+)
Holidays & Celebrations

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/chinese-new-year

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the symbolic foods?Includes dumplings (wealth), fish (surplus), and sweet rice cakes (progress)
2. Why do people put up red decorations and light fireworks?Red is believed to scare away the Nian, a scary beast that came every year. Fireworks and loud noises also help keep the Nian away. Today, they are fun ways to welcome good luck.
3. What is the special dinner on New Year's Eve?Families have a reunion dinner called tuányuán fàn. They eat dishes like dumplings, fish, and sweet rice cakes, each with a lucky meaning. It brings everyone together and strengthens family bonds.

Chūnjié (Spring Festival): The Mandarin Chinese term for Chinese New Year, highlighting its connection to the arrival of spring.
Tuányuán Fàn (Reunion Dinner): The pivotal New Year's Eve feast that brings families together, symbolizing unity and shared heritage.