Practise the thinking. Keep the judgement.
Chinese reading: a Spring Festival invitation
Original Chinese study material with English explanations. Simplified Chinese with pinyin; beginner, intermediate and advanced are editorial difficulty labels.
春节 means Spring Festival; 除夕 is Lunar New Year’s Eve. Read the invitation for who is going and what they can bring.
除夕那天，朋友邀请我去他家吃饭。
Chúxī nà tiān, péngyou yāoqǐng wǒ qù tā jiā chī fàn.
On Lunar New Year’s Eve, a friend invited me to his home for a meal.
我问要不要带礼物。他说，带一些水果就好。
Wǒ wèn yào bu yào dài lǐwù. Tā shuō, dài yìxiē shuǐguǒ jiù hǎo.
I asked whether I should bring a gift. He said some fruit would be fine.
他们家准备包饺子。我不会包，但是很想学。
Tāmen jiā zhǔnbèi bāo jiǎozi. Wǒ bú huì bāo, dànshì hěn xiǎng xué.
His family is going to make dumplings. I do not know how to make them, but I really want to learn.
This describes one family’s plan, not a custom shared by every Chinese family or region. 春假 means spring break, which is different from 春节.
Try it
Which statement is supported?
- The visitor wants to learn to make dumplings
- Every family makes dumplings
- The friend asked for an expensive gift
Answer and explanation
The visitor wants to learn to make dumplings. 我不会包，但是很想学 states both the current inability and the wish to learn.