PREVIEW ACTIVITY 1 Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2022. For use only with license.

Bet You Didn’t Know | Chinese New Year History (B2)

Work with a partner, group, or your teacher. Do the activities below together.

PART 1 Discuss the questions below about Chinese New Year and culture.

1 What do you know about Chinese New Year? Do you know how
people celebrate it and what kinds of traditions there are?
2 When you think of Chinese culture in general, what comes to mind?

PART 2 Discuss what you know about each of the following things or what they refer to.

The California Gold Rush | the winter solstice | a New Year’s resolution

PART 3 Fill in the missing letters for the things pictured in the images below.

1 2 3

d a o l n e n d m l n s

PART 4 Quiz yourself on the questions below. Try to choose the correct answers.

1 Do you know what an alternative name is for “Chinese New Year”?

a. Lunar New Year b. Moon New Year c. Solstice New Year

2 What does the term “zodiac” refer to?

a. religious beliefs b. astrological signs c. cultural norms

3 Which type of calendar is the most widely used one around the world (with 12
months and 28 – 31 days per month)?

a. Chinese b. Hebrew c. Gregorian

PREVIEW ACTIVITY 2 Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2022. For use only with license.
Bet You Didn’t Know | Chinese New Year History (B2)

PART 1 Write your own definition for the phrasal verbs below based on the context.

1 The annual music festival in my hometown is set to kick o! on Saturday.

kick o! means...

2 There is evidence to support that many birds descended from dinosaurs.

descend from means...

3 It will take a long time to rid my garage of all the old, useless stuff in there.

rid [something] of means...

PART 2 Choose the correct definition for the vocabulary words as used in the sentences.

1 If you live in a foreign country long enough, you’ll eventually start to adopt
the lifestyle and customs of the people from that country.

adopt means... a. learn, develop, or start to use or do

b. ignore or not pay attention to
c. have a negative effect or impact on

2 After new attractions are built in a city, there is often an influx of tourists.

influx means... a. an unexpected change

b. a strict restriction against
c. a sudden increase in arrival

3 All of the houses on my street resemble each other in architectural design.

resemble means... a. appear to have low quality of

b. hide or make something difficult to notice
c. look like or have similar qualities to

Bonus Term!

superstition = belief in supernatural things or things not based on reason or scientific

thinking
EXAMPLE Some people have the superstition that if you walk under a ladder, it brings
you bad luck.
BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW | Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2022. For use only with license.
CHINESE NEW YEAR HISTORY Bet You Didn’t Know | Chinese New Year History (B2)

PREVIEW DISCUSSION: Read the discussion topic

below and discuss it with your partner or teacher.

Are there any traditions or customs that people

do in your native country that are symbolic in
some way? If so, describe their symbolism.

VIEWING ACTIVITY

PART 1 Write short answers according to the information in the video.

0:55 1 Where does the biggest Chinese New Year’s celebration outside of China take place
and why does it take place here?

1:30 2 What is the festival of lanterns? What do people do during this festival?

1:45 3 What kinds of symbolic activities do the Chinese do to prepare for the new year?

2:05 4 What two dishes do people eat on Chinese New Year’s Eve? What is the symbolism
of eating these dishes?

2:21 5 Which colors should and shouldn’t you wear for Chinese New Year and why?

PART 2 Choose the correct numbers that fit the text below. Two are not used!

12 4 15 6 21

0:01 1 Every year, about 1/ of the world’s population celebrates Chinese New Year.

0:09 2 Chinese New Year lasts for days, ending with the festival of lanterns.
1:11 3 Each year is based on one of the animals associated with the Chinese zodiac.
POST-VIEWING ACTIVITY 1 Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2022. For use only with license.
Bet You Didn’t Know | Chinese New Year History (B2)

PART 1 Choose the correct nouns that fit the text below. One is not used!

calendar solstice resolutions lanterns dumplings

1 The Chinese New Year kicks off on the second new moon after the
winter , or according to the Gregorian ,
sometime between January 21st and February 19th.

2 Chinese New Year customs resemble the Western custom of New Year’s
.

3 In the late night hours of Chinese New Year’s Eve, many families make
together, which are said to bring good fortune.

PART 2 Write the correct verb + preposition that fits the sentence from the video below.

“
To prepare for Chinese New Year, lots of people clean out their houses to
them ghosts and bad luck associated with the old year.”

PART 3 Write the correct parts of speech for the words that were used in the video below.

1 Paper lanterns in the shape of rabbits (symbol) a Chinese

goddess named “Chang E”, who is said to have brought a rabbit along with her
when she jumped on the moon.

2 Be sure to wear red, the color of good luck, and avoid black, which many
people associate with (dead).

3 During the Chinese New Year, you’ll see dragons everywhere because the
Chinese are said to have descended from the (myth) creature.

PART 4 Choose the correct verb forms that fit the two spaces in the sentence from the video.

“
Ever since the Gold Rush an influx of Chinese workers, San
Francisco a massive parade to celebrate Chinese New Year.”

a. brought ... held b. has brought ... held c. brought ... has held
POST-VIEWING ACTIVITY 2 Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2022. For use only with license.
Bet You Didn’t Know | Chinese New Year History (B2)

PART 1 Study the example and usage of ever since ... + [past simple] + [present perfect].

When discussing Chinese New Year celebrations outside of China, the narrator says...

“ Ever since the Gold Rush brought an influx of Chinese workers, San
Francisco has held a massive parade to celebrate Chinese New Year.”

We use the structure ever since... + [past simple] + [present perfect] to emphasize and talk
about a point in time or an event from which an action started and then continued.

POINT IN TIME / EVENT: The Gold Rush brought an influx of Chinese workers to San Francisco
(past simple)

CONTINUING ACTION: San Francisco has held a massive parade

(present perfect)

NEXT EXAMPLE Ever since I tried Chinese dumplings for the first time last year, I have
wanted to learn how to make them at home.

Think of a verb that could fit the context of each blank space below and write it in its
PART 2
correct form (past simple or present perfect). Pay attention to negated verb forms.

EX. Ever since the Gold Rush brought an influx of Chinese workers, San Francisco
has held a massive parade to celebrate Chinese New Year.

1 Ever since I down while dancing at the festival, my knee

a lot. I should probably get it checked by a doctor.

2 Ever since I that beautiful blonde girl at the New Year’s Eve party last
week, I able to stop thinking about her.

3 Ever since their major economic reforms into action decades ago,
China’s economy amazing growth.

4 Ever since Steve out that the color black symbolizes death, he
the color at all.

5 Ever since the pandemic , fewer large public festivals

place around the world.

6 Ever since I sick from eating fish dumplings, I fish.

POST-VIEWING ACTIVITY 3
Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2022. For use only with license.
Bet You Didn’t Know | Chinese New Year History (B2)

SPEAKING TASK:

Your teacher will choose a few of the speaking topics below to discuss. Discuss the topics
with your teacher or partner. In your discussion, explain your ideas in detail.

1 Have you ever attended a New Year’s parade? If not, what

kinds of interesting parades / festivals do you attend or
have you attended in your life?

2 Many people don’t care about the start of the new year
and say that it has no significance to them. What about
you? Does the start of the new year mean anything to you?

3 Describe what a typical New Year’s celebration is like in

your life. Do you celebrate in the same way every year?

4 In the video, they discuss some superstitions that

people connect with the Chinese New Year — e.g., wearing
the color black symbolizes death. Do you live by any
superstitions or know others who do? If so, describe them.

5 Can you think of any other animals that have some kind
of a symbolic meaning? If so, name the animals and de-
scribe the symbolism that is attached to them.

WRITING TASK:

Imagine you’re actually in a big crowd in a Chinese city that is celebrating the festival
of lanterns. You are writing a text message to your friend describing the experience and
what’s going on around you. What do you write to your friend?
QUIZ & REVIEW ACTIVITY Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2022. For use only with license.
Bet You Didn’t Know | Chinese New Year History (B2)

Work with a partner. Complete the quiz and review activities below.

PART 1 Describe what you remember about the following things mentioned in the video.

1. the winter solstice 4. Chinese zodiac

2. The Gold Rush 5. long noodles
3. mythical creature 6. New Year’s resolution

PART 2 Vocabulary: Explain and/or write what each word means below.

1. resemble

2. supersitition

3. influx

PART 3 Vocabulary: Write the verbs that fit the sentences from the video below.

1 The Chinese New Year off on the second new moon after the
winter solstice, or according to the Gregorian calendar, sometime between
January 21st and February 19th.

2 During the Chinese New Year, you’ll see dragons everywhere because the
Chinese are said to have from the mythical creature.

3 To prepare for Chinese New Year, lots of people clean out their houses to
them of ghosts and bad luck associated with the old year.

Grammar: Explain the usage of the grammatical structure using ever since studied
PART 4
in the lesson. Then finish writing the missing parts of the sentences below using the
structured you learned.

1 Ever since the Gold Rush an influx of Chinese workers, San

Francisco a massive parade to celebrate Chinese New Year.

2 Ever since I dumplings last year, I to

learn how to make them at home.

3 Ever since I black clothing a few days ago, I

bad luck.