Questions for students to review the Chinese New Year customs.

1. Chinese New
Year
Quiz 2014
Joanne Chen
IVC Chinese Instructor

2. 1. A true fact about
the 12 Zodiac is:
A. Animals in Chinese zodiac were also
created for counting months
B.It is believed that the personality of the
horse is patient
C.The Ox is listed No. 3 after the tiger
D.Dragon is the only unreal animal

3. 1a. A true fact about
the 12 Zodiac is:
Dragon is the only unreal animal

4. 2. Which of the following
animals is not one of the 12
zodiac in Chinese calendar?
A. Pig
B. Monkey
C. Snake
D. Cat

5. 2a. Which of the following
animals is not one of the 12
zodiac in Chinese calendar?
Cat

6. 3. What fruit, representing luck and
prosperity, is traditionally the most
popular to hand out for the Chinese
New Year?
A. Pineapple
B. Tangerines
C. Star Fruit
D. Papaya

7. 3a. What fruit, representing luck
and prosperity, is traditionally the
most popular to hand out for the
Chinese New Year?
Tangerines

8. 4. What's the legend behind using
firecrackers to celebrate Chinese
New Year?
A.They're meant to scare away monsters.
B. They wake up the gods in time for the
celebration.
C. They provide light for the dark winter
night.
D.They are gifts from your ancestors.

9. 4a. What's the legend behind using
firecrackers to celebrate Chinese New
Year?
The firecrakcers meant to scare
away monsters and the evil spirit.

10. 5. What color symbolizes fire,
according to the legend, can drive
away bad luck and evil spirits?
A. Red (红 hóng)
B. Green (绿 lǜ)
C. Yellow (黄 huáng)
D. Gold (金jīn)

11. 5a. What color symbolizes fire,
according to the legend, can drive
away bad luck and evil spirits?
Red
红 (hóng)

12. 6. Chinese New Year’s celebrations
traditionally start at the beginning of
the end on what day?
A.The 7th day
B.The 10th day
C.The 15th day
D.The 30th day

13. 6a. Chinese New Year’s celebrations
traditionally start at the beginning of the end
on what day?
The 15th day
The Lantern Festival
元宵节
Yuán xiāo jié

14. 7. According to Chinese custom,
on New Year's Day you shouldn't...
A.Eat Rice
B.Leave home
C.Sweep the house
D.Drink wine

15. 7a. According to Chinese custom,
on New Year's Day you shouldn't...
Sweep the house
扫地 sǎo dì

16. 8. Which one of the following
terms is the Chinese New
Year’s Greeting
A. Shēngrì kuàilè
B. Yí lù shun fēng
C. Gōng xǐ fā cái
D. xiǎo xīn kāi chē

17. 8a. Which one of the following terms is
the Chinese New Year’s Greeting
1) Shēngrì kuàilè (happy birthday)
2) Yí lù shun fēng (Have a nice journey)
3) Gōng xǐ (Congratulation)
4) xiǎo xīn kāi chē (Drive carefully)
Gōng xǐ fā cái
恭喜發財

18. 9. According to tradition, who do
families visit on the second day of
Chinese New Year?
A. Their mother’s or wife’s family
members
B. Their co-worker’s family members
C. Their friends’ family members
D. Their teacher’s family members

19. 9a. According to tradition, who do families visit
on the second day of Chinese New Year?
Their mother’s or wife’s
family members

20. 10. The Chinese call their New
Year as
A.Winter Festival
B.Spring Festival
C.New Festival
D.Lucky Festival

21. 10a. The Chinese call their
New Year as
Spring FestivalChūnjié

22. 11. According to Chinese
calendar, 2014 is the year of
A. Ox
B. Dragon
C. Tiger
D. Horse

23. 11a. According to Chinese
calendar, 2014 is the year of
Horse
Mǎ nián
mǎ

24. 12. What is the new year’s eve
dinner called in Chinese?
A. 蛋炒饭 dàn chǎo fàn
B. 恭喜饭 gōng xǐ fàn
C. 年夜饭 nián yè fàn
D. 排骨饭 pái gǔ fàn

25. 12a. What is the new year’s
eve dinner called in Chinese?
年夜饭 nián yè fàn

26. 13. The meaning of serving the
whole fish in the Chinese New
Year’s dinner

27. 13a. The meaning of serving the
whole fish in the Chinese New Year’s
dinner
Wealth, as the Chinese word for fish, ‘yu,’
sounds like the word for abundance.
年年有余
Nián nián yǒu yú
yú yú

28. 14. What is this?
这是什么？
Zhè shì shénme?
A. 春联 Chūn lián
B. 灯笼 Dēng lóng
C. 红包 Hóng bāo
D. 年糕 Nián gāo

29. 14a. What is this?
这是什么？Zhè shì shénme?
春联
Chūn lián

30. 15. What is this?
这是什么？
Zhè shì shénme?
A.春联 Chūn lián
B.灯笼 Dēng long
C.红包Hóng bāo
D.年糕Nián gāo

31. 15a. What is this?
这是什么？
Zhè shì shénme?
红包
Hóng bāo

32. 16. What is this?
这是什么？
Zhè shì shénme?
A.春联 Chūn lián
B.灯笼 Dēng long
C.红包Hóng bāo
D.年糕Nián gāo

33. 16a. What is this?
这是什么？
Zhè shì shénme?
灯笼
Dēng lóng

34. A. 春联 Chūn lián
B. 灯笼 Dēng long
C. 红包Hóng bāo
D. 年糕Nián gāo
17. What is this?
这是什么？
Zhè shì shénme?

35. 年糕
Nián gāo
17a. What is this?
这是什么？
Zhè shì shénme?

36. 18. The meaning behind
serving “year cake”(nián gāo)
is…
年糕 (nián gāo)

37. 18a. The meaning behind serving
“rice cake”(nián gāo)
年糕 (nián gāo) is made of glutinous
rice flour, the rice cake is supposed to
help the eater climb the social ladder
as the Chinese word nian gao is a
homonym for “higher year.”

38. 19. The meaning behind serving
dumplings (饺子 jiǎozi) is….

39. 19a. The meaning behind serving dumplings：
 The shape of the dumplings are said to
resemble old ingot-shaped coins or yuanbao.
 The dumplings are meant to bring eaters
prosperity and wealth. It’s tradition to eat
them at midnight on New Year’s eve, and
hide a clean coin inside one of the dumplings.
元宝 Yuán bǎo Jiǎozi饺子

40. 20. Dragon Dance / Lion Dance
in Chinese is called:

41. 20a. Dragon Dance/ Lion Dance is called
舞龙舞狮
wǔ long wǔ shī