Being a Guest at a Chinese Home
To be invited to a Chinese home for a home meal "jiachangfan"is a compliment to the foreign guests. The meal often consists of finely prepared dishes or jiaozi (Chinese dumplings) feast. This is an occasion of family members and foreign guests gathering together in an informal fashion. If this is a jiaozi feast, the guests will not only eat the dumplings, but be engaged in the preparation "baojiaozi" as well. It is customary that the guests take a light present with them. The presents can be a bottle of wine, a box of chocolate candy, a fruit basket, or a bunch of flowers. At Chinese homes, the hostess often prepares the dishes. Before eating, she will say modestly that she is not a good cook and the dishes are not tasty. However it is the family's will that the guests eat as much as possible. This reflects obviously the Chinese's hospitality and modesty
1. Why would a Chinese host invite foreign guests to have dinner at home?
A. Because the hostess wants to show how well she can cook.
B. Because he or she wants to show his friendly attitude to the foreign quests.
C. To show his or her personal respect for the quests.
A. Teaching the son.
3. A Chinese host often invites a foreign guest to join "baojiaozi", ____
A. because he needs a foreign guest to join "bao Jiaozi."B. because he thinks that the quest should do something for the dinner.
C. because he wants to teach him or her to "bao Jiaozi."
D. because he wants to share the happiness that Chinese food culture brings about.
4. What should a foreign guest bring with him when he goes to the host's home for dinner.
A. A big gift.
B. No gift.
5. Most Chinese family live _______.
Created by Ling Wang April 6, 2001
Source of information: Professor Wei Hong