Customs and traditions 风俗与传统

When a passage explains WHY a custom is kept, weaker candidates copy the whole sentence instead of the key reason. Re-express it: 因为这个习俗能让家人聚在一起，所以奶奶一直坚持下去。(Yīnwèi zhège xísú néng ràng jiārén jù zài yìqǐ, suǒyǐ nǎinai yìzhí jiānchí xiàqù.) -- Because this custom gathers the family, grandma keeps it up. A copied answer with extra material can invalidate a correct point.

Describing customs often needs an adverbial before a verb (地) or a complement after a verb (得), and candidates default to 的. ✗ 奶奶高兴的讲了这个习俗的由来。✓ 奶奶高兴地讲了这个习俗的由来。(Nǎinai gāoxìng de jiǎng le zhège xísú de yóulái.) -- Grandma happily told the story of this custom's origin. 的 = attributive before a noun, 地 = adverbial before a verb, 得 = complement after a verb.

A task may ask for a diary, an email, or a school-magazine article -- each has its own tone and layout. Match the tone and layout the task names. ✓ 校刊文章应该用比较正式、有条理的语气，并加上标题。(Xiàokān wénzhāng yīnggāi yòng bǐjiào zhèngshì, yǒu tiáolǐ de yǔqì, bìng jiā shàng biāotí.) -- A magazine article should use a fairly formal, organised tone with a title.

Saying only 我家很有文化 (my family is very cultured) is too vague to score; name the specific custom or etiquette. ✗ 我家很有文化。✓ 我家每年春节都会祭拜祖先，这是一个重要习俗。(Wǒ jiā měi nián Chūnjié dōu huì jìbài zǔxiān, zhè shì yí gè zhòngyào xísú.) -- Every Spring Festival my family worships our ancestors; this is an important custom. A precise, named custom earns the mark; a vague phrase does not.

Asked WHY a custom began, weaker candidates give the later result, not the original cause. ✗ A: 后来全家人更常聚在一起。(a result) ✓ 因为以前家里穷，买不起月饼，只能自己做，慢慢变成了传统。(Yīnwèi yǐqián jiā li qióng, mǎi bù qǐ yuèbǐng, zhǐ néng zìjǐ zuò, mànmàn biàn chéng le chuántǒng.) -- Because the family was once poor and made their own mooncakes, it became a tradition. Keep 原因 apart from 结果.

In the Paper 1 writing (Ex4/Ex5) candidates are reminded NOT to use pinyin -- only characters are credited, so writing 习俗 as "xísú" earns nothing. Pinyin is tolerated only as a substitute for a character in the LISTENING answers, where it must be unambiguous. If unsure of a character such as 礼仪, choose a simpler word you can write correctly.

Do not argue that a custom is either unchanged or lost. A custom can change form while its MEANING survives. ✓ 虽然过节的方式跟以前不一样，但是家人团聚、互相尊重的意义没有改变。(Suīrán guòjié de fāngshì gēn yǐqián bù yíyàng, dànshì jiārén tuánjù, hùxiāng zūnzhòng de yìyì méiyǒu gǎibiàn.) -- Although celebrating differs from before, the meaning of family reunion and mutual respect is unchanged.

Learners add 很 or 非常 next to 比 thinking it intensifies the comparison, but 比 already expresses it and cannot take 很/非常 before the adjective. ✗ 年轻人比长辈很容易接受新习惯。✓ 年轻人比长辈更容易接受新习惯。(Niánqīngrén bǐ zhǎngbèi gèng róngyì jiēshòu xīn xíguàn.) -- Young people find it easier than elders to accept new habits. Show degree with 更/一点/得多, never 很 next to 比.