Food, Family Celebrations and Regional Customs (GCSE French) - Worksheets, Questions and Revision

12 original exam-style questions - 5 pages of questions with a full mark scheme - free printable PDF.

Download PDF Jump to mark scheme (page 6)Food, Family Celebrations and Regional Customs (GCSE French) revision guide

This topic is chapter 12 of GCSE French: Translation Practice Book.

5.14 Food, Family Celebrations and Regional Customs

AQA 8652 · about 60 minutes

Total Marks

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

Write full sentences where asked. Complete all questions in approximately 40 minutes.

Vocabulary warm-up: Match the French words for foods and items used at family celebrations (context: domestic celebrations such as Noël, anniversaires, mariages). For each numbered French word choose the best English definition A-C.

(1)la galette des rois(1)

A. king cake traditionally eaten on Epiphany
B. a savoury meat pie
C. a type of soup

(2)le couscous(1)

A. a North African dish of semolina with meat and vegetables
B. a sweet layered dessert
C. a type of cheese

(3)le réveillon(1)

A. the late festive meal on the eve of a holiday, for example Christmas Eve
B. a baptism ceremony
C. a wedding reception

(4)le baptême(1)

A. birthday
B. baptism
C. engagement

(5)offrir(1)

A. to offer / to give as a present
B. to cook
C. to decorate

(6)la fondue(1)

A. a melted cheese dish for dipping bread or potatoes
B. a sweet cake
C. a fish stew

(Total for Question 1 is 6 marks)

Short grammar multiple choice: Choose the correct French phrase to translate 'we used to give' as a past habitual. Options: A. nous avons donné B. nous donnions C. nous donnerons

A. nous avons donné
B. nous donnions
C. nous donnerons

(Total for Question 2 is 1 mark)

Short correction: Fix the French sentence with pronouns. Context: describing a mother serving dessert: "Ma mère nous sert le dessert et le donne aux invités." Write the corrected version.

(Total for Question 3 is 1 mark)

Short translation into French: Translate the English sentence into French. Context: describing a family tradition. "My grandparents used to invite all the family for Epiphany each year."

(Total for Question 4 is 4 marks)

Grammar warm-up: Correct the mistake in each short French sentence about family celebrations and write the corrected version. Context: pronoun placement and agreement. Provide one corrected sentence for each part.

(a)Sentence 1: "Ma mère le offre un cadeau." (mother gives him a present)(1)

(b)Sentence 2: "On leur le offre après le repas." (we give it to them after the meal)(1)

(c)Sentence 3: "Elle nous le sert hier soir." (she served it to us last night)(1)

(Total for Question 5 is 3 marks)

Grammar multiple choice: Choose the correct French phrase to complete the sentence about a habitual custom in the past. Context: using the imperfect tense for traditional habits.

(a)When I was a child we used to have family dinners every Sunday: "Quand j'étais petit, nous ____ le dimanche."(1)

A. avons dînée
B. dînions
C. dînerons

(b)They used to give a small cake at baptisms: "On ____ un petit gâteau au baptême."(1)

A. offrait
B. a offert
C. offrira

(c)In that region they always used to serve couscous on Sundays: "Là-bas, on ____ toujours du couscous le dimanche."(1)

A. servait
B. sert
C. servira

(Total for Question 6 is 3 marks)

Short text translation into French. Traduisez le texte suivant en français. Context: short English passage describing a family Christmas evening and a typical dish. Write in natural French, using appropriate tense and pronouns. Passage (5 sentences): "At Christmas we always stay at my aunt's house. She used to make a big fondue for the whole family. We used to open presents after the meal. She gives everyone a small slice of cake. This year we are going to eat at our grandparents house."

(Total for Question 7 is 10 marks)

Short text translation into French. Traduisez le texte suivant en français. Context: description of a cousin's wedding customs in a Francophone African region. Passage (5 sentences): "At my cousin's wedding they always invited many neighbours. They used to prepare couscous and spicy stews. People used to dance until late. The family would offer sweets to the guests. Next month we will go to the wedding together."

(Total for Question 8 is 10 marks)

Short text translation into English. Traduisez le texte suivant en anglais. Context: French passage about a first communion and gifts. Passage (5 sentences): "Pour la première communion, la famille se réunissait à l'église. On lui offrait souvent une montre ou un chapelet. Après la cérémonie, il y avait un petit repas chez les grands-parents. Quand j'étais petit, je recevais toujours des vêtements en cadeau. Cette année, mes parents vont organiser un repas chez nous."

(Total for Question 9 is 10 marks)

Short text translation into English. Traduisez le texte suivant en anglais. Context: French passage comparing regional customs in Quebec and France about New Year food. Passage (5 sentences): "Au Québec, on mange parfois de la tourtière à la fin de l'année. En France, on préfère le foie gras ou les fruits de mer pour le réveillon. Les familles se retrouvaient souvent pour partager un grand repas. On offrait aussi des petits cadeaux aux enfants. L'année prochaine, nous irons au Québec pour voir ces traditions."

(Total for Question 10 is 10 marks)

Short grammar item: Give the correct French indirect object pronoun to complete the sentence. Context: 'They offer him a present' = Ils ____ offrent un cadeau.

(Total for Question 11 is 1 mark)

Short vocabulary multiple choice: Which French word means 'slice' as in a slice of cake? Context: describing serving portions at a birthday. Options: A. tranche B. morceau C. cuillère

A. tranche
B. morceau
C. cuillère

(Total for Question 12 is 1 mark)

Mark scheme · 5.14 Food, Family Celebrations and Regional Customs

Question 1

(1) B1 identify la galette des rois as A, king cake / Epiphany pastry
(1) Answer: A
(2) B1 identify le couscous as A, North African semolina dish
(2) Answer: A
(3) B1 identify le réveillon as A, the festive evening meal before a holiday
(3) Answer: A
(4) B1 identify le baptême as B, baptism
(4) Answer: B
(5) B1 identify offrir as A, to give or present
(5) Answer: A
(6) B1 identify la fondue as A, a melted cheese dish
(6) Answer: A

Question 2

B1 select imperfect nous donnions for past habitual 'we used to give'
Answer: B

Question 3

B1 correct sentence with proper pronoun order and agreement: Ma mère sert le dessert aux invités. or Ma mère nous sert le dessert.
Answer: Accept: Ma mère nous sert le dessert. or Ma mère sert le dessert aux invités.

Question 4

B1 correct subject and verb in imperfect: Mes grands-parents invitaient / recevaient
B1 include all the family: toute la famille or toute la famille
B1 correct reference to Epiphany: pour la fête de l'Épiphanie or pour la galette des rois
B1 correct expression each year: chaque année or tous les ans
Answer: Mes grands-parents invitaient toute la famille pour la fête de l'Épiphanie chaque année. (oe: Mes grands-parents recevaient toute la famille tous les ans pour la galette des rois.)

Question 5

(a) B1 correct sentence with proper indirect object pronoun placement: Ma mère lui offre un cadeau.
(a) Answer: Ma mère lui offre un cadeau.
(b) B1 correct pronoun order fixed, direct object before indirect object: On le leur offre après le repas.
(b) Answer: On le leur offre après le repas.
(c) B1 correct past tense placement: Elle nous l'a servi hier soir. or Elle nous l'a servie hier soir. depending on gender of object
(c) Answer: Elle nous l'a servi hier soir.

Question 6

(a) B1 select imperfect of dîner for a repeated past habit: nous dînions
(a) Answer: B
(b) B1 select imperfect offrait for a habitual past action
(b) Answer: A
(c) B1 select imperfect servait for habitual past
(c) Answer: A

Question 7

B1 At Christmas we always stay at my aunt's house: A correct French rendering using Noël / à Noël and rester / passer la nuit chez ma tante or rester chez ma tante with toujours
B1 She used to make a big fondue for the whole family: correct imperfect for used to make (faisait) and mention fondue pour toute la famille
B1 We used to open presents after the meal: correct imperfect ouvrions or on ouvrait and après le repas
B1 She gives everyone a small slice of cake: present tense donne / offre à tous une petite part de gâteau
B1 This year we are going to eat at our grandparents house: futur proche or present with nous allons manger chez nos grands-parents cette année
B1 correct use of pronouns and possessives consistent with chosen subjects (ma tante, nous, elle, nos grands-parents)
B1 accurate vocabulary: fondue, cadeaux, repas, part de gâteau, Noël, cette année
B1 correct word order and basic agreement (petite part de gâteau, toute la famille)
B1 coherent sentence structure and readable French with no major tense errors
B1 minor spelling errors tolerated if meaning remains clear, but accents must be supplied by candidate in final exam
Answer: A model answer: À Noël, nous restons toujours chez ma tante. Elle faisait une grande fondue pour toute la famille. Nous ouvrions les cadeaux après le repas. Elle donne à tout le monde une petite part de gâteau. Cette année, nous allons manger chez nos grands-parents.

Question 8

B1 They always invited many neighbours: correct imperfect or present according to English 'always' used with past habit, eg ils invitaient toujours beaucoup de voisins
B1 They used to prepare couscous and spicy stews: correct imperfect préparaient and mention le couscous et des ragoûts épicés / des plats épicés
B1 People used to dance until late: correct imperfect with danser jusqu'à tard or tard le soir
B1 The family would offer sweets to the guests: correct conditional/imperfect rendering or offraient des bonbons aux invités
B1 Next month we will go to the wedding together: futur proche nous allons aller au mariage ensemble le mois prochain or nous irons au mariage ensemble le mois prochain
B1 accurate cultural vocabulary: voisin, couscous, bonbons, invités, mariage
B1 correct pronouns and agreement where needed (la famille, ils, on, nous)
B1 clear sentence boundaries and idiomatic phrasing
B1 appropriate register for a descriptive paragraph about family customs
B1 minor spelling errors tolerated if overall meaning clear
Answer: A model answer: Au mariage de mon cousin, on invitait toujours beaucoup de voisins. On préparait du couscous et des ragoûts épicés. Les gens dansaient jusqu'à tard. La famille offrait des bonbons aux invités. Le mois prochain, nous allons aller au mariage ensemble.

Question 9

B1 Pour la première communion, la famille se réunissait à l'église: correct rendering 'For the first communion, the family used to gather at the church' or 'the family would gather at church'
B1 On lui offrait souvent une montre ou un chapelet: 'They often gave him/her a watch or a rosary' capturing indirect object
B1 Après la cérémonie, il y avait un petit repas chez les grands-parents: 'After the ceremony there was a small meal at the grandparents house'
B1 Quand j'étais petit, je recevais toujours des vêtements en cadeau: 'When I was little I always received clothes as presents' using past habitual
B1 Cette année, mes parents vont organiser un repas chez nous: 'This year my parents are going to organise a meal at our house' using near future
B1 correct translation of reflexive/reunion forms and accurate sense for se réunissait (imperfect)
B1 capture of indirect object pronoun lui as 'him/her' where gender unspecified
B1 accurate translation of cultural terms: chapelet = rosary, repas = meal, la première communion = first communion
B1 natural English phrasing and tense consistency
B1 minor orthography or article differences tolerated if meaning clear
Answer: A model answer: For the first communion, the family used to gather at the church. They often gave him/her a watch or a rosary. After the ceremony there was a small meal at the grandparents house. When I was little I always received clothes as presents. This year my parents are going to organise a meal at our house.

Question 10

B1 Au Québec, on mange parfois de la tourtière à la fin de l'année: 'In Quebec, people sometimes eat tourtière at the end of the year'
B1 En France, on préfère le foie gras ou les fruits de mer pour le réveillon: 'In France, people prefer foie gras or seafood for the réveillon' capturing preference
B1 Les familles se retrouvaient souvent pour partager un grand repas: 'Families used to meet often to share a large meal' using imperfect
B1 On offrait aussi des petits cadeaux aux enfants: 'They also gave small gifts to the children' capturing offrait
B1 L'année prochaine, nous irons au Québec pour voir ces traditions: 'Next year we will go to Quebec to see these traditions' using simple future or near future
B1 accurate translation of regional food terms: tourtière, foie gras, fruits de mer
B1 correct tense rendering of imperfect for habitual past
B1 capture of reciprocal 'se retrouvaient' as 'met' or 'meet' in past sense
B1 clear English sentences with natural word order
B1 minor variant forms accepted if meaning preserved
Answer: A model answer: In Quebec, people sometimes eat tourtière at the end of the year. In France, people prefer foie gras or seafood for the réveillon. Families used to meet often to share a large meal. They also gave small gifts to the children. Next year we will go to Quebec to see these traditions.

Question 11

B1 correct pronoun 'lui' supplied: Ils lui offrent un cadeau.
Answer: lui

Question 12

B1 select A tranche as correct translation of 'slice' when referring to cake or bread
Answer: A

Food, Family Celebrations and Regional Customs (GCSE French) - Worksheets, Questions and Revision

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