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

10 original exam-style questions - 8 pages of questions with a full mark scheme - free printable PDF.

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This topic is chapter 14 of GCSE Spanish: Translation Practice Book.

5.14 Food, Family Celebrations and Regional Customs

AQA 8692 · about 50 minutes

Total Marks

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

Accents, the enye and inverted punctuation are used correctly in the Spanish throughout this pack. Include them in your own answers too. Answer all questions. Use clear sentences for the translation tasks. Time guidance: 50 minutes.

Short gap-fill: Insert the correct pronoun(s). Complete the Spanish sentence meaning 'They served them to us' referring to 'tapas' (use 'servir' in preterite). Sentence: 'Durante la cena, ___ sirvieron ___.'

(Total for Question 1 is 2 marks)

Short translation check. Translate into English: 'Nosotros siempre celebrábamos los cumpleaños con un gran pastel y muchas canciones.'

(Total for Question 2 is 2 marks)

Short written Spanish. Write one Spanish sentence (use present or near future) answering: 'What will you bring to a family lunch tomorrow?'

(Total for Question 3 is 2 marks)

Traduce el siguiente texto al inglés. Spanish passage about Nochebuena and la sobremesa. Passage (5 sentences): "En mi familia, la Nochebuena es muy doméstica. Cenamos juntos en la casa de mi abuela y comemos paella o platos tradicionales. Después de la cena, hacemos la sobremesa: hablamos durante horas y nadie tiene prisa. A veces brindamos con cava y mi tía reparte regalos pequeños a los niños. Cuando era pequeño, mi familia siempre cantaba villancicos después de la comida."

(a)Sentence 1: En mi familia, la Nochebuena es muy doméstica.(2)

(b)Sentence 2: Cenamos juntos en la casa de mi abuela y comemos paella o platos tradicionales.(2)

(c)Sentence 3: Después de la cena, hacemos la sobremesa: hablamos durante horas y nadie tiene prisa.(3)

(d)Sentence 4: A veces brindamos con cava y mi tía reparte regalos pequeños a los niños.(2)

(e)Sentence 5: Cuando era pequeño, mi familia siempre cantaba villancicos después de la comida.(1)

(Total for Question 4 is 10 marks)

Vocabulary warm-up B. Fill the English meaning for each Spanish item (one word or short phrase). Words: 1) la quinceañera 2) el mole 3) la boda 4) el pastel 5) regalar.

(1)la quinceañera(1)

(2)el mole(1)

(3)la boda(1)

(4)el pastel(1)

(5)regalar(2)

(Total for Question 5 is 6 marks)

Traduce el siguiente texto al español. English passage about a family birthday and a sobremesa. Passage (5 sentences): "For my parents anniversary last year we invited our relatives to our house. We cooked tapas and a big cake and everyone helped in the kitchen. After we ate, we stayed at the table for a long sobremesa and told stories. My cousin brought a traditional dish from Mexico, mole, and we all tried it. In the past, my family used to meet more often for Sunday lunch."

(a)Sentence 1: For my parents anniversary last year we invited our relatives to our house.(2)

(b)Sentence 2: We cooked tapas and a big cake and everyone helped in the kitchen.(2)

(c)Sentence 3: After we ate, we stayed at the table for a long sobremesa and told stories.(3)

(d)Sentence 4: My cousin brought a traditional dish from Mexico, mole, and we all tried it.(2)

(e)Sentence 5: In the past, my family used to meet more often for Sunday lunch.(1)

(Total for Question 6 is 10 marks)

Grammar focus A. Complete the gaps with the correct imperfect form of the verb in brackets to describe past habitual customs. Sentences: (a) Cuando era niña, mi familia siempre (celebrar) ______ Nochebuena juntos. (b) Antes, mis abuelos (tener) ______ la costumbre de visitar a los vecinos los domingos. (c) De niño, yo (comer) ______ muchas tapas con mi padre. (d) Todos los veranos, mi tía (preparar) ______ arroz y mariscos. (e) En la casa de mi abuela, la gente (hablar) ______ durante la sobremesa. (f) Los niños (recibir) ______ regalos pequeños en Navidad.

(a)a) celebrar (imperfect)(1)

(b)b) tener (imperfect)(1)

(c)c) comer (imperfect)(1)

(d)d) preparar (imperfect)(1)

(e)e) hablar (imperfect)(1)

(f)f) recibir (imperfect)(1)

(Total for Question 7 is 6 marks)

Vocabulary warm-up C. True or False. Write T or F. 1) 'sobremesa' is a quick coffee break. 2) 'la quinceañera' celebrates a girls 15th birthday. 3) 'mole' is typical in Spain. 4) 'brindar' can mean to make a toast.

(1)1) 'sobremesa' is a quick coffee break.(1)

(2)2) 'la quinceañera' celebrates a girls 15th birthday.(1)

(3)3) 'mole' is typical in Spain.(1)

(4)4) 'brindar' can mean to make a toast.(1)

(Total for Question 8 is 4 marks)

Traduce el siguiente texto al español. English passage comparing customs in Spain and Latin America (6 sentences): "In Spain, many families stay at home for Christmas dinner and enjoy a long sobremesa. In some Latin American countries, big family meals also happen but they may include different dishes like mole or tamales. At birthdays, people in Spain often have a cake, while in Mexico some communities prepare traditional regional sweets. For quinceañeras, families sometimes organise a big party and a religious ceremony. In both places, relatives usually give small gifts and spend time together. These customs show how food and family connect generations."

(a)Sentence 1: In Spain, many families stay at home for Christmas dinner and enjoy a long sobremesa.(2)

(b)Sentence 2: In some Latin American countries, big family meals also happen but they may include different dishes like mole or tamales.(2)

(c)Sentence 3: At birthdays, people in Spain often have a cake, while in Mexico some communities prepare traditional regional sweets.(2)

(d)Sentence 4: For quinceañeras, families sometimes organise a big party and a religious ceremony.(2)

(e)Sentence 5: In both places, relatives usually give small gifts and spend time together.(1)

(f)Sentence 6: These customs show how food and family connect generations.(1)

(Total for Question 9 is 10 marks)

Short grammar B. Choose the best Spanish sentence that uses direct and indirect object pronouns correctly to mean: 'We gave it to them' (referring to a gift given to the couple). Options: A) Se lo regalamos. B) Nos lo regalamos. C) Lo se regalamos. D) Se la regalamos.

(Total for Question 10 is 4 marks)

Mark scheme · 5.14 Food, Family Celebrations and Regional Customs

Question 1

B1 nos las sirvieron
B1 correct placement: indirect then direct pronoun before the verb in preterite plural
Answer: nos las sirvieron

Question 2

B1 We always used to celebrate birthdays with a big cake
B1 and many songs / lots of songs
Answer: We always used to celebrate birthdays with a big cake and lots of songs.

Question 3

B1 Content: a plausible item to bring to a family lunch in Spanish
B1 Accuracy: correct verb form in present or near future and basic agreement
Answer: Voy a llevar una ensalada y un pastel.

Question 4

(a) B1 In my family
(a) B1 Christmas Eve is very domestic / a very domestic occasion
(a) Answer: In my family, Christmas Eve is very domestic.
(b) B1 We have dinner together at my grandmother's house
(b) B1 and we eat paella or traditional dishes
(b) Answer: We have dinner together at my grandmother's house and we eat paella or traditional dishes.
(c) B1 After the meal/dinner, we have la sobremesa / we stay at the table talking
(c) B1 we talk for hours
(c) B1 and nobody is in a hurry
(c) Answer: After dinner, we have the sobremesa: we talk for hours and nobody is in a hurry.
(d) B1 Sometimes we make a toast with cava
(d) B1 and my aunt distributes/gives small presents to the children
(d) Answer: Sometimes we make a toast with cava and my aunt gives out small presents to the children.
(e) B1 When I was little, my family always sang carols after the meal
(e) Answer: When I was little, my family always sang carols after the meal.

Question 5

(1) B1 a girls fifteenth birthday celebration
(1) Answer: a girl's fifteenth birthday celebration
(2) B1 a Mexican sauce often with chocolate and chillies
(2) Answer: a Mexican sauce often with chocolate and chillies
(3) B1 a wedding
(3) Answer: a wedding
(4) B1 a cake
(4) Answer: a cake
(5) B1 to give as a present
(5) B1 or 'to gift' as a verb
(5) Answer: to give as a present / to gift

Question 6

(a) B1 For my parents anniversary last year
(a) B1 we invited our relatives to our house
(a) Answer: Para el aniversario de mis padres el año pasado invitamos a nuestros parientes a nuestra casa.
(b) B1 We cooked tapas and a big cake
(b) B1 and everyone helped in the kitchen
(b) Answer: Cocinamos tapas y un pastel grande y todos ayudaron en la cocina.
(c) B1 After we ate, we stayed at the table for a long sobremesa
(c) B1 and told stories
(c) B1 allow 'después de comer' or 'después de la cena' for After we ate
(c) Answer: Después de comer, nos quedamos en la mesa para una sobremesa larga y contamos historias.
(d) B1 My cousin brought a traditional dish from Mexico, mole
(d) B1 and we all tried it
(d) Answer: Mi primo trajo un plato tradicional de México, mole, y todos lo probamos.
(e) B1 In the past, my family used to meet more often for Sunday lunch (imperfect)
(e) Answer: En el pasado, mi familia se reunía más a menudo para la comida del domingo.

Question 7

(a) B1 celebrábamos
(a) Answer: celebrábamos
(b) B1 tenían
(b) Answer: tenían
(c) B1 comía
(c) Answer: comía
(d) B1 preparaba
(d) Answer: preparaba
(e) B1 hablaban
(e) Answer: hablaban
(f) B1 recibían
(f) Answer: recibían

Question 8

(1) B1 F - sobremesa is a long conversation after a meal, not a quick coffee break
(1) Answer: F
(2) B1 T - this is the correct meaning
(2) Answer: T
(3) B1 F - mole is typical in Mexico and parts of Latin America
(3) Answer: F
(4) B1 T - brindar means to make a toast
(4) Answer: T

Question 9

(a) B1 In Spain, many families stay at home for Christmas dinner
(a) B1 and enjoy a long sobremesa
(a) Answer: En España, muchas familias se quedan en casa para la cena de Navidad y disfrutan de una sobremesa larga.
(b) B1 In some Latin American countries, big family meals also happen
(b) B1 but they may include different dishes like mole or tamales
(b) Answer: En algunos países de América Latina también hay grandes comidas familiares pero pueden incluir platos diferentes como mole o tamales.
(c) B1 At birthdays, people in Spain often have a cake
(c) B1 while in Mexico some communities prepare traditional regional sweets
(c) Answer: En los cumpleaños, en España a menudo hay un pastel, mientras que en México algunas comunidades preparan dulces regionales tradicionales.
(d) B1 For quinceañeras, families sometimes organise a big party
(d) B1 and a religious ceremony
(d) Answer: Para las quinceañeras, las familias a veces organizan una gran fiesta y una ceremonia religiosa.
(e) B1 In both places, relatives usually give small gifts and spend time together
(e) Answer: En ambos lugares, los parientes normalmente regalan pequeños obsequios y pasan tiempo juntos.
(f) B1 These customs show how food and family connect generations
(f) Answer: Estas costumbres muestran cómo la comida y la familia conectan a las generaciones.

Question 10

B1 A - Se lo regalamos correctly places indirect 'se' for les and direct 'lo' for it
B1 B, C, D are incorrect pronoun combinations or order
B1 Award full credit only for A
B1 Recognise that 'se lo regalamos' literally means we gave it to them
Answer: A

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

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