1. How do people usually choose gifts?
People usually choose gifts based on the recipient5 s interests. For example, a pair of binoculars174 may be a perfect gift for people who love going bird-watching. It5s nice to get something that suits the person’s tastes. You don’t want to be impersonal175 when it comes to giving them a gift. It means way more if you can show them you really care about their feelings toward receiving this gift. After all, it’s the thought that counts176.
2. Why do some people find it hard to choose gifts?
It depends. But for the most part177, I guess people may struggle with choosing gifts because they’re unsure about what the recipient really wants. For example, if you don’t know a ton about your friends’ interests, you wouldn’t know what gifts to get for them. You may have to ask around178 to find out what they like. It makes gift-giving very complicated.
3. Do people prefer practical gifts or other gifts?
In my opinion, when it comes to a gift, most people prefer luxury items179 to practical things. I mean, they don’t have to be too expensive. It can be something that brings people pleasure or comfort but isn’t absolutely necessary to life, like a flower or an art craft. After all, if you really need something, you can just buy it for yourself. So a gift should just be something fun. It doesn’t have to be that useful.
4. Do people give the same gifts as they did in the past?
No, I think people give different gifts than they did in the past. Back then, the living conditions of most Chinese families weren’t that good. People gave gifts that were for practical use. They didn’t spend money on frivolous180 181 things. My grandma used to tell me that back in 1960s and 70s, they normally exchanged gifts like steamed bread or flour with friends or neighbors. But nowadays, people give items that are interesting but not absolutely practical as gifts. It’s not so much about how useful the thing is. It’s more about whether the person will enjoy it or not. So that’s definitely a big change from then to now.
5. What kinds of gifts do people usually send?
As far as I know, Chinese often give gifts according to the holiday or situation. For example, during spring festival holidays, people would give red envelopes with money in them as gifts, which means best wishes for good fortune to the recipients. When the mid-autumn day comes, Chinese people buy well-packaged mooncakes and send them as gifts to friends and family. But besides the traditional gifts for certain holidays and situations, people also consider the recipient’s personality and interests when they choose a gift.
174 bmoculars:双筒望远镜/bi’nnkjubz/(请根据实际情况调整素材内容，比如这里不需要完全按照素材例子讲，可以讲你 喜欢的其他类型的礼物）
175 impersonal ：没有人情味
176 it’s the thought that counts:重要的是想法，心意最重要
177 for the most part：大多数情况下
178 ask around ：到处打听
179 luxuryitems：奢侈品。注意奢侈是一个相对的概念，文中强调“并不是生活中的必需品”
180 frivolous:没有意义的，没有用处的
181 from then to now:从那时到现在