Making a Star Lantern with My Dad

When I was eight years old, my dad and I made a star lantern for the Mid-Autumn Festival. It was not the most beautiful lantern on our street, but it was the most special one, because we made it together.

A week before the festival, all my friends were talking about their new lanterns. Most of them were plastic and had flashing lights and music. I wanted one too, but my dad had a different idea. "Let's make one ourselves," he said. "That's what I did when I was a boy."

On Saturday morning, we went to the market and bought thin bamboo sticks, red paper, glue and a small candle. At home, my dad cut the bamboo into ten equal pieces. Then he showed me how to tie them together with string to make the shape of a star. My job was to hold the sticks while he was tying them. It was harder than I thought, and my fingers got tired.

In the afternoon, we covered the frame with the red paper. I cut the paper, and my dad put it on carefully. We also made two long tails with yellow paper. Finally, we fixed the star to a long stick so I could carry it.

On the night of the festival, the moon was big and round. My dad put the candle inside the lantern and lit it. The star glowed a warm red. I joined the other children, and we walked around the neighborhood, singing songs. My lantern didn't play music, but many kids asked, "Where did you buy that?" I felt so proud when I answered, "My dad and I made it!"

Plastic lanterns are easier to find, but homemade ones are more special. You can't buy the memories inside them.

Grammar Structure (Phân tích ngữ pháp)

• Past Continuous (S + was/were + V-ing): Ví dụ trong bài: “A week before the festival, all my friends were talking about their new lanterns.”
• So sánh hơn (adj-er / more + adj): Ví dụ trong bài: “Plastic lanterns are easier to find, but homemade ones are more special.”
• So + S + could + V (để có thể) (S + V2, so + S + could + V): Ví dụ trong bài: “Finally, we fixed the star to a long stick so I could carry it.”