Sandra Chinese, A Modular Approach, Directions Module Unit 1, Comprehension Tape 1.
This unit is set in the ROC. On this tape, you'll learn to understand questions and answers used in giving or confirming step-by-step directions to or from places.
For this tape, you'll need to consult the map sheet opposite the reference list in your workbook.
Clara Matthews, an American student in Taipei, is out for a walk, and has just met Guo Xiaofeng, a friend of hers.
Listen as Miss Guo starts the conversation.
Where are you going?
你到哪裡去?
I'm going to a coffee house.
我到咖啡廳去.
Here's the verb for to go when a destination is specified.
去.去.
When the destination isn't given, the English verb to go may also be translated by the verb 走, literally to leave.
And here's the word for a coffee house.
咖啡廳.
In the sentence 我到咖啡廳去.
I'm going to a coffee house.
The destination is specified by a prepositional verb construction using the verb 到, as a full verb 到 means to arrive.
As a prepositional verb, it corresponds to the English preposition too.
Here's the exchange live.
你到哪裡去?我到咖啡廳去.
Again.
你到哪裡去?我到咖啡廳去.
Check your comprehension.
你到哪裡去?
Where are you going?
我到咖啡廳去.
I'm going to a coffee house.
The conversation continues live.
你要不要去?好,我也去.
Again.
你要不要去?好,我也去.
Check your comprehension.
你要不要去?
Do you want to go?好,我也去.
Okay, I'll go too.
Mr. Matthews knows which coffee house she wants to go to, but doesn't remember how to get there.
Listen as the conversation continues.
Do you know of the huamei coffee house?
你知道不知道 huamei cafe ting?
No, I don't.
不知道.不知道.
Here's the verb to know or to know of.
知道.
In the affirmative, this verb ends in a neutral tone, while in the negative, it ends in a falling tone.
Here are the two forms compared.
知道.不知道.知道.不知道.
Here's the name of the coffee house Mrs. Matthews is looking for.
huamei cafe ting. huamei cafe ting.
The word hua is one of the abbreviations for china, and the syllable mei is of course short for mei guo america.
Here's the exchange life.
你知道不知道 huamei cafe ting?不知道.
Again.
你知道不知道 huamei cafe ting?不知道.
Check your comprehension.
你知道不知道 huamei cafe ting?
Do you know of the huamei coffee house?
不知道.
No, I don't.
Now Mrs. Guo and Mrs. Matthews go into a shop to ask the clerk if he knows of the huamei coffee house.
When he said he does, the conversation continues like this.
How do I go there?
到那里去怎么走?
Here's the verb for to walk or to go.
走.走.
You had the word 走 earlier with the meaning to leave.
The sentence 到那里去怎么走 might be translated to get there.
How do I go?
The verb 去 to go focuses on where you end up.
The verb 走 which is translated to go focuses on the route you use to get there.
Here's the question live.
到那里去怎么走?
Again.
到那里去怎么走?
Check your comprehension.
到那里去怎么走?
How do I go there?
Look at display one on your map sheet and listen as the clerk answers.
From here you go to the left.
从这里往左走.
Here's the word for from 从.从.
Unlike the other prepositional verbs you've had, the word 从 has no full verb equivalent.
Here's how you say to in the sense of toward or in the direction of.
往.往.
And here's how you say left.
左.左.
Here's the exchange live.
到那里去怎么走?
从这里往左走.
Again.
到那里去怎么走?
往左走.
Check your comprehension.
到那里去怎么走?
How do I go there?
从这里往左走.
From here you go to the left.
Now listen as the clerk continues.
When you've reached the intersection, then you go to the right.
到了路口再往右走.
Here's the word for intersection.
路口.
And here's the word for right.
右.右.
The adverb thigh is used for the English word then in commands and suggestions.
It usually indicates the second step in a suggested sequence of actions,
as in first you go to the left,
and then when you've reached the intersection you go right.
Here's the word for then in commands and suggestions.
thigh. thigh.
The marker 路 in the clause.
到了路口 is a marker of completed actions.
The arriving is described as completed as of the time you go to the right.
Listen to the sentence live.
到了路口再往右走.
Again.
到了路口再往右走.
Check your comprehension.
到了路口再往右走.
Reach the intersection then you go right.
Now listen to the last sentence again with something new added to it.
When you reach the intersection then you go to the right,
and then you're there.
到了路口再往右走就到了.
Here's the word for then in this sentence.
就.就.
The adverb 就 is used for the English word then in statements.
It precedes the last of a list of events that follow each other immediately in time.
In this sentence we've translated the phrase 就到了 rather loosely as
and then you're there.
A more exact translation would be
and then you will have arrived.
The completed action marker 路 like the English words will have
indicates that the action of arriving is completed with respect to some future point in time.
Here's the sentence live.
到了路口再往右走就到了.
Again.
到了路口再往右走就到了.
Check your comprehension.
到了路口再往右走就到了.
When you've reached the intersection, then you go to the right, and then you're there.
Here's how Miss Matthews might ask for some further directions, live.
从咖啡厅到台湾银行去怎么走?
从咖啡厅往右走到了第三个路口就是台湾银行.
Again.
从咖啡厅到台湾银行去怎么走?
从咖啡厅往右走到了第三个路口就是台湾银行.
Check your comprehension.
从咖啡厅到台湾银行去怎么走?
How do I go from the coffee house to the bank of Taiwan?
从咖啡厅往右走到了第三个路口就是台湾银行.
From the coffee house, you go right.
When you've reached the third intersection, then that's the bank of Taiwan.
Now let's go back and listen as Miss Guo checks to make sure she remembers the directions to the coffee house.
First I go to the left, is that correct?
我先往左走,对不对?
That's correct.
对了。对了。
Here's the word for first.
先。先。
And here's the word for right or correct.
对。对。
And here's the expression, that's correct.
对了。对了。
The addition of the phrase 对不对 to the end of a statement turns it into a confirmation question.
This kind of question is used when you expect your listener to agree with what you say,
but you're checking with him to make sure he does.
Listen to the exchange live.
我先往左走,对不对?
对了。
Again.
我先往左走,对不对?
对了。
Check your comprehension.
我先往左走,对不对?
First I go to the left, is that correct?
对了。
That's correct.
The conversation continues.
And after that?
然后呢?然后呢?
After that, when you've reached the intersection, then you go to the right.
然后到了路口,再往右走。
Good. I've got it now. Thank you.
好,我知道了。谢谢。
I've got it now. Thank you.
Here's how you say after that or afterwards.
然后然后。
In this conversation, the sentence 我知道了 means I know how to go now.
Here's the exchange live.
然后呢?然后到了路口,再往右走。
好,我知道了。谢谢。
Again.
然后呢?然后到了路口,再往右走。
好,我知道了。谢谢。
Check your comprehension.
然后呢?
And after that?
然后到了路口,再往右走。
After that, when you've reached the intersection, then you go to the right.
好,我知道了。谢谢。
Good. I've got it now. Thank you.
Now let's change the situation.
Look at display two on your map sheet.
Claire Matthews has just walked up to an intersection with her Chinese tutor Mr. Yang
and is checking which way to go.
May I ask, to get from here to the bank, you go right, is that correct?
请问从这里到银行去,往右走,对不对?
No, from here you go straight.
不是,从这里一直走。
Here's the word for straight.
一直,一直。
Notice that the question was answered with the phrase 不是,
even though it was asked with the word 对。
The expression 不对 is as rude in Chinese as saying you're wrong would be in English.
Listen to the exchange live.
请问从这里到银行去,往右走,对不对?
不是,从这里一直走。
Again.
请问从这里到银行去,往右走,对不对?
不是,从这里一直走。
Check your comprehension.
请问从这里到银行去,往右走,对不对?
May I ask, to get from here to the bank, you go right, is that correct?
不是,从这里一直走。
No, from here you go straight.
Now look at display 3 on your map sheet.
This conversation will give you more practice in checking up on directions.
This Mr. Cook talks to his tutor, Mrs. Mao, live.
我要到画面咖啡厅去,从这里我先往右一直走,对不对?
对了。
然后到了第三个路口,再往左走,对不对?
不是,到了第三个路口,再往右走。
好,谢谢,我知道了。
Again.
Check your comprehension.
我要到画面咖啡厅去,从这里我先往右一直走,对不对?
对了。
然后到了第三个路口,再往左走,对不对?
不是,到了第三个路口,再往右走。
好,谢谢,我知道了。
Check your comprehension.
我要到画面咖啡厅去,
I want to go to the 画面咖啡厅。
从这里我先往右一直走,对不对?
From here I go straight to the right, is that correct?
对了。
That's correct.
然后到了第三个路口,再往左走,对不对?
After that, when you've reached the third intersection, then you go to the left, is that correct?
不是,到了第三个路口,再往右走。
No, when you've reached the third intersection, then you go to the right.
好,谢谢,我知道了。
Alright, thank you, I've got it now.
Now here's a conversation reviewing all the material introduced on this tape.
The speakers in this conversation are talking about their little sister, Meilan,
who is a student at Taiwan University.
Look at the display floor on your map sheet and listen to the conversation live.
Where did Meilan go?
我不知道。
姐姐,你知道吗?
Meilan went to the 画面咖啡厅去了,我也要去。
How did she go there?
我不知道。
我知道,从这里先往右走,然后到了第四个路口,再往左走。
一直走就到咖啡厅了。
好,我知道了。
Again.
Where did Meilan go?
我不知道。
姐姐,你知道吗?
Meilan went to 画面咖啡厅去了,我也要去。
How did she go there?
我不知道。
我知道,从这里先往右走,然后到了第四个路口,再往右走。
然后到了第四个路口,再往左走。
一直走就到咖啡厅了。
好,我知道了。
See if you understood what was said.
Where did Meilan go?
Where has Meilan gone?
我不知道。
I don't know.
姐姐,你知道吗?
Big sister, do you know?
Meilan到华美咖啡厅去了。
Meilan went to the 华美咖啡厅。
我也要去。
I want to go there too.
到那里去咱们走。
How do I go there?
我不知道。
I don't know.
我知道。
I know.
从这里先往右走。
From here, you first go to the right.
然后到了第四个路口,再往左走。
After that, when you've reached the fourth intersection, then you go to the left.
一直走就到咖啡厅了。
And then you're at the coffee house.
好,我知道了。
Okay, I've got it now.
As a final review, see if you can translate the following exchanges from the target list.
One.
从这里到银行去,我先往右走,对不对?
To get from here to the bank, I first go to the right, is that correct?
不是,从这里一直走。
No, from here you go straight.
然后到了路口,再往左走,对不对?
After that, when I've reached the intersection, then I go to the left.
Is that correct?
对了。
That's correct.
好,我知道了,谢谢。
Good, I've got it now. Thank you.
Number two.
到咖啡厅去,怎么走?
How do I get to the coffee house?
Number three.
你知道不知道华美咖啡厅?
I don't know.
不知道?
No, I don't.
If you think you're ready, go on to the P1 tape.
This is the end of the tape.
Directions Module Unit 1, Comprehension Tape 1.