Standard Chinese, a Modular Approach
Society Module, Unit 1, Tape 1
In this unit, you'll learn how to discuss a person's interest in studying or traveling in Asia.
Listen to the first exchange from the reference list.
Today I borrowed a good novel.
今天我借到一本好小说。
What novel is it that makes you so happy?
什么小说让你这么高兴?
Repeat, to borrow, to lend.
借 借
Repeat, to successfully borrow.
借到 借到
Repeat, fiction, novel.
小说 小说
Repeat, today I borrowed a good novel.
今天我借到一本好小说。
Now repeat, to cause.
让 让
Repeat the reply. What novel is it that makes you so happy?
什么小说让你这么高兴?
Now listen to the sentence, Today I borrowed a good novel.
And reply, What novel is it that makes you so happy?
今天我借到一本好小说。
什么小说让你这么高兴?
Listen to the next exchange.
This novel is about the situation on the mainland.
这本小说写的是大陆的情况。
About the mainland? How about lending it to me to read?
关于大陆的,借给我看看行不行?
Repeat, mainland, continent.
大陆,大陆
Repeat, situation, circumstances.
情况,情况
Repeat, this novel is about the situation on the mainland.
这本小说写的是大陆的情况。
Now repeat, about, with regard to, concerning.
关于,关于
Repeat, about the mainland? How about lending it to me to read?
关于大陆的,借给我看看行不行?
Now listen to the sentence.
This novel is about the situation on the mainland.
And you give the reply.
About the mainland? How about lending it to me to read?
这本小说写的是大陆的情况。
关于大陆的,借给我看看行不行?
Now listen to the next exchange.
What are you going to do research on next semester?
下个学期,你想研究什么?
It's still the same old problem, the political situation in China.
还是老问题,中国的政治情况。
Repeat, semester, term of school.
学期,学期
Repeat, to study, to do research on.
研究,研究
Repeat, what are you going to do research on next semester?
下个学期,你想研究什么?
Now repeat, politics, political.
政治,政治
Repeat, it's still the same old problem, the political situation in China.
还是老问题,中国的政治情况。
Now listen to the question, what are you going to do research on next semester?
And answer it yourself.
Say, it's still the same old problem, the political situation in China.
下个学期,你想研究什么?
还是老问题,中国的政治情况。
Now here's a review of the vocabulary in the first three exchanges in the reference list. Test yourself.
to borrow, lend
借
to successfully borrow
借到
fiction, novel
小说
to cause
让
mainland, continent
大陆
situation, circumstances
情况
about, with regard to, concerning
关于
semester, term
学期
to study, to do research on
研究
politics, political
政治
Now here's the next exchange from the reference list.
Yesterday Xiaoming wrote a letter to his girlfriend and it was really long.
昨天,小明给他女朋友写信,写得好长。
Young people are always young people. When I was young, I was like that too. Have you forgotten?
年轻人总是年轻人。我年轻的时候也是这样。
你忘了?
Repeat to be long.
长
Repeat.
Yesterday Xiaoming wrote his girlfriend a letter and it was really long.
昨天,小明给他女朋友写信,写得好长。
Now repeat to be young.
年轻
Repeat.
Always, inevitably, without exception.
总
Repeat.
Young people are always young people. When I was young, I was like that too. Have you forgotten?
年轻人总是年轻人。我年轻的时候也是这样。你忘了?
Now listen to the sentence.
Yesterday Xiaoming wrote a letter to his girlfriend and it was really long.
You make the reply.
Young people are always young people. When I was young, I was like that too. Have you forgotten?
昨天,小明给他女朋友写信,写得好长。
年轻人总是年轻人。我年轻的时候也是这样。你忘了?
Now listen to the next exchange.
Where do you want to go over summer vacation? 暑假的时候,你想到哪儿去玩玩?
I'd like to go visit a few countries in Asia. 我想到亚洲几个国家去看看。
Repeat. Summer vacation. 暑假
暑假
Repeat. Where do you want to go over summer vacation?
暑假的时候,你想到哪儿去玩玩?
Now repeat Asia. 亚洲
There's another pronunciation for Asia. 亚洲
Repeat country, state, nation. 国家
Repeat. I'd like to go visit a few countries in Asia. 我想到亚洲几个国家去看看。
Answer the question, where do you want to go over summer vacation? Say, I'd like to go visit a few countries in Asia.
暑假的时候,你想到哪儿去玩玩?
我想到亚洲几个国家去看看。
Here's the next exchange. Oh, do you want to do research on Asia's cultural tradition?
怎么?你想研究亚洲的文化传统?
It can't be called research. I just want to go have a look at the social situation there. 不能说研究。我只是想去看看那里的社会情况。
Repeat culture. 文化
Repeat tradition or traditional. 传统
Repeat. Oh, do you want to do research on Asia's cultural tradition? 怎么?你想研究亚洲的文化传统?
Repeat society, social. 社会
Repeat. It can't be called research. I just want to go have a look at the social situation there. 不能说研究。我只是想去看看那里的社会情况。
不能说研究。我只是想去看看那里的社会情况。
Now you answer the question. Oh, do you want to do research on Asia's cultural tradition? Say, it can't be called research. I just want to go have a look at the social situation there. 怎么?你想研究亚洲的文化传统?
不能说研究。我只是想去看看那里的社会情况。
Listen to the next exchange. 老王,我今天感觉很不舒服。
快坐下,我去给你倒杯茶来。
Repeat to feel, to perceive. 感觉,感觉。
Repeat. 老王,我今天感觉很不舒服。
Repeat to sit down. 坐下,坐下。
Repeat to pour. 倒,倒。
Repeat. Sit down and I'll go get you a cup of tea. 快坐下,我去给你倒杯茶来。
快坐下,我去给你倒杯茶来。
Listen to the sentence, 老王,我今天感觉很不舒服。
快坐下,我去给你倒杯茶来。
Now here's a review of the vocabulary in the second part of the tape. Test yourself.
to be long 长
to be young 年轻
always, inevitably 总
summer vacation 暑假
Asia 亚洲
or 亚洲
country, state, nation 国家
culture 文化
tradition, traditional 传统
society, social 社会
to feel, to perceive 感觉
to sit down 坐下
to pour 倒
Now here's the next exchange from the reference list.
What was the political and economic situation like where you went?
你去的那个地方,政治、经济方面的情形怎么样?
I can't explain it clearly in just a few sentences. When I have time, I'll tell you all about it.
几句话说不清楚,有时间我再跟你慢慢说吧。
Repeat aspect, side, area.
方面 方面
Repeat situation, circumstances.
情形 情形
Repeat what was the political and economic situation like where you went?
你去的那个地方,政治、经济方面的情形怎么样?
Now repeat sentence.
句 句
Repeat can't clearly explain.
说不清楚 说不清楚
Repeat I can't explain it clearly in just a few sentences. When I have time, I'll tell you all about it.
几句话说不清楚,有时间我再跟你慢慢说吧。
Now answer the question, what was the political and economic situation like where you went?
Say, I can't explain it clearly in just a few sentences. When I have time, I'll tell you all about it.
你去的那个地方,政治、经济方面的情形怎么样?
几句话说不清楚,有时间我再跟你慢慢说吧。
Now listen to the next exchange.
To study the problems of China now, you have to understand Chinese history.
研究中国现在的问题,一定得懂得中国历史。
你说的这一点很要紧,我考虑考虑。
懂得 懂得
考虑 考虑
To study the problems of China now, you have to understand Chinese history.
研究中国现在的问题,一定得懂得中国历史。
Repeat, point. 点 点
Repeat, to consider, to think about. 考虑 考虑
Repeat, this point of yours is very important, I'll think it over.
你说的这一点很要紧,我考虑考虑。
Now listen to the sentence.
To study the problems of China now, you have to understand Chinese history.
You reply, this point of yours is very important, I'll think it over.
研究中国现在的问题,一定得懂得中国历史。
你说的这一点很要紧,我考虑考虑。
Now listen to the last exchange.
If you live in China for two years, you're sure to learn Chinese very well.
你在中国住两年,一定会学好中文的。
Yes, on the one hand I can learn Chinese well, and on the other hand I can find out more things about China.
是啊,一方面可以学好中文,一方面也可以多知道一点中国的事情。
Repeat, might, be likely to, will. 会 会
Repeat, if you live in China for two years, you're sure to learn Chinese very well.
你在中国住两年,一定会学好中文的。
Now repeat, on the one hand, on the other hand.
一方面 一方面 一方面 一方面
Repeat, yes, on the one hand I can learn Chinese well, and on the other hand I can find out more things about China.
是啊,一方面可以学好中文,一方面也可以多知道一点中国的事情。
Now listen to the sentence, if you live in China for two years, you're sure to learn Chinese very well.
Answer it yourself, say, yes, on the one hand I can learn Chinese well, and on the other hand I can find out more things about China.
你在中国住两年,一定会学好中文的。
是啊,一方面可以学好中文,一方面也可以多知道一点中国的事情。
Now here's a review of the vocabulary in this last part of the reference list. Test yourself.
Aspect, side, area. 方面
Situation, circumstances. 情形
Sentence. 句
Can't explain clearly. 说不清楚
To understand, to grasp, to know. 懂得
Point. 点
To consider, to think about. 考虑
Might, be likely to, will. 会
On the one hand, on the other hand. 一方面
Now here's a dialogue reviewing this unit.
Tom, a graduate student in Chinese area studies at Georgetown University, is studying in his apartment.
A knock comes at the door. It's his classmate Li Ping, an exchange student from Hong Kong.
是你啊,好久不见,今天怎么有时间出来走走?
一个钟头以前,我从学校给你打电话,你不在家。
刚才我到这里附近买东西,就来看看。
真不错,你已经回来了。
对不起,我刚才到朋友家借书去了。
什么书,又是关于中国的吧?
对了,有香港的,大陆的,也有台湾的,都是小说。
你坐下看,我去给你倒杯茶来。
不要麻烦,什么喝的都行。
可口可乐,橘子水,还是啤酒?
嗯,橘子水吧。
好,我马上就来,要冰块吗?
不要,谢谢。
汤姆,这三个地方的书你都看,你觉得怎么样?
我的感觉不是一句话可以说清楚的。
这么说吧,我总觉得大陆人,香港人和台湾人都是中国人,
他们有一样的文化传统,可是因为政治的情况不同,社会的情况也就不一样了。
你说得对,但是你要懂得中国社会,只看书是不够的。
哎,你知道吗,现在学中文的学生有很多机会到中国去,
所以我计划在这个学期完了的时候,去中国看看,
而且我还想找个好朋友一起去。
昨天我接到我母亲的信,她希望我回香港过暑假,
怎么样,你和我一起回去吧,你可以住在我们家里,
而且在香港,一方面你有机会和中国人谈话,
一方面可以知道大陆、香港和台湾的情况,你看好不好?
非常好。
那么你还要和你家里人商量一下吧?
不必,给父亲打电话的时候告诉他们我的计划就行了,
我要研究中国社会,父母一定会高兴的。
美国年轻人都有自己的想法,这一点我非常喜欢。
年轻人有自己的想法是对的,可是父母的话也应该考虑。
嗯,那我们说好了,今年暑假去香港,
现在还有五个月时间可以准备。
对,就这么办,今年夏天我就要到这个地方大、
人口多、历史又长的国家去了,嘿,这个计划真让我高兴。
好吧,就这样,我应该走了。
你忙什么,还早呢?
不早了,回去还得念书呢。
那,有时间你再来玩。
好,明天见,明天见。