Dialogue and Translation for Exercise 3

In Běijīng, a mother and son talk after a day of work.

A: Mā, nín dào nǎr qu le?	Where have you been, Mom?
B: Zài Lǎo Wáng jiā zuòle yihuǐr.	I was over at Lǎo Wáng’s for a while.
A: Wáng LǏde qíngkuàng hǎo yidiǎnr ma?	Is Wáng Li’s situation better now?
B: Hǎo yidiǎnr, bù kū le, kěshi háishi yìtiān dào wǎn méiyou yíjù huà.	Somewhat better. She isn’t crying anymore, but she still doesn’t say a thing all day long.
A: Zhēn ràng rén nánshòu.	It really makes one feel bad.
B: Kě bu shi ma, shizài shi kělián, Wáng Li fùqin sǐle cái bànnián mǔqin you sǐ le. Báitiān hǎo yidiǎnr, dàjiā ké^i qù péipei ta. Wǎnshang, nū-háizi yíge rén zài jiāli, zhēn rang rén bú fàngxǐn.	Doesn’t it, though? It’s really pitiful: first Wáng Li’s father dies, and then less than half a year later her mother dies, too. During the daytime it’s not so bad, everybody goes and keeps her company. But in the evening the girl is alone at home. It really makes one worry. 



A: Mā, wǒ xiǎngdào yíge hǎo bǎnfǎ, rang Wang LÌ bān dao zánmen jiā lái ba! Nín gēn tā liáoliao tiānr, yěxǔ huì hǎo yidiǎnr.	Mom, I’ve thought of a good way (to solve the problem). Have Wáng Lì move to our house! If you can chat with her, maybe that will help.
B: Mm, zhèige bǎnfǎ hǎo shi hǎo, kěshi zánmen jiā jiù zhè liǎngjiān xiǎo wūzi, wǒ bǎ nǐ fang zai nǎr ne?	That is a good idea, but our place only has these two small rooms. Where would I put you?
A: Wǒ xiǎng Wáng Lì bānlái yǐhoù wǒ kéyi zǎi Wáng jiā zhù jǐtiān, děng Wáng Lìde qíngkuàng hǎo yì-diǎnr, wǒ zǎi bānhuilai ma!	I think I could go live at the Wáng's house. When Wáng Li’s condition is a little better, I’ll move back here!
B: Hǎo háizi, nǐ zhème rèxīn bāngzhu biérén, hěn hǎo. . . . Wáng Li hěn xiàoshun, zhèixiē rìzi, tā huì chángcháng xiǎng tāde fùmǔ, duō hé tā tántan, mǎnmānrde, tā huì hǎo yidiǎnr.	Good boy. It’s good that you’re so eager to help others. . . . Wáng Lì is very filial, and she’ll miss her parents a lot during this time. If we talk with her a lot, gradually, she'll get better.
A: Wǒ zǎi qù zhǎozhao tā cóngqiánde tǒngxué, rǎng tamen dōu lái hé ta tántan, péi ta chūqu zǒuzou.	I’ll go call on some of her former classmates and have them come talk with her and go out for walks with her.
B: Duì le, děngdǎo tā shàng bān le, jiù hǎo le. Rén mángde shihou jǐngshén huì hǎo yìxiē.	Right. When she starts work, everything will be all right. When a person is busy, their spirits improve.
A: Duì. Nà zánmen xiànzài jiù qù jiē ta ba!	Right. Well, let's go get her right now!
B: Děngyiděng, bǎ wūzi shōushihǎo zài qù.	Wait. Let’s straighten up the room before we go.
A: Wǒ gēn nín yíkuàir shōushi.	I’ll straighten it up with you.