Archive for March, 2008

Children Chinese – At School (2)

Monday, March 31st, 2008

Download for Reading and Writing Practice lesson 10-2

(Source: usa.betterchinese.com)

Learn Chinese Podcast – Happy China 99

Monday, March 31st, 2008

                     Click to Watch Video Podcast

  (1月17日播出)

  旁白: 轰鸣声、赛车、速度…

  Roars, motor racing and speed …

  您听到这三个词想到什么呢?

  Hearing these words, do you

  think of anything?

  告诉你吧。

  Let me tell you.

  答案就是F1一级方程式大赛。

  The answer is F-1 Grand Prix.

  在上海的嘉定,

  In Jiading of Shanghai,

  就有一个世界级的F1赛车场。

  there is a world-class F-1 racetrack.

  今天,我们就要近距离地

  Today, we’re going to get

  a feel up close

  去感受一下这F1的魅力。

  for the charm of F-1.

  韩佳: 快乐学汉语,

  Learn Chinese the fun way!

  王渊源:万里海疆行!

  And enjoy a Happy Journey

  across China!

  韩佳: 我是快乐的韩佳。

  I’m Merry Han Jia.

  王渊源:我是快乐的渊源。

  And I’m Happy Yuanyuan.

  哎哟,我现在的心情是

  Oh, now I’m feeling

  既紧张又兴奋。

  tense as well as excited.

  韩佳: 那我呢是既兴奋又紧张。

  And I’m feeling excited as

  well as tense.

  王渊源:难道你对F1也感兴趣吗?

  Is it that you are also interested

  in F-1?

  韩佳: 那当然了。

  Of course.

  王渊源:哎呀,那咱们俩是志同道合的。

  Oh, we are like-minded.

  我要是真的能驾着法拉利

  How great it would be

  在这个世界级的赛道上

  if I could drive a Ferrari

  兜上那么一圈,那该多棒啊!

  around this world-class racetrack!

  韩佳: 就你啊?唉!

  You mean you? Oh!

  王渊源:我…我怎么了。

  You don’t believe me.

  哦,这个就是

  Oh, this should be

  整个赛场的沙盘模型了吧。

  the sand table of the racetrack.

  韩佳: 渊源,

  Yuanyuan,

  这位就是我们今天的向导了。

  this is our today’s guide.

  王渊源:你好!

  Hi!

  嘉宾: 你好!

  Hi!

  今天由我来给二位介绍

  Today, I’m going to explain

  to you

  整个赛车场的实景。

  the entire racetrack compound.

  王渊源:那太好了。

  That’s great.

  韩佳: 大家看到这个模型。

  Look at this model.

  就是仿照我们赛车场实景

  It is a simulation model

  1比600缩小的仿真模型。

  scaled down 600 times.

  王渊源:“仿照”的意思就是指

  ”Fangzhao” means

  依照现成的方法或者样式去做,对吧?

  to imitate or follow, right?

  韩佳: 对。“仿照”的意思就是指

  Right. “Fangzhao” means

  依照现成的方法或者样式去做。

  to imitate a method or a design.

  Zhè ge móxíng shì fǎngzhào sàichēchǎng shíjǐng zuò de

  这 个 模型 是 仿照 赛车场 实景 做 的。

  This model is modeled after the

  actual racetrack.

  嘉宾: 那我带大家

  Now I’m taking you

  去赛道上看一下。

  to the racetrack for a look.

  韩佳: 好啊。

  Good.

  嘉宾: 这边。

  This way.

  韩佳: 哦,好。

  Oh, okay.

  嘉宾: 我们整个赛车场

  Our entire circuit compound

  它的占地是5.3平方公里。

  covers 5.3 square kilometers.

  它主要由比赛控制塔

  It’s mainly comprises of the

  racing control tower,

  看台和新闻中心构成的。

  grandstand and the press center.

  然后我们的整个赛道

  And our racetrack

  全程是5.4公里长。

  is 5.4 kilometers in total length.

  韩佳: 听说这里的赛道

  I heard the racetrack here

  是非常具有挑战性的。

  is very challenging.

  嘉宾: 对啊。

  Yes.

  因为我们的赛道是“上”字形。

  Our racetrack takes the shape of

  the Chinese character “shang”.

  王渊源:“上”字形?

  The shape of “shang”?

  为什么要设计成

  Why is the racetrack

  一个“上”字形呢?

  in the shape of “shang”?

  嘉宾: 因为既取自了

  Because “shang”

  我们“上海”的地名,

  is part of the name Shanghai,

  然后它也有一种象征意义。

  while it also has a certain

  symbolic meaning.

  我们的“上”字形赛道

  Our “shang”-shaped racetrack

  可以包容许多不同角度的弯道。

  consists of many different-angled bends.

  我们有七个左弯,九个右弯,

  There are 7 left-turning bends

  and 9 right-turning bends

  还有九条不同长度的直道。

  as well as 9 sections of straight track

  of different lengths.

  王渊源:看来这个国际赛道

  It seems this international circuit

  还真是很考验车手的技术水平。

  is a real test of racers’ driving skills.

  韩佳: 嗯。

  Yes.

  王渊源:观众朋友,大家好,

  Hi, audience friends,

  我现在所在的位置是

  right now we are at

  上海国际赛车场。

  Shanghai International Circuit.

  待会儿呢,我们将为您直播。

  In a moment, we’ll be televising

  live from here.

  你等会儿,我正在直播呢。

  Wait a moment, I’m broadcasting live.

  待会儿呢,我们将为您直播。

  In a moment, we’ll be televising

  live from here.

  韩佳: 渊源,你要直播什么呀?

  Yuanyuan, what are you

  broadcasting live?

  王渊源:要直播…

  I’m broadcasting …

  要直播我们“万里海疆快乐行”

  broadcasting the Happy Journey

  across China event.

  在F1赛车场的拍摄情况啊。

  at the F-1 racetrack.

  韩佳: 你反应倒挺快的嘛!

  Your reflexes are so quick!

  准确地说,

  To be more precise,

  我们现在所在的位置

  our position right now is

  是赛场的新闻中心,对吧?

  at the circuit’s press center, right?

  嘉宾: 对的。我们新闻中心

  Yes. Our press center

  总共可以容纳五百名记者

  can accommodate 500 journalists

  同时办公。

  working simultaneously.

  王渊源:“容纳”指方便地、不拥挤地装载。

  ”Rongna” means to have the capacity

  for or accommodate.

  Zhèli kěyǐ róngnà wǔbǎi míng jìzhě

  这里 可以 容纳 五百 名 记者。

  This place can accommodate

  500 reporters.

  我看那边的座位

  I think the seats over there

  设计得特别漂亮。

  were all prettily designed.

  嘉宾: 对啊。

  Yes.

  这边是我们的主看台。

  This side is our grandstand.

  它主要由我们的主看台

  It is mainly composed of

  the grandstand,

  和下面三楼的VIP包厢组成的,

  the VIP private boxes on the

  third floor below

  然后上面还有四十间媒体解说室。

  and 40 news media broadcasting

  studios upstairs.

  王渊源:那边有圆顶也是看台吗?

  Is that canopied part also

  a spectators’ stand?

  嘉宾: 对,那边是我们的副看台。

  Yes, it is. That’s our sub-grandstand.

  它总共有

  The canopy features

  二十六片荷叶造型的顶棚设计。

  a pattern of 26 lotus leaves.

  韩佳: 还真挺像的。

  They look quite visid.

  旁白: 看来赛车,

  It seems motor racing,

  特别是一级方程式赛车,

  particularly the Formula One racing,

  它所体现出的那种速度感

  embodies the sense of speed

  是其他运动无法比拟的。

  that is incomparable to

  any other sport.

  这一点

  This is

  已经在构思巧妙的赛场设计中

  already fully demonstrated

  得到了充分的体现。

  by the ingenious design

  of this circuit.

  相信

  I’m sure

  对于每一个F1车迷来说,

  every F-1 fan

  都会想亲自体验一下

  would want to get the feel

  那种刺激的速度感。

  of the fast, stimulating speed.

  我和渊源也不例外。

  Yuanyuna and I are no exceptions.

  不过,因为F1

  But as F-1 requires

  对驾驶者的技术要求非常高,

  very strict driving skills,

  所以我们只能乘坐一下

  all we can do

  专门为游客准备的车,

  is to ride the kind of vehicle

  specially prepared for visitors

  能在赛道上跑一跑,

  around the racetrack

  也算满足了

  to satisfy

  我们一个小小的心愿吧。

  our small wishes.

  韩佳: 虽然刚才我们乘坐的不是F1,

  Although the vehicle we rode

  wasn’t an F-1,

  但是那种感觉也是相当的刺激。

  I already felt it stimulating enough.

  王渊源:确实。“刺激”就是指使人非常激动。

  Yes indeed. “Ciji” means to stimulate

  or stimulating.

  韩佳: “刺激”就是指使人非常激动。

  ”Ciji” means to stimulate

  or stimulating.

  王渊源:不过有点遗憾,

  But it’s a pity that

  来到这里没有机会试驾F1。

  we didn’t have a chance to

  drive an F-1.

  韩佳: 虽然不能试驾F1,

  Though we can’t drive

  an F-1 car,

  不过我们可以开开这里的卡丁车。

  we can still drive a kart car here.

  据说,快的卡丁车速度也能达到

  It’s said the speed of a fast

  kart car

  每小时一百公里以上呢。

  exceeds 100 kilometers per hour.

  王渊源:你怎么不早说呀?

  Why didn’t you tell me sooner?

  那咱们赶紧去吧。

  Let’s hurry.

  韩佳: 走。

  Let’s go.

  这个卡丁车的主赛道

  The main racetrack for kart cars

  有一千多米长,有十七个弯道。

  is 1,000 meters long and

  has 17 bends.

  是专门为卡丁车爱好者

  It is a practice venue

  提供的练习场地。

  for kart car lovers.

  王渊源:没错儿。

  Exactly.

  而且这里的车辆有两种。

  And there are two kinds

  of such cars.

  一种是慢车,时速在五十公里左右;

  The slow kind runs about 50 km

  per hour

  一种是快车,速度在一百公里以上,

  and the fast kind runs over 100 km

  per hour,

  适合有驾驶经验的人。

  suitable for experienced drivers.

  韩佳: 因为我们俩都是有驾驶经验的人。

  As both of us are experienced drivers …

  王渊源:没错儿。

  Exactly.

  韩佳: 所以一定要选择慢车。

  We should choose a slow car.

  王渊源:慢车?

  A slow car?

  韩佳: 慢车安全啊。

  A slow car is much safer.

  王渊源:哦,对对,安全第一。

  Oh, yeah, safety is first priority.

  韩佳: 观众朋友们,

  Audience friends,

  那我和渊源

  now Yuanyuan and I

  现在就要在这个赛道上较量一番了。

  would have a race along this racetrack.

  您就在赏心悦目中

  Please cheer us on

  为我们呐喊助威吧。

  in the Feast for the Eyes.

  赏心悦目:

  上海国际赛车场位于嘉定区境内

  The Shanghai International Circuit is located

  in Jiading District.

  国际上最先进 最具挑战性的F1赛道

  It boasts the world’s most advanced and most

  challenging F-1 racetrack.

  精致的看台 成为赛场上一道亮丽的风景线

  The top-class spectators’ stand is a highlight

  of the circuit.

  赛场设计体现出中西文化的融合

  The design of the racetrack embodies a combination

  of Chinese and Western cultures.

  内部通讯设施配置堪称世界一流

  It has first-rate communications facilities.

  感受紧张 惊险 刺激的场面

  Get a feel for nerves, thrills and stimulations

  体验卡丁车休闲驾驶的乐趣

  and experience the fun of kart driving.

  新兴的汽车文化为上海增添了蓬勃生机

  The burgeoning auto culture has increased

  vitality for Shanghai’s development.

  韩佳: 这卡丁车真是太好玩了。

  Oh, karting is so much fun.

  王渊源:是啊。我们那一圈

  Yeah. Neither of us was

  the winner

  基本上没有分出胜负。

  after the first round.

  韩佳: 我知道。

  I know that.

  你肯定是想再来一圈吧?

  You definitely want another round?

  王渊源:好,来吧。

  Yes, come on.

  韩佳: 等等。

  Wait a minute.

  今天的任务还没完成呢。

  We haven’t accomplished our

  today’s task yet.

  王渊源:哦,

  Oh,

  是该出今天的有奖问答题吧?

  it’s time to set a awarding question

  for today, right?

  韩佳: 您听好了。

  Listen carefully.

  今天的题目是这样的。

  Here’s today’s question.

  (问题部分略)

  王渊源:别忘了我们的口号。

  Don’t forget our slogan.

  合: 学说中国话,朋友遍天下!

  Learn Chinese and make friends everywhere!

  韩佳: 再赛一圈。

  Let’s compete for another round.

  王渊源:再来吧。

  Okay.

  韩佳: 走。

  Let’s go.

(Source: cctv.com)

Chinese Pinyin – Street Sign Styles(5)

Monday, March 31st, 2008

Nánjīng E. Rd. Sec. 4

Although tones are an essential component of Mandarin Chinese, street signs need to be able to be read in a single, quick glance. Tone marks could lessen legibility in this case. This is something that deserves further study.

(Source: pinyin.info)