Archive for April 8th, 2008

Chinese Conversation – lesson 40

Tuesday, April 8th, 2008

人类经常会互相残杀。在战争中,数以百万计的人有可能被他人杀掉。但动物很少会杀死自己的同类。比如,公狼可能要靠一场惨烈的打斗来决定谁是领头,可失败的狼也只是躺倒投降。输掉的狼不会被杀

People often kill each other. In wars, millions of people may be killed by other humans. But animals rarely kill their own kind. Male wolves, for example, may have a bloody fight to decide who will lead the pack. But the loser just lies down on his back and surrenders. The loser is not killed.

(Source: wwenglish.com)

Cri – Lesson 100

Tuesday, April 8th, 2008

M: Péngyǒumen, nǐmen hǎo! Huānyíng nǐmen dào Xiànzài Xué Hànyǔ. Wǒ shì ML.

S: Dàjiā hǎo, wǒ shì Stuart. Today it’s a 复习课revision lesson,fùxí kè. And we arrived at the Summer Palace. Wǒmen dào le Yíhéyuán.

M. Where do we go to buy tickets? 我们去哪儿买票?wǒmen qǜ nǎr mǎi piào?

S. 去那儿 qù nǎr.

M. Ok, I’ll go buy two tickets 好,我去买两张票 wǒ qù mǎi liǎng zhāng piào.

S. She’s bought the tickets. 她买了票 tā mǎi le piào. Good, now we’ll go in, 进去. 好了,我们进去 hǎo le, wǒmen jìn qù.

M. Where’s the entrance? 入口在哪儿 rùkǒu zài nǎr?

S. 入口在那儿 rùkǒu zài nǎr.

S. Now we’re in the Yíhéyuán. 现在我们在颐和园里 xiàn zài wǒmen zài Yíhéyuán lǐ.

M. Let’s take a photo. 我们照张相,好不好?wǒmen zhàoxiàng, hǎo bù hǎo.

S. 好。我们在哪儿照相 wǒmen zài nǎr zhàoxiàng?

M. Here’s good. 这里好 zhèlǐ hǎo.

S. But there’s better. 但是,那边更好 dàn shì, nàbian gèng hǎo.

M. I feel that here’s better 我觉得这里更好 zhèlǐ bǐjiào hǎo.

S. I reckon, rènwéi, there’s better than here. 我认为,那边比这里好 wǒ rènwéi, nà biān bǐ zhèlǐ hǎo.

M. But the best place is over there. 但是,最好的地方是那边 dànshì, zuìhǎo de dìfang shì nèibian.

S. 对了,那边是最好的地方 nèibian shì zuì hǎo de dìfang.

S. So you remember ‘take a photo’. 照相 ZHAO XIANG zhàoxiàng.

M. And ‘let’s take a photo, ok?’. 我们照张相,好不好 wǒmen zhàoxiàng, hǎo bù hǎo?

S. And ‘here’s good 这里好 ZHE LI zhè lǐ, like zhèr, means ‘here’. Here’s good, zhèlǐ hǎo, zhèlǐ hǎo.

M. And how to say, ‘good, better, best’ in Hànyǚ. Good. 好 hǎo, 更好 gèng hǎo, 最好 zuì hǎo.

S. And, I reckon there’s better than here. 我认为,那边比这里好 wǒ rènwéi, nà biān bǐ zhèlǐ hǎo.

M. But the best place, dìfang, place, is over there. 但是,最好的地方是那边 dànshì, zuìhǎo de dìfang shì nàbian.

S. So, we’ll take photos over there. 所以, 我们在那边照相 suǒyǐ, wǒmen zài nàbian zhàoxiàng.

M. And we argued about whose camera, zhàoxiàngjī, is best. MARY. 我的照相机很好 wǒ de zhàoxiàngjī hěn hǎo.

M. 但是,我的照相机更好 dàn shì, wǒ de zhàoxiàngjī gèng hǎo. ZJG. 不过,我的相机是最好的 búguò, wǒ de xiàngjī shì zuì hǎo de.

M. And we learnt 更 gèng, which turns an adjective like ‘good’ into ‘even better’, gèng hǎo, gèng hǎo, or an adverb like ‘fast’, kuài, into ‘even faster’ gèng kuài, gèng kuài.

S. Which brings us to the end of our revision lesson. Zàijiàn.

M: Zàijiàn!

 

(Source:english.cri.cn)

Learn Chinese Podcast – Happy China 107

Tuesday, April 8th, 2008
 
 

  Click to Watch Video Podcast

  (1月31日播出)

  旁白: 昨天,我们带着大家

  Yesterday, we took you

  看了很多乌镇的古迹,

  on a tour of Wuzhen’s many

  historical sites,

  了解了这里丰富的文化内涵。

  helping you understand the town’s

  rich cultural tradition.

  不知道今天等待我们的

  I’m wondering what

  又会是什么呢。

  is waiting for us today.

  韩佳: 快乐学汉语,

  Learn Chinese the fun way

  万里海疆行!

  and enjoy a Happy Journey

  across China!

  大家好,我是快乐的韩佳。

  Hi, I’m Merry Han Jia.

  王渊源:我是快乐的渊源。

  And I’m Happy Yuanyuan.

  韩佳: 渊源,你去哪儿了?

  Yuanyuan, where have you been?

  王渊源:我…

  I …

  韩佳: 你倒是说呀。怎么了?

  Tell me, please. What’s up?

  王渊源:刚才导演交给我们一项任务,

  The director assigned us

  a task,

  说要在太阳下山之前一定要完成。

  said to be accomplished

  before sundown.

  韩佳: 什么任务啊?

  What task?

  王渊源:他说让我们在乌镇

  He said each of us

  has to learn

  各学一门手艺。

  a trade here in Wuzhen.

  韩佳: 学一门手艺啊,这个简单。

  Learning a trade is easy.

  “门”在这里是个量词。

  ”Men” here is a measure word.

  我们在说到功课、技术的时候呢

  We can use it when talking

  about subjects

  常常会用到它。

  or skills.

  王渊源:“门”是个量词,

  So “men” can be a

  measure word

  在说到功课、技术的时候会用到它。

  that is used for subjects

  or skills.

  Wǒmen yào zài zhèli gè xué yì mén shǒuyi

  我们 要 在 这里 各 学 一 门 手艺。

  We each want to learn a trade here.

  韩佳,你说咱们在乌镇

  Han Jia, do you think

  能学到手艺吗?

  we can learn a trade

  in Wuzhen?

  韩佳: 当然能了。没问题的。

  Of course, we can.

  No problem.

  渊源,你有没有闻到一股味道?

  Yuanyuan, do you smell

  an aroma?

  王渊源:什么味道啊?

  What aroma?

  韩佳: 酱香的味道。

  The aroma of soy paste.

  王渊源:酱香?

  The aroma of soy paste?

  韩佳: 嗯,没错了。渊源,

  Yes, exactly. Yuanyuan,

  就是这里的味道。

  the smell comes right

  from here.

  王渊源:还挺香的呀!

  It’s really sweet-smelling!

  韩佳: 嗯。

  Yes.

  王渊源:这些都是什么东西啊?

  What’s all this stuff in here?

  韩佳: 这缸里都是一些酱。

  It’s all soy bean paste

  in these vats.

  乌镇的名吃

  Wuzhen’s famous marinated chicken,

  酱鸡、酱鸭、酱羊肉,

  marinated duck and marinated lamb

  都是用这些酱烧制而成的。

  are all cooked with this kind

  of soy paste.

  王渊源:那这种酱又是由什么做成的呢?

  What is this soy paste made of?

  韩佳: 它是由黄豆暴晒发酵而成的。

  It is made of sun-dried and

  fermented soybeans.

  王渊源:哦,就是说这些酱缸里边

  Oh, that means what’s

  in these vats

  都是一些发酵过的黄豆啊?

  are all fermented soybeans, right?

  韩佳: 没错儿。

  Exactly.

  王渊源:哎,这上面铺的白色的东西

  Eh, what is the white stuff

  是什么呀?

  covering the top?

  韩佳: 这是丝绵。

  It’s silk floss.

  在上面铺上丝绵,

  The silk floss padding

  就可以让里面的酱料

  can prevent the soy paste

  免受外界的污染了。

  from contamination.

  王渊源:要不我就学这门做酱的手艺呀?

  What do you think if I learn

  the skill of making soy paste?

  韩佳: 哟,那可不行。

  Oh, that’s impossible.

  做酱的最佳季节是在夏季。

  Summer is the season to

  make soy paste.

  我们现在已经错过了。

  We don’t have the chance

  for that.

  王渊源:那真可惜啊!

  What a pity!

  那我们再找别的地方学手艺去。

  Let’s go somewhere else to

  learn a different skill.

  韩佳: 好啊。

  Good.

  王渊源:哎,韩佳,这是什么呀?

  Eh, Han Jia, what’s this?

  里面好像有东西啊。

  There seems to be something

  in it.

  韩佳: 这个是蚕茧啊。

  They are silkworm cocoons.

  王渊源:那是不是可以用它们来做丝绸啊?

  Can they be made into silk fabrics?

  韩佳: 对啊。

  Yes.

  不过先要把它们

  But silk fibers

  经过缫丝这道工艺过程,

  have to be reeled

  然后才能织丝绸。

  before they can be woven

  into silk fabrics.

  师傅,您好。

  Mrs., nice to see you.

  嘉宾: 您好。

  Good to see you.

  王渊源:我们是想知道

  We’d like to know something

  这个缫丝是怎么回事。

  about silk reeling.

  嘉宾: 缫丝主要是先经过茧部车间。

  Silk reeling is done in the silkworm

  cocoon workshop.

  把茧子选出来以后,

  The selected silkworm cocoons

  经过蒸汽加温

  have to be heated

  煮出来的茧子。

  in near-boiling water.

  就放到这个车上来做。

  The reeling is done on

  this machine.

  古代的时候是用手脚并用的。

  Both hands and feet were used

  in ancient times.

  韩佳: 那我就学这个了。

  Then I’ll just learn this.

  先是踩这个。

  Step on this first.

  嘉宾: 掉几个,

  Always keep the number of

  cocoons up here

  就黏几个上去,

  equal to that of cocoons

  down below

  这样丝的粗细就均匀了。

  so that the thickness of

  silk thread will be even.

  韩佳: 怎么样,渊源?

  What do you think, Yuanyuan?

  技术还不错吧?

  Is my skill not bad?

  一会儿我们就要拿这些丝

  In a moment, I’ll use these

  spindles of silk

  去织丝绸了。

  to weave some silk fabrics.

  王渊源:韩佳倒学得挺好。我可怎么办呀?

  Han Jia is learning so well.

  What should I do?

  总得找门适合小伙子学的手艺呀。

  I have to find a skill suitable

  for a young man.

  师傅,您好。

  Hello, Sir.

  我是来和您学艺的。

  I’m here to learn a skill

  from you.

  您能教教我怎么做铁锅吗?

  Can you teach me how to

  make a wok?

  嘉宾: 行啊。

  Sure.

  那我们就从最简单的开始吧。

  We have to start from

  some basics.

  王渊源:好。您说吧。

  Okay. Just tell me how.

  嘉宾: 我们现在就是把这个焦炭

  We have to grind the coke

  局部的磨成粉。

  into powder.

  王渊源:不行。太累了呀!

  Oh, no. It’s too tiring!

  我这么用力地磨。

  I’ve been grinding so hard.

  怎么还没有磨成铁粉哪。

  But I’ve barely made any

  iron powder.

  这么大一块!

  It’s such a big chunk!

  嘉宾: 别着急。

  Take it easy.

  心急吃不了热豆腐。

  A watched pot never boils.

  慢慢来吧。

  Take your time.

  王渊源:我在磨铁粉,

  But I’m making iron powder,

  我又没吃豆腐。

  not eating any bean curd.

  嘉宾: 慢慢地磨。

  Grind it patiently.

  韩佳: “心急吃不了热豆腐”

  ”Xin ji chibuliao re doufu”

  是一句俗语。

  is a common saying.

  就是说你越是心急,

  It means the more impatient

  you are,

  就越不能把急需办成的事情做好。

  the less likely you are able to

  complete an urgent task.

  王渊源:“心急吃不了热豆腐”

  So “xin ji chibuliao re doufu”

  就是说你越是心急,

  means the more impatient

  you are,

  就越不能把急需办成的事情做好。

  the less likely you are able to

  complete an urgent task.

  不过我不着急不行啊。

  But I can’t be too patient.

  咱们的时间是有限的。

  Our time is limited.

  我半天什么都没学成啊。

  After such a long time, I haven’t

  learned anything at all.

  韩佳: 这个渊源啊!

  Poor Yuanyuan!

  一眨眼工夫,

  In the wink of an eye,

  就不知道跑哪儿去了。

  he is nowhere to be seen.

  这里地方这么大。

  It’s such a big place.

  让我上哪儿找啊?

  Where could I find him?

  哎,不过还好,

  But fortunately,

  我已经学会缫丝了。

  I’ve already learned silk reeling.

  那我就先在这家茶楼休息一会儿。

  I’ll take a rest at this teahouse.

  喝杯茶,一会儿再去找他吧。

  I’ll drink a cup of tea and

  look for him later.

  王渊源:这位小姐,您好。

  Hello, miss.

  请问您喝点什么呢?

  What do you want for

  a drink?

  韩佳; 给我来一杯杭白菊吧。

  A cup of Hang White

  Chrysanthemum Tea.

  王渊源:好。这杭白菊

  Good. Hang White Chrysanthemum

  Tea

  您算选对了。

  was a nice choice.

  它可是我们这儿的特产哪。

  It is one of our special

  native products.

  韩佳: 是吗?渊源,你怎么在这儿啊?

  Really? Oh, Yuanyuan,

  why are you here?

  王渊源:我来这儿学艺啊。

  I’m learning a trade here.

  韩佳: 你到这儿来学什么艺呀?

  What trade are you learning here?

  王渊源:当服务员也算学艺嘛。

  Being a waiter is also

  learning a trade.

  韩佳: 那好吧。

  Okay.

  给我来一杯地道的杭白菊。

  Give me a cup of authentic Hang

  White Chrysanthemum Tea.

  王渊源:好,她要一杯地道的杭白菊!

  Okay, she wants a cup of authentic

  Hang White Chrysanthemum Tea!

  “地道”就是指正宗的。

  ”Didao” means authentic.

  韩佳: “地道”就是指正宗的、纯正的。

  ”Didao” means authentic or genuine.

  Zhèli de hángbáijú hěn dìdao

  这里 的 杭白菊 很 地道。

  The chrysanthemum tea here is

  very authentic.

  王渊源:好嘞,马上好了。

  Okay, it’ll be ready instantly.

  韩佳: 杭白菊的花期非常短,

  The flowering season of

  the Hang White

  季节性又很强。

  Chrysanthemum is very short.

  所以在这个时候呢,

  So at this time,

  我们已经看不到它开花的样子了。

  we can’t see their flowers.

  不过您也别失望。

  But don’t feel disappointed.

  我们的摄像师特意赶在它的花期

  Our cameraman snapped some

  nice shots

  拍摄下了它最漂亮的样子。

  during the plant’s flowering season.

  一会儿我们可以慢慢欣赏。

  We’ll take our time to enjoy

  them later.

  王渊源:茶来了。

  The tea is coming.

  韩佳: 谢谢。

  Thank you.

  王渊源:我也来喝一杯。

  Let me drink a cup too.

  韩佳: 好了,那现在就让我们一起

  Well, now let’s take our time

  慢慢地品味菊花茶,

  to savor the chrysanthemum tea

  观看今天的赏心悦目吧。

  while enjoying today’s Feast

  for the Eyes.

  赏心悦目:

  各色传统工艺

  Wuzhen boasts

  是乌镇的一大特色

  a variety of traditional skills and crafts.

  酱菜制作方法独特

  The unique Wuzhen pickles

  食之回味无穷

  are known for their lingering aftertastes.

  手工铁锅已经极为少见

  The increasingly rare iron woks made here

  百炼钢方成绕指柔

  are of fine workmanship and durable.

  手织布工艺考究

  The homespun fabrics here

  青底白花 分外素雅

  feature a blue background and white flowers.

  杭白菊可赏可食

  The Hang White Chrysanthemum

  赏之悦目 食之舒心

  can be also processed into a kind of tea.

  王渊源:咱们的任务总算是全部完成了。

  We’ve finally fulfilled our task.

  韩佳: 不对,还差一点儿。

  No, except for one thing.

  今天的有奖问答题还没有出呢。

  We haven’t set today’s award-winning

  question yet.

  王渊源:哦,对。

  Oh, right.

  今天的题目是这样的。

  Here’s today’s question.

  (问题部分略)

  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: 明天见。

  See you tomorrow.

    (Source: cctv.com)