Archive for July 27th, 2008

Beijing Olympic – Olympic co-host city Qinhuangdao combines the Games and the beach

Sunday, July 27th, 2008

The 2008 Beijing Olympics belongs not only to metropolises with skyscrapers and flyovers.

There’s another choice that could allow you to enjoy a beach vacation without missing the excitement of the Games, just two hours by train from Beijing.

Qinhuangdao, a co-host city of the 2008 Games, is one of the few seaside resorts in northern China.

Bordered on the north by Yanshan Mountain and the south by the Bohai Sea, it provides tourists with a 126 km coastline.

Qinhuangdao is the only city in China that takes its name after the ancient emperor. Legends say that the first emperor of the QinDynasty traveled east to the coast after he united China and then sent envoys to the sea in search of methods for immortality. Thus,the name of the city.

On the city’s southern coast, a huge statue of the first emperor stands high, holding a cup of wine to the sea, as if to propose a toast.

The Great Wall originates here. Dubbed the “head of the dragon,” the moss-covered brick wall rose up from the sea, high up westward onto the mountain, to the first fortress — Shanhaiguan, or literally the “Mountain and Sea Pass”.

It was once the most important stronghold of China. More than 300 years ago, northern nomads entered the gate and conquered the country. They established the last dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing Dynasty.

As a World Cultural Heritage site, the fortress has preserved intact the architecture of ancient defense, including a watch tower.

Back to the present: the city’s coast has the softest, finest sand in northern China.

You can buy all sorts of live, fresh seafood at very reasonable prices in the market, bring them to any restaurant and pay a few yuan to get the meal cooked. It’s a delight to sit in the sea air, eating crabs and chatting with your friends and family.

The city has built a special Olympic theme park, where you can find the hand and foot prints of 30 Chinese Olympic champions. The Olympic Sports Center Stadium, where the soccer games will be played, is near the sea.

The audience can get a clear view of the sea while sitting inside the stadium, the only Olympic facility to provide this experience.

(Source: en.beijing2008.cn)

Learn Chinese Podcast – Happy China 217

Sunday, July 27th, 2008

   

 

                               Click to Watch Video Podcas

   旁白: 一大早,

    Early in the morning,

    我们坐轮渡来到了广东省

    we took a ferryboat and arrived

    惟一的海岛县——南澳。

    in Nan’ao, the only island county

    in Guangdong.

    全县由南澳岛、南澎列岛等

    The county consists of 23 islands,

    including Nan’ao

    二十三个岛屿组成。

    and the Nanpeng Archipelago.

    这里被誉为“粤东明珠”。

    These islands are dubbed the Bright

    Pearls in eastern Guangdong.

    对了,还充满着神秘的色彩。

    And yes, they are also full

    of mystery.

    韩佳: 快乐学汉语,

    Let’s 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。

    Hello, I’m Merry Han Jia.

    您问我的搭档上哪儿去了呀?

    Are you asking me where

    my co-host is?

    他呀…

    Well, he …

    王渊源:我在这儿呢。

    Here I am.

    我在这儿。

    I’m here.

    我刚才不是说了嘛,

    As I just said,

    这南澳可是充满着神秘色彩的。

    Nan’ao is a mysterious place.

    大家不知道了吧,

    Perhaps you don’t know

    我现在就站在南澳岛

    right now I’m standing on

    a small island

    东北方向的一个小岛上。

    northeast of Nan’ao.

    人称“金银岛”。

    People call is Jinyin Dao, the

    island of gold and silver.

    据说这里是明朝海盗吴平

    It is said to be the place where

    藏金藏银的地方。

    the Ming Dynasty pirate Wu Ping

    hid his gold and silver.

    可是这金子银子都藏在哪里了?

    But where did he hide his

    gold and silver?

    韩佳: 嗬,跑这儿寻宝贝来了!

    Huh, you’re here hunting

    for treasures!

    王渊源:韩佳,

    Han Jia,

    你说这吴平也真是的。

    don’t you think Wu Ping

    was unreasonable?

    他干吗非得要把宝贝都藏起来呢?

    Shy did he hide away all

    those treasures?

    韩佳: 这可就说来话长了。

    Oh, this is a long story.

    吴平当年在南澳岛安营扎寨,

    After Wu Ping set up camp

    on Nan’ao Island,

    明朝官兵跟他交过几次手

    Ming government troops launched

    several attacks on him

    都没有取胜。

    but failed to capture him.

    最后,只能派出有名的将领

    Later the government sent the

    famous General

    戚继光前来助战。

    Qi Jiguang to assist in the fighting.

    戚继光研究了地形之后,

    After studying the topography here,

    前后夹击,官兵获胜了。

    he launched a pincer attack and

    defeated the enemy.

    那吴平舍不得

    But Wu Ping hated to

    part with

    他十几年夺来的宝贝。

    the treasures he had plundered over

    a period of more than ten years.

    于是就跟妹妹把它们分成十八罐,

    So together with his sister, he

    put those treasures into 18 jars

    用小船运到了这座岛上,

    and carried them by boat

    to this island

    藏在了不同的地方。

    and hid them in different places.

    王渊源:那那些金银财宝

    So those gold and silver treasures

    就只好留给我来挖了!

    have to be dug out only

    by me!

    不过这岛这么大

    But it’s such a large island

    也没个线索,

    and without any clues,

    上哪儿去挖呢?

    where should I go for the dig?

    韩佳: “线索”这个词是个名词。

    The word “xiansuo” is a noun.

    比喻事情发展的脉络

    It means clue,

    或者是探求问题的途径。

    or thread.

    王渊源:“线索”比喻事情发展的脉络

    So “xiansuo” means clue,

    或者是探求问题的途径。

    or thread.

    讲了半天“线索”这个词儿,

    Despite our explanation of “xiansuo”,

    可是还是没个线索呀!

    there is still not any clues

    for me!

    韩佳: 谁说的。

    I didn’t say so.

    当地人流传着这样一句寻宝的谚语

    According to a local saying about the

    caches of these treasures, which goes:

    “潮涨淹不着

    ”They are not inundated when

    the tide rises,

    潮退淹三尺”

    but are submerged when the

    tide ebbs”,

    那有人就推测,

    some people guess

    这个藏宝的地方

    there is both seawater

    肯定是一个既有海水又有淡水的地方。

    and freshwater near those caches.

    你想啊…

    So you can imagine …

    哎,怎么跑了?

    Hey, why are you running away?

    旁白: 一个地方既有海水又有淡水,

    A place both with seawater

    and freshwater

    这可不太好找。

    is really hard to find.

    我打听来打听去,

    But after I asked several people,

    竟然听说,

    sure enough, I heard,

    真有个海水、淡水在一起的地方。

    there is a place which has both

    seawater and freshwater.

    那寻宝这事儿就先放放,

    Well, let’s put the treasure

    hunt aside

    还是叫韩佳去看看这处奇景吧。

    and ask Han Jia to take a look

    at that strange site.

    王渊源:原来这既有海水又有淡水的地方

    Actually the place both with

    seawater and freshwater

    是海边的一口井啊。

    is a well at the seaside.

    韩佳: 对呀。

    Yes.

    看它的名字就知道,

    Its name tells us that

    这口井是在宋朝的时候开凿的,

    this well was dug in the Song Dynasty

    距今已经有七百多年的历史了。

    more than 700 years ago.

    王渊源:可是干吗要在海边凿一口井呢?

    But why was a well like this

    dug at this seaside?

    韩佳: 七百多年前,

    Over 700 years ago,

    南宋皇帝的兵被打败,

    after his imperial troops

    suffered a defeat,

    一路南逃来到南澳。

    the emperor of the Southern Song Dynasty

    fled all the way down to Nan’ao.

    为了饮水的需要,

    To solve the need for

    drinking water,

    他们就在这一带挖了三口井,

    they dug three wells in this area

    这口井就是其中之一。

    and this is one of them.

    王渊源:这井离海边可够近的呀。

    This well is so close to

    the sea.

    潮起潮落,

    Will the well be submerged

    就不怕海水把井淹没了?

    by the rising sea tide?

    韩佳: 这口井虽然在沙滩上,

    Though this well, located

    on the beach,

    而且又常常被海水跟沙子淹没,

    is often covered by seawater

    and sand,

    但是等到退潮之后,

    when the tide ebbs,

    这井里的水

    the well water is still just as

    照样儿还那么甘甜可口,

    sweet and tasty as before,

    一点儿咸味儿都没有。

    and not at all salty.

    王渊源:等等。

    Wait, wait.

    你刚才说的“照样儿”,

    Just now you said “zhaoyangr”.

    照什么样儿啊?

    What does “zhaoyangr” mean?

    韩佳: 我刚才说的“照样儿”是个动词,

    The word “zhaoyangr” is a verb,

    表示还跟原来一样的意思。

    which means as before, or

    in the same way.

    王渊源:“照样儿”表示还跟原来一样的意思。

    So “zhaoyangr” means as before,

    or in the same way.

    Cháo tuì zhīhòu jǐng shuǐ zhàoyàngr gāntián kěkǒu

    潮 退 之后, 井水 照样儿 甘甜 可口。

    The well water is still just as sweet

    and tasty even after the tide ebbs.

    旁白: 南澳因为风景美、

    Nan’ao is reputed for its

    beautiful scenery

    古迹多而闻名。

    and many historical sites.

    其实,除了这些之外,

    But, in addition to that,

    南澳也有一处

    there is also a place here

    充满了现代化气息的地方。

    which is filled with a

    modern atmosphere.

    那就是位于果老山上的风能发电厂。

    That is the Wind Power Plant on

    Guolao Mountain.

    王渊源:刚才我在车上

    Just now I already saw

    in the car

    就看见这些直立着的大风车呀。

    these “zhi li” windmills.

    韩佳: 渊源,

    Yuanyuan,

    在这里用“矗立”这个动词更适合。

    here you’d better use “chuli”.

    “矗立”就是指又高又直地立着。

    ”Chuli” means to stand tall

    and upright.

    王渊源:“矗立”就是指又高又直地立着。

    So “chuli” means to stand tall

    and upright.

    那让我来造个句子吧。

    Let me make a sentence.

    韩佳: 好啊。

    Okay.

    Shānfēng shang chùlì zhe yí gè gè dà fēngchē

    山峰 上 矗立 着 一 个 个 大 风车。

    There are many large windmills standing

    tall and upright on the mountaintop.

    王渊源:这上面的风可真大呀!

    The wind up here is so strong!

    韩佳: 是啊。

    Yes.

    这南澳向来就有“风县”之称。

    Nan’ao is always known as

    a windy county.

    因为它正好处于

    As it is situated on the

    southwestern side

    台湾海峡喇叭口的西南端,

    of funnel-shaped Taiwan Straits,

    所以风势特别大。

    the wind here is extremely strong.

    1986年,

    In 1986,

    潮汕的一位专家刘家澄,

    a scientist in the Zhaozhou area,

    Liu Jiacheng,

    对南澳的气侯特点进行了调查研究。

    carried out a study of the climatic

    characteristics of Nan’ao.

    后来发现

    He found

    在这里建造风能发电厂的条件十分优越。

    the place had advantages for building

    a wind power plant.

    现在这里已经有一百三十二台发电机了。

    At present there are 132 generators here.

    成为了仅次于新疆大坂风电场的

    This wind farm is China’s second

    largest of its kind

    中国第二大风电场。

    next to the Daban Wind Farm

    in Xinjiang.

    王渊源:那这岛上的居民可就受益了呀。

    So the islanders here have

    benefited from this project.

    韩佳: 不只是岛上的居民受益。

    The islanders are not the

    only beneficiaries.

    岛上的电力一旦有剩余,

    Once there is a surplus of

    power on the island,

    还可以通过海底电缆输送到大陆去呢。

    it can be transmitted through undersea

    cables to the continent.

    王渊源:那可真是功劳无限大,

    Its contribution is just great,

    造福千万家呀!

    benefiting tens of thousands

    of homes!

    赏心悦目:

    南澳是广东省惟一的海岛县

    Nan’ao is the only island county

    in Guangdong.

    风光旖旎 古迹众多

    It is reputed for its beautiful scenery and

    numerous sites of historical interest

    充满神秘色彩的金银岛上流传着传奇故事

    There is a legend about the mysterious

    Jinyin Island.

    与海水咫尺相隔的宋井中涌流出汩汩甘泉

    The water in a Song Dynasty well near

    the sea still tastes sweet today.

    叠翠的峰峦 无际的蓝天

    Against the backdrop of green hills and

    a blue sky,

    衬托着远处近处的风车塔影

    there are tall windmills far and near.

    极目四望 海天一色 山海相依

    A glimpse of the surrounding sea and sky

    令人心旷神怡 流连忘返

    makes people totally relaxed and refreshed.

    韩佳: 好,看过了“南粤明珠”

    Well, after we watched the

    beautiful scenery

    美丽的风光之后呢,

    of this bright pearl, Nan’ao,

    又到了我们的有奖问答时间了。

    now it’s time again to answer our

    award-winning question.

    王渊源:没错。请您听好。

    Absolutely. Listen carefully.

    今天的问答题是这样的。

    Here’s today’s question.

    (问题部分略)

    其实,要是能把那些宝贝真的挖出来,

    In fact, if we could really dig out

    those treasures,

    那大家就能收到更特别的礼物了!

    the gift for you to receive would

    be more special!

    韩佳: 还想着金银岛的那些宝贝哪?

    Still thinking of those treasures

    on Jinyin Island?

    王渊源:我开个玩笑嘛。

    I was just kidding.

    韩佳: 好了,

    Okay,

    那我们今天的节目到这里就要结束了。

    our program for today has to

    end here.

    明天的节目会更加精彩。

    Our program for tomorrow will

    be even more wonderful.

    千万不要错过哦!

    So be sure not to miss it!

    王渊源:也别忘了我们的口号。

    And also don’t forget our slogan.

    合: 学说中国话,朋友遍天下!

    Learn Chinese and make friends everywhere!

(Source: cctv.com)

Cri – Lesson 32

Sunday, July 27th, 2008

Yajie: Perfect Chinese your way in only five minutes a day. 大家好. Welcome to Chinese Studio. This is Yajie.
Cam: 大家好, and this is Cam. We learned how to ask the location of something last time.  But when I say yin hang zai nar, which means “where is the bank”, what would the answer be?
Yajie: Good question.  Let’s check today’s Key Words of the Day.

 

***********Key words of the day
Today we’ll learn more about directions. 离, away from; 这儿, here; 多远, how far; 医院离这儿多远?How far is the hospital from here? “往前走两百米” Walk straight two hundred meters. All in today’s Chinese Studio. 
***********

Yajie: 离 means away from.
Cam: 离 (li).
Yajie: 离, l-i, the second tone.
Cam: 离 (lí). This is confusing because li, in the second tone, also means pear,right?
Yajie: Yes, but they are different characters.
Cam: I see.  So how do I say “here” in Chinese?
Yajie:  It’s这儿. and 那儿 means there.
Cam:  jar – nar
Yajie: Right. 多远,  means how far is …?
Cam: 多, d-u-o, the first tone; 远, y-u-a-n, the third tone.
Yajie: Right. 多远, how far is …?
Cam: 多远 (duō yuǎn).
Yajie: 离这儿多远?
Cam: 离这儿多远?(li zher duo yuan) means how far from here?  So I could say chao shi li zher duo yuan, right?  That means How far is the supermarket from here?
Yajie:  Right!

Conversations (1)
(1)—- 医院离这儿多远?(男)
—-往前走一百米。(女)
(2) —- 医院离这儿多远?(女)
—-不远,就在前面。(男)
(3) —- 医院离这儿多远?(男)
—-走路五分钟就到了。(女)

Yajie: So if you want to ask how far is a hospital from here, you may say it in this way “医院离这儿多远?” 
Cam: Right. Just put the location at the beginning of the sentence, then add  “离这儿多远?”.
Yajie: 医院离这儿多远?How far is the hospital from here?
Cam: 医院离这儿多远?(yiyuan li zher duo yuan?)
Yajie: And Cam, how would you say:  How far is the post office from here? 
Cam: “邮局离这儿多远?” (youju li zher duo yuan?) Am I right?
Yajie: Yes,and the answer could be the general distance. For example you may say “往前走两百米” which means 200 meters ahead.
Cam: 往前走两百米 (wang qian zou liang bai mi.) What does wang mean?
Yajie:  Wang qian means forward.  Wang is third tone.  Wang.  Qian is second tone.  Qian.  Wang Qian.
Cam:  Wang Qian.  Go forward.  And zou means walk, right?
Yajie:  Yes, zou.  Third tone.  And mi means meters.  Mi, the third tone.  Together, it is wang qian zou liang bai mi.  Walk forward 200 meters.
Yajie: Or you may tell the person how long it will take them to get there.. For instance, you may say “走路十分钟”, ten minutes by walk.
Cam: 走路十分钟 (zou lu shi fenzhong)
Yajie.  Zou means walk, and lu means road.
Cam:  And shi is 10, fenzhong is minutes.  Zou lu shi fenzhong.  It’s a 10 minute walk.

Conversations (2)
(1)—-请问,邮局离这儿多远?(男)
—-往前走两百米。(女)
(2) —-您好,请问邮局离这儿多远?(男)
—-走路十分钟。(女)

Yajie: And to ask how far the supermarket is from here, you can say “超市离这儿多远?”
Cam: 超市离这儿多远?(chaoshi li zher duo yuan?) Last time we also learned the word for bank, which is “银行(yinhang)”.
Yajie: Yes, 银行(yinhang), all in the second tone, bank.
Cam: So how far is the bank from here should be “银行离这儿多远?”, right?
Yajie: Yes. 银行离这儿多远? How far is the bank from here?

Conversations (3)
(1)—-请问,超市离这儿多远?(男)
—-往前走一百米,邮局附近。(女)
(2) —-您好,请问超市离这儿多远?(男)
—-走路五分钟就到了。(女)

**********Key words Reminder
Today we learned more about asking for directions. 离, away from; 这儿, here; 多远, how far; 医院离这儿多远?How far is the hospital from here? “往前走两百米” two hundred meters ahead. “走路十分钟”, ten minutes on foot.
**********

Yajie: As we mentioned before, to be more polite you can add “您好,请问” to the sentences we taught you.
Cam: 您好,请问 (nin hao, qing wen), hello, please may I ask….?
Yajie: Exactly. 您好,请问超市离这儿多远?
Cam: 您好,请问超市离这儿多远?(nin hao, qing wen chaoshi li zher duo yuan?)
Cam: With that we come to the end of this edition of Chinese Studio. Last time we brought up a question of “Where is the post office” The right answer should be “邮局在哪儿?”. Now question for this time:
Yajie: How do the Chinese people say “How far is the hospital from here?”
Cam: You can send us your answer along with questions or comments to Chinese@crifm.com.  That’s Chinese@crifm.com.  Or you can visit us on our website at en.chinabroadcast.cn.
Yajie: Click “Learn Chinese”. You can enjoy other free Chinese-learning programs there.
Cam: Well class is over. 再见!
Yajie: 明天见!

(Source:english.cri.cn)