Archive for October 13th, 2008

Learn Chinese Podcast – Happy China 295

Monday, October 13th, 2008

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     离开钦州,

    After we left Qinzhou,

    我们到达了防城港市。

    we arrived in the city of

    Fangchenggang。

    顾名思义,

    As the name suggests,

    这个城市确实是有一个

    there is indeed a large port

    名为防城港的大型港口。

    called Fangchenggang Port

    in the city。

    而且这个港口

    And this port

    在城市建立之前就已经存在了,

    existed long before the city

    came into being,

    这倒是引起了我们的好奇心。

    which aroused our curiosity。

    这究竟是什么样子的一个港口呢?

    What kind of port is it exactly?

    王渊源:快乐学汉语!

    Learning Chinese the fun way!

    韩佳: 万里海疆行!

    Enjoying the Happy Journey

    along the Coast!

    王渊源:大家好,我是快乐的渊源。

    Hello there! I’m Happy Yuanyuan。

    韩佳: 大家好,我是快乐的韩佳。

    Hi, I’m Merry Han Jia。

    王渊源:韩佳,刚才听你这么一说,

    Han Jia, hearing what you said,

    我还真是闹不明白了。

    I still don’t quite understand。

    一般是先有城市,后有港口。

    Normally a city was built

    before a port was。

    这防城港怎么恰恰相反?

    Why is it just the opposite

    with Fangchenggang?

    韩佳: 我也是刚刚问了别人才知道的。

    I wouldn’t know either had I

    not asked someone。

    这防城港呢是在七十年代的时候,

    Fangchenggang Port was built

    in the 1970s

    为了向别的国家运送重要物资

    for the purpose of transporting

    而专门建立的。

    important goods to other countries。

    然后呢才以港口为中心,

    Then with the port as the center,

    建立起了这座城市。

    a city was gradually built。

    王渊源:哦,原来是这样啊。

    Oh, I see。

    那现在这座港口又起什么作用呢?

    What kind of role does the port

    play currently?

    韩佳: 作用可大了。

    Quite a big role。

    就这么跟你说吧。

    Let me put it this way。

    经广西沿海进出口的货物呢,

    Over 70% of the imported and exported

    goods along the coast of Guangxi

    有百分之七十以上都是由防城港转运的。

    was transported through Fangchenggang Port。

    王渊源:作用那么大呢!

    It plays such a big a role!

    韩佳: 嗯。要不然,

    Yes。 Otherwise,

    这防城港怎么会被称为

    Fangchenggang Port wouldn’t

    have been dubbed

    广西壮族自治区的第一大港口呢。

    the number one port in Guangxi

    Zhuang Autonomous Region。

    王渊源:看来防城港的规模还真是够大的呀!

    It seems Fangchenggang Port

    is quite large!

    韩佳: 那当然了。

    That’s for sure。

    要知道,

    You know,

    这里可是中国的四大水泥中转出口基地

    it is one of China’s four major export

    cement transit ports and

    和三大粮食走廊之一啊。

    one of China’s three major

    “grain corridors”。

    王渊源:哟,这可不简单啊!

    Oh, that’s really something!

    韩佳: 嗯。

    Yes。

    不光是广西的物资从这里进出口,

    While goods are imported and

    exported from here for Guangxi,

    它同时呢

    it is also

    也是中国西南部其他省份

    a convenient port for exports

    比较便捷的出海口。

    from other provinces in

    southwest China。

    王渊源:你说的“便捷”是指?

    What does “bianjie” mean?

    韩佳: “便捷”呢就是指快而方便的意思。

    “Bianjie” means fast and convenient。

    王渊源:“便捷”就是指快而方便的意思。

    So “bianjie” means fast and convenient。

    韩佳: 比如说,便捷的交通、

    For examples, convenient transportation,

    便捷的方法等等。

    a convenient method。

    再比如我们刚才说的,

    Another example just as we said,

    Fáng chéng xiàng shì hěn biànjié de chū hǎi kǒu

    防  城   港  是  很  便捷  的 出  海 口。

    Fangchenggang is a very convenient port。

    王渊源:那这么说

    So the yearly handling capacity

    防城港每年的货物吞吐量可小不了吧?

    must be very huge, right?

    韩佳: 你算是说对了。

    You’re right。

    这防城港的年货物吞吐量

    Fangchenggang’s yearly cargo

    handling capacity

    已经达到了三千万吨。

    has reached 30 million tons。

    虽然防城港的规模已经不小了,

    Although Fangchenggang is

    already very large,

    但是这里还在扩建。

    extension constructions are

    still underway。

    说是预计到2010年的时候,

    It’s said by 2020,

    这里的港口货物吞吐量

    the port’s handling capacity

    会达到六千万吨。

    will have reached 60 million tons。

    王渊源:看来要是再过几年,

    It seems that in a few more

    years‘ time,

    这里的规模不知道会比现在要大多少呢。

    the port will be a lot larger than

    it is today。

    韩佳: 是啊。

    Yes。

    而且有一个地方的规模肯定也会扩大的。

    There is another place which will

    also become bigger。

    王渊源:哦,什么地方?

    Oh, what place?

    韩佳: 跟我来就知道了。

    Come with me if you want

    to know what it is。

    渊源,就是这儿。

    Yuanyuan, it’s right here。

    王渊源:闹了半天,原来是免税店啊。

    I’m surprised that it’s just

    a tax-free shop。

    韩佳: 啊。我来之前就已经打听过了。

    Yes。 I had made enquiries

    before we came。

    这里的东西物美价廉。

    Goods here are excellent at

    modest prices。

    当然要进去看看喽。

    We should certainly get

    in for a look。

    王渊源:“物美价廉” 我知道。

    I know “wu mei jia lian”。

    就是指商品又好又便宜。

    It refers to excellent goods

    at modest prices。

    韩佳: 嗯,没错,没错。

    Yes, exactly。

    “物美价廉”呢就是指商品又好又便宜。

    “Wu mei jia lian” refers to excellent

    goods at modest prices。

    王渊源:不对。

    It’s not right。

    原来你是把我领来逛商店的呀。

    Actually you took me here

    just for shopping。

    韩佳: 我是带你来全面地了解港区。

    I took you here in order for you to

    find out more about this port。

    这么重要的地方哪能落下呀。

    This important place shouldn’t

    be missed。

    王渊源:好好好,那你进去了解吧。

    Okay, you just go inside and

    find it out yourself。

    我在这儿等你总行了吧?

    I’ll be waiting for you out

    here, okay?

    韩佳: 好吧。那我去了。

    Okay。 I’m going。

    不会去太久的。

    I won’t be long。

渊源,渊源。

    Yuanyuan, Yuanyuan。

    王渊源:节目就要结束了。

    Our program has come to

    an end。

    口号不能忘。

    Don’t forget our slogan。

    韩佳: 谁说节目结束了?

    Who said our program has

    come to an end?

    是我回来了。

    I mean I’m just back。

    王渊源:哦,都买什么了吗?

    Oh, what did you buy?

    韩佳: 什么都没买啊。

    I bought nothing。

    王渊源:这么久的时间什么都没买啊?

    You didn’t buy anything while you

    were there for such a long time?

    韩佳: 我是去了解了解。

    I was there only to get

    some information。

    又没说要买东西。

    I didn’t say I wanted to

    buy something。

    走吧。

    Let’s go。

    哼,这个韩佳。

    Humph, Han Jia is quite

    a character。

    让我等那么半天,

    I was waiting such a long time

    结果一点儿东西也没买。

    and she didn’t buy anything。

    好在她说

    The good thing is that she said

    接下来要带我去沙滩上放松放松。

    she would take me to the beach

    to relax a bit。

    嗯,这个还差不多。

    Yeah, that’s about right。

不对。这车怎么往沙滩上开了?

    Oh, no。 Why the car is driving

    on to the sand beach?

    停住!停住!哎!

    Stop! Stop! Oh!

    韩佳: 渊源,你刚才大喊什么呀?

    Yuanyuan, what are you yelling for?

    都把我们吓一跳。

    You startled us。

    王渊源:这不是。。。沙滩?

    Isn’t this a sand beach?

    汽车能在沙滩上开吗?

    Can we drive a car on

    a sand beach?

    你忘了我们上一次在嵊泗,

    Did you forget when we were

    on Shengsi Island,

    费了多大的力气

    how much effort it took us

    才把车从沙滩弄出来了?

    to finally get the car out of

    the sands?

    韩佳: 那不是情况不一样嘛。

    The situation here is different。

    再说了,

    Besides,

    这大平坡的沙滩含有大量的钛金属

    the sand beach in Dapingpo contains

    a lot of titanium and

    非常结实。

    is very firm。

    车是陷不下去的。

    The car won’t get stuck here。

    王渊源:哦,原来是这样的。

    Oh, I see。

    看来我是虚惊了一场。

    It seems I just had a false alarm

韩佳: 嗯。那渊源刚才说的“虚惊”呢

    Yes。 Yuanyuan just said “xujing”,

    就是指事后证明不必要的惊慌。

    which means false alarm。

    王渊源:“虚惊”就是指事后证明不必要的惊慌。

    So “xujing” means false alarm。

    Tā gāngcái xū jīng le yìchǎng

    他  刚才 虚  惊  了  一场。

    He just had a false alarm。á

    韩佳: 渊源,说起来

    Yuanyuan, perhaps

    你还记得我们在澳门看过的沙滩吗。

    you can still recall the sand beach

    we saw in Macao。

    王渊源:是啊。

    Yes。

    那黑沙滩我印象深刻着呢。

    That black sand beach was

    quite impressive to me。

    韩佳: 那北海的沙滩呢?

    What about the sand beach

    in Beihai?

    王渊源:忘不了,那洁白细腻的银滩呢。

    It’s unforgettable, that white

    and fine Silver Beach。

    韩佳: 是啊。

    Yes。

    同样是沙滩,

    They are all sand beaches

    区别还真是挺大的呀。

    but so different from one another。

    王渊源:那才叫各有特色嘛。

    Truly, each has its own

    distinctive feature。

    韩佳,渊源,你们快过来呀。

    Han Jia, Yuanyuan, come over here。

    王渊源:好嘞。

    Okay。

    韩佳: 你看,大伙儿都在喊我们了。

    Look, they are all calling us。

    王渊源:那我们先过去。

    Let’s move over。

    观众朋友们,您先看赏心悦目吧。

    Audience friends, please enjoy

    the Feast for the Eyes first。

    韩佳: 我们待会儿再见。

    We’ll be right back。

赏心悦目:

    防城港 中国久负盛名的港口

    Fangchenggang has been a famous port

    since ancient times。

    西南边陲的一颗璀璨明珠

    It is billed as a bright pearl on China’s

    southwestern coast。

    发达的港口工业

    The advanced port industry

    美丽的自然景观

    coexists harmoniously

    在这里和谐相融

    with the beautiful natural environment。

    可持续发展的观念

    The concept of sustainable development

    始终贯穿于港口建设之中

    has been observed throughout

    the port’s construction。

    又一个东方大港将在这里振兴

    Another big Chinese port is being

    revitalized here。

    王渊源:这防城港市可真不简单。

    Fangchenggang Port is really remarkable。

    韩佳: 哦,为什么这么说呀?

    Oh, why do you say so?

    王渊源:你看,这里有那么大的工业化港口,

    Look, here there are both such

    a large industrialized port

    但同时也有那么漂亮的沙滩和大海。

    and that beautiful beach and

    sea as well。

    说明这里在发展工业的同时,

    This shows that while this city

    develops its industry,

    环境保护也做得很不错。

    it also has done a good job of

    protecting its environment。

    韩佳: 哎,说得没错儿。

    Yes, exactly。

    这的确是一件非常有难度的事情。

    This is indeed a very difficult

    job to do。

    王渊源:希望这里的环境

    I hope the environment here

    能够永远这么漂亮下去。

    will remain so beautiful forever。

    韩佳: 希望如此。

    I hope so too

好了,接下来呢,

    Well, next,

    就要给大家出今天的有奖问答题了。

    let’s set today’s award-winning question。

    王渊源:好。您听好。

    Okay。 Listen carefully。

    今天的有奖问答题是这样的。

    Here’s today’s award-winning question。

    节目的最后,

    At the end of the program,

    还是要提醒您口号不能忘。

    we’d still want to remind you

    not to 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)

Chinese Culture – Hemudu Site

Monday, October 13th, 2008

 

Archaeological site of the Neolithic

 

Location: Yuyao, Zhejiang Province

 

Period: 5000-3000 BC

 

Excavated in 1973

 

Significance: It is the first find of the mid-Neolithic culture in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The large amount of cultural relics unearthed at the Hemudu Site bears proof that both the Yangtze River Valley and the Yellow River Valley are the cradles of the ancient Chinese civilization.

 

 Introduction

 

A site of the New Stone Age, the Hemudu Site is under the state protection. It was located in the northeast of the village of Hemudu in Yuyao City and first discovered in 1973. 

Two-eared black pottery basin with fish design and the pattern of the ear of rice: food container (up, height 16.2 cm); Bone si, a spade-shaped farm tool: tool (bottom, length 16 cm)

 

Hemudu Site, covering an area of about 40,000 square meters, is an important village site in the New Stone Age in China. It is traced back to 6,000 and 7,000 years ago. The site is found to have four cultural layers overlapped. The third and the fourth layers are the earliest cultural layers of the New Stone Age that have been found in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and along the southeast coast of China.

 

More than 6,700 pieces of relics has been unearthed after two rounds of exhumations including production tools, living utensils and construction component with mortice and tenon joints, and thousands of pottery ware and bone ware with fine decorative grain engraved on them. The mortice and tenon unearthed here are the earliest of the wooden architecture that have ever been found in China. The remains of the cultured padding grains, wood structure, textile technology and quants are also the earliest found in China. Among the remains of animal bones of pigs, dogs and water buffaloes reared by the primitive men.

 

 Museum of the Hemudu Site

 

The Museum of the Hemudu Site is the theme museum based on the Hemudu Site. It was completed in May 1993. With an area of 26,000 square meters, the museum consists of two sections: the unearthed site and the cultural relics discovered. The Hemudu Site Museum has attracted more and more tourists from both home and abroad.

Source: chinaculture.org

Chinese Conversation – lesson 228

Monday, October 13th, 2008

高尔夫球界的传奇人物──杰克·尼克芬斯,阿诺德·帕尔默,及加里·普莱耶一直称霸于60到70年代的高尔夫球坛。他们几乎囊括了所有的比赛奖项,使球迷们大为赞叹。尼克芬斯至今仍保持数项无人能破的辉煌记录:5座美国职业高尔夫锦标赛冠军、6次美国高尔夫精英赛冠军,及4个美国公开赛冠军头衔。

Legendary golfers Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player dominated the game from the 60s’ into the 70s’, wowing fans by winning almost all of the events they competed in. Nicklaus still holds an unbeaten record of five U.S. PGA championships, six U.S. Masters titles, and four U.S. Opens.

(Source: wwenglish.com)