Lesson Fifteen (B)

Have you been busy recently

Basic expressions  

Conversation

We should go though these new words again and make sure that you know them well. Can you remember them? Lets hear the following dialogue which is carried out between a retired Chinese teacher, Professor Zhao, and his student.

a.     nín tuīxiū     le,    wèi shénme hái zhème máng ?

        您  退休 了,  为   什么 还 这么 忙？

        you retired LE    why              still so      busy

        You are retired, so why are you still so busy?

 b.     wŏ zhèngzài   xiĕ    yī   bĕn    shū,    míngzi jiào < bù yào wàng jì>.

         我  正在    写   一  本    书，名字 叫 《 不要忘记》

         I ZHENGZAI write one BEN book   name  called ‘don’t forget

        I am writing a book entitled  < Don’t Forget >

 a.    wŏ hĕn xĭhuān nín xiĕ       de dōngxi.     nín xiĕ    wán      yĭhòu,    yī dìng  xiān gĕi wŏ kànkan.

       我 很 喜欢 您  写    的 东西。您  写 完       以后，一定  先  给 我 看看。

       I    very like     you write DE things.     You write finish after,     certainly first  to me look look

         I like the things you write.  When you finish the book, could you show it to me first?

b.    hăo,  yīding.

        好，一定。   

       good, certainly

       Yes, certainly.

Notes on expressions

Let’s analyse the following sentence pattern.

wŏ xĭhuān   nín xiĕ     de   dōngxi

我  喜欢  您 写   的  东西。 

I      like        you write DE things 

I like the things that you write.

The main part of the sentence is wŏ xĭhuān我 喜欢 I like dōngxī东西 the things. Nín xiĕ de您写的 you write DE describes the things, therefore it is placed before dōngxi东西 the things. For example, chī de dōngxi 吃 的 东西 eat DE things: things to eat; nĭ kàn de shū 你看的书 you read DE book: the book which you are reading. De的is pronounced in the neutral tone. There are many new words in this dialogue to remember, but the most important two words are: zěn me yàng怎么样: how are things and xĭhuān喜欢 like.

Practice

Repeat the dialogue and answer the following questions.

f.  Zhào lăoshī   tuìxiū   le    ma  ?

     赵    老师  退休了 吗 ？

     Zhao teacher retire LE MA?

g.  Zhào lăoshī    wèishénme hái  fēicháng  máng ?

     赵    老 师  为什么    还 非常     忙？

      Zhao teacher why            still very        busy?

h.  nĭ xĭhuān bu xĭhuān  Zhào lăoshī   xiĕ    de dōngxi?

     你 喜欢不 喜欢 赵     老 师写  的 东西？

     you like    not like    Zhao teacher write DE things

1. Ask your classmates what time they get up and go to bed everyday.

2. Ask your classmates if they like learning Chinese.

3. Read the new words and dialogue. Can you remember the following words and expressions in Chinese? Teacher, recently, how are things, everyday, early morning, get up, work, evening, only then, go to bed, retire, still, forget, very, like, write, first, certainly.
4. Talk about your daily life in Chinese

Tape version

Part one: new words

Part two: expressions

Part three: conversation