FDTL 46/99

Chinese language skills for Britain: Disseminating Best Practice

Sentence Patterns - Reading Week 6

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chéng…(qūshì)呈…(趋势) APPEAR…TENDENCY  (6)

The description of the tendency is placed between 呈and 趋势. For instance:

中国人口   增长 率	呈   上升趋势。
China population increase rate	appear  rise     tendency.

China’s population growth rate shows a tendency to rise.

 

…dĭ 底  END OF… (6)

底 is placed after 年or月 as in 年底 the end of the year, 月底 the end of the month, 2000年(年) 底 the end of 2000, 十月底 the end of October.

 

…qízhōng 其 中AMONG WHICH; IN WHICH (6)

The 其中clause is preceded by another clause which describes a general situation. The 其中clause often contains number words or phrases which imply quantity. For instance:

我们大学        有 很 多   学生,

其中        500名   男生          600名       女生。

our  university          has very many students,

among which  500 MING male students  600 MING female

There are very many students in our university, of whom 500 are male and 600 are female.

 …zhàn 占ACOUNT FOR (6)

In this usage, 占is followed by a clause which contains numbers. For instance:

在中国汉人	占         总  人口    的 90%。
in  China  Han people	account for total population DE 90%

The Han population accounts for 90% of the total population in China.

 

…bĭ…比, the comparative construction (6)

A	比	B	V         (amount)
今 年	比	去年  同  期	增长  37.3%。
This year	compare	last year same period	increase 37.3%

This year it has increased by 37.3% compared with the same period last year.

 

bùbĭ  不 比 NOT THE SAME AS …, UNLIKE, NOT AS GOOD AS…

不 比 NOT THE SAME AS …, UNLIKE, NOT AS GOOD AS…

不 比 is the negative form of 比 and is used as a comparative construction. However, sometimes 不 比 is similar to 不如. 不 如 is placed between phrase A and phrase B. This construction implies that the situation in phrase A is not as good as it is in B. Either A or B can be abbreviated. For instance:

A	不如/不 比	B
中 国 的 经 济 力 量	不如	美 国。
中 国	不 比	美 国的 经 济 力 量。

China’s economic power is not as great as that of the US.

Verb complements (6)

zài 在 used as a verb complement.

Verb complements indicate the results and directions of actions. The complements are placed after verbs of action. For example:

分布在

农村

Spread through countryside

设立在

北京

Set up in Beijing.

(gēn)jù…(根)据 ACCORDING TO (6)

据 is short for 根据. A 根据 clause is followed by a main clause. For instance:

根据       专家  分析,	中国和台湾 的问题	在10年  内   会       解决。
according to experts analyse,	China and Taiwan DE issue	in  10 years  within will solved

According to the experts’ analysis, the China/Taiwan conflict will be solved within 10 years.

 zìcóng…自(从 )… (以)来SINCE (6)

自(从 ) is used to indicate a point in time in the past; (以)来 extends the time to the present. The elements which are placed between 自(从 ) and (以)来 can be a word, phrase or sentence. Either 自(从 ) or (以)来 can be omitted. For instance:

自 从	七 十 年 代	以 来
from	the 70s	until now

Since the 70s…

The phrase can also be written in the following ways:

自	七 十 年 代	以 来
自 从	七 十 年 代	来
	七 十 年 代	以 来
自 从	七 十 年 代

 

yŭ 与:  A与B作 斗争 (6)

与AND. It is used as a conjunction or co-verb. For instance:

中国与美国	进行     了  外交上的 交涉。
China and US	carried out LE diplomatic DE negotiation.

China carried out diplomatic negotiations with the US.

 jiāng 将 WILL (6)

将 is used as an auxiliary verb. It implies that the action that follows will take place in the future. For instance:

中国	将 与 亚洲各  国        建立 经济     共同体。
China	will with Asian other countries set up  economic  union

China will set upan  economic union with other Asian countries.

…zhīyī   …之一  ONE OF… (6)

之 is used similarly to 的. 之一 means one of, and is placed at the end of a clause. For instance:

他	是我国     最  伟大的 领导人 之一。
he	is our country most great DE   leaders       of one

He is one of the greatest leaders of our country.

 

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