This is intended to be a compilation of ordinary conversation topics that is aimed at helping English speakers learning Mandarin (as well as Mandarin speakers learning English).
If you're like me, you can read (or understand verbally) '~much~ better than you can express yourself (i.e. speak or write). The idea of the exercise is that, after studying the sentences and committing to memory all of the necessary vocabulary, you share this bilingual script with your language partner (or teacher), and you take turns role-playing the script.
Your partner will speak out their lines (in Mandarin), and your job is to play your assigned character, swapping at the end. The point is NOT to recite the lines back verbatim (although that's certainly valid, if you can pull that off), but for you to construct each sentence as if you yourself wanted to express exactly those same thoughts.
The purpose of the English transcript is primarily to ~jog~ your memory for what you need to say at any point during the conversation, as the point of the exercise is not to remember lines (like an actor would), but rather to practice constructing grammatically correct sentences along with the correct choice and usage of words. Your partner's/teacher's job, being the native Mandarin speaker, is to critique and correct each of your 'impromptu' lines.
Therefore, prior to starting the exercise, be sure to print out on a sheet of paper ONLY the English section of transcript.
[Why go through all the trouble, why not just have a free-flowing natural conversation, you might ask? Many reasons, because:
- you'll never have the courage, or opportunity, to pursue subjects that are beyond the usual tired conversational kindling
- you'll find yourself using the same phrases and English-like sentence construction and grammar over and over again, because you've not forced yourself to learn how more advance speakers of the language would express what you essentially said, but far more elegantly, accurately and fluidly.]
Finally, if you find this exercise useful, please contribute and expand upon the following material, by adding your own conversation samples to the end of this document.
小云：安娜，你比上次见面苗条多了。
安娜：我减了二十斤呢。
小云：那么多？你是怎么做到的？
安娜：节食，再加上每天运动。
小云：安娜，我也想减肥，可是总失败，你教教我吧。
安娜：你不是在学习游泳吗？
小云：游泳能帮我减肥吗？
安娜：游泳能让身体的所有部位都活动到，能使你保持好的身材。
小云：你减肥有什么秘诀吗？
安娜：秘诀就是坚持。
小云：可是我没有毅力，总是坚持不下来。
安娜：这样吧，以后我每天来陪你游泳，我们互相监督。
小云：好啊，那我们就从明天开始。
安娜：不行，我们就从今天开始。
XY: Anna, you look slimer compared to the last time we met.
AN: I’ve lost 20lbs.
XY: That much? How did you do it?
AN: Diet, and on top of that exercising everday.
XY: Anna, I also want to slim down, but I inevitably fail,why don’t you teach me.
AN: Aren’t you learning to swim?
XY: Swimming helps me slim down? (duh!)
AN: Swimming can exercise different parts of the body, it can help you maintain your figure.
XY: What’s your secret to losing weight?
AN: The secret is perseverance.
XY: But I have no willpower, invariably I fail to persevere.
AN: How about this, from now on I’ll accompany you to go swimming, we’ll XY: keep tabs on each other.
XY: Great, in that case let’s start tomorrow.
AN: Nope, we’ll start today.
安娜：张红，你腰上系的是什么东西呀？
张红：这是红腰带。今年是我本命年，中国人在本命年都要系红腰带、穿红袜子什么的。
安娜：什么是本命年呢？
张红：本命年就是十二年一遇的农历属相所在的年份。比如，我数虎，今年是虎年，所以今年就是我的本命年。
安娜：我明白了。那么按中国人的说法，我数兔，明年就是我的本命年了，是吗？
张红：对呀。在中国传统风俗中，本命年常常被认为是一个不吉利的年份。因此在中国，
每到本命年时，不论大人小孩都系红腰带、穿红袜子，就为图个吉利。
安娜：除了这些以外，中国人在本命年还有哪些风俗呢？
张红：在有些地方，人们还祭祀“本命神”。他们认为，这也能给他们带来好运。
安娜：没想到本命年也有这么多风俗，真是太有意思了。
ZH: Correct. In the Chinese social tradition, the CZAY is often thought to be an ominous year.Therefore in China, whenever the CZAY comes around, everyone regardless of age will wear red, so as to seek propitiousness.
AN: Other than this, what other social customs exist during CZAY?
AN: ZH, what are you wearing on your waist?
ZH: It’s a red belt. This year is my chinese zodiac anniversary year,chinese people have to tie a red belt and wear red socks, and so on.
AN: What is the CZAY?
ZH: For example, I was born in the Year of the Tiger, this year is the Year of the Tiger, so this year is my CZAY.
AN: I understand.So according to the chinese way of speaking, I’m a Rabbit,so next year is my CZAY, correct?
ZH: In certain places, people even sacrifice BMZ. They think that this will also bring them good luck.
AN: Never thought CZAY has so many customs, it is really meaningful.
For learning
Chinese (Mandarin) | Category
Uncategorized | Level
Unspecified |
Second language
English | Created
Dec 25, 2010 17:33 | Views
1008 |
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