Learn about the reasons why we use the Past Continuous and in which situations! Part 2.

English Syndicate

Why do we use the Past Continuous tense? Pt. 2

ANGELICA: Doesn’t the bride look beautiful in that wedding dress?
MARIA: Yes. She looks amazing. And the groom is so romantic. 
I just heard the story of how they got engaged! He 
proposed to her during a candlelight dinner in London. 
Did you know that was where they went to school?
ANGELICA: Oh? Wonderful. And the honeymoon! What a great 
idea! Most people just go to the beach for a week 
after they tie the knot. But they plan on heading to 
California and cruising the coast on their motorcycle.
MARIA: Really! What a fantastic idea. This is by far the best 
wedding I’ve ever been to



LANGUAGE NOTES
• Doesn’t …? When you have a negative question, the expected answer is “yes.” As 
such, it expresses the exact opposite of what is being conveyed (i.e., the bride DOES 
look absolutely beautiful).
• Listen to the stress on honeymoon. There are three syllables in “honeymoon,” with the 
stress on the first syllable [HO-ney-moon]. This content word is culturally important, so 
it’s emphasized: It means a trip or vacation taken by a newly married couple.
• Tie the knot is an informal way of saying “get married.”
• Can you find and explain the two usages of just in this dialogue? “Just” is an adverb 
that can be used in two different ways:
 a) To indicate a very recent past (I just heard the story). When used to convey 
time, “just” is commonly used with a simple past verb because the action is 
complete. Sometimes it can also be used with the present perfect (He’s just 
finished writing a book).
 b) To indicate contrast or emphasis (Most people just go to the beach). In that 
case, “just” can be replaced by “simply” and emphasize the word it relates to 
(a verb, adjective or other adverb) by denoting contrast. Compare the following 
sentences: “They just got married yesterday” (adverb of time). “The wedding 
reception was just wonderful” (adverb of emphasis).

English Conversation practice (30-day challenge)

Day 29: Weddings

旅行  
lǚ xíng  

跟旅行团旅行不用操心交通、吃住这些事情，  
gēn lǚ xíng tuán lǚ xíng bú yòng cāo xīn jiāo tōng 、 chī zhù zhè xiē shì qing ，  

主要的景点导游都会带你去看，比较舒服。  
zhǔ yào de jǐng diǎn dǎo yóu dōu huì dài nǐ qù kàn ， bǐ jiào shū fu 。  

但是，参加旅行团旅行没有自由，行程都是安排好的，  
dàn shì ， cān jiā lǚ xíng tuán lǚ xíng méi yǒu zì yóu ， xíng chéng dōu shì ān pái hǎo de ，  

如果遇到不好的导游或者不好玩儿的地方，你也没有选择。  
rú guǒ yù dào bù hǎo de dǎo yóu huò zhě bù hǎo wánr de dì fang ， nǐ yě méi yǒu xuǎn zé 。  

如果有条件，旅行还是自己安排比较好。  
rú guǒ yǒu tiáo jiàn ， lǚ xíng hái shì zì jǐ ān pái bǐ jiào hǎo 。  

你可以自由地决定去看什么，去吃什么，住什么地方。  
nǐ kě yǐ zì yóu de jué dìng qù kàn shén me ， qù chī shén me ， zhù shén me dì fang 。  

你也有时间、有机会更好地了解当地的文化。  
nǐ yě yǒu shí jiān 、 yǒu jī huì gèng hǎo de liǎo jiě dāng dì de wén huà 。  

现在旅游网站很多，在网上订票、订房都很方便。  
xiàn zài lǚ yóu wǎng zhàn hěn duō ， zài wǎng shàng dìng piào 、 dìng fáng dōu hěn fāng biàn 。  

当然这样旅行会麻烦一些，  
dāng rán zhè yàng lǚ xíng huì má fan yì xiē ，  

但是，自己解决遇到的麻烦也是旅行的意义。  
dàn shì ， zì jǐ jiě jué yù dào de má fan yě shì lǚ xíng de yì yì 。  


1.  旅行团 lǚxíngtuán：touring group  
2.  景点 jǐngdiǎn：scenic spot  
3.  导游 dǎoyóu：guide  
4.  行程 xíngchéng：journey  
5.  当地 dāngdì：local  
6.  订票 dìngpiào：to book  
7.  解决  jiějué：to solve  
8.  意义 yìyì：signification  


1参加旅行团遇到导游不好或不好玩儿的地方，我们：  
cān jiā lǚ xíng tuán yù dào dǎo yóu bù hǎo huò bù hǎo wánr de dì fang ， wǒ men ：  
 A. 可以跟导游商量 kě yǐ gēn dǎo yóu shāng liàng  
 B. 换旅行社huàn lǚ xíng shè  
 C. 没有很多选择méi yǒu hěn duō xuǎn zé  
 D. 自己去玩儿zì jǐ qù wánr  

2下面哪个不是自己安排旅行中的事？
xià miàn nǎ gè bú shì zì jǐ ān pái lǚ xíng zhōng de shì ？  
 A. 自由决定吃什么zì yóu jué dìng chī shén me  
 B. 自由决定看什么zì yóu jué dìng kàn shén me  
 C. 导游带着你旅行dǎo yóu dài zhe nǐ lǚ xíng  
 D. 自由决定住哪里zì yóu jué dìng zhù nǎ lǐ  

3文章认为旅行中遇到麻烦：
wén zhāng rèn wéi lǚ xíng zhōng yù dào má fan ：  
 A. 很难解决hěn nán jiě jué  
 B. 是一个大问题shì yí gè dà wèn tí  
 C. 可以请人帮忙kě yǐ qǐng rén bāng máng  
 D. 是有意义的shì yǒu yì yì de

Intermediate Chinese Listening

Journey 旅行

when two third tones words together,the first one turn into the second tone,for examples:

3+3--2+3:
zú mǔ   ， shuí tǒnɡ   ， ké yǐ ， yú sǎn ， xiǎo mǎ ， qiánɡ bǎo ， ɡuánɡ chǎnɡ ， méi hǎo ， yán jiǎnɡ ， línɡ dǎo, biáo yǎn ， lí xiǎnɡ ， yónɡ ɡǎn ， dián lǐ ， liáo jiě ， shuí ɡuǒ 
祖 母   ， 水   桶     ， 可 以 ， 雨 伞  ， 小   马 ， 襁    褓  ， 广    场    ， 美  好  ， 演  讲    ， 领   导 , 表   演  ， 理 想    ， 勇   敢  ， 典   礼 ， 了   解  ， 水   果

Laura cheng Chinese

Laura cheng Chinese tone change for two third tone

Всем привет! (Hello everyone!)
Это медитативный подкаст на русском с Леной. (This is a meditative podcast in Russian with Lena.)
Сядьте или лягте в тихое и удобное место. (Sit or lie down in a quiet and comfortable place.)
Закройте глаза. (Close your eyes.)
Сделайте глубокий вдох и медленный выдох. (Take a deep breath in and a slow breath out.)
Отпустите все свои заботы и волнения. (Let go of all your worries and concerns.)
Дышите. (Breathe.)
Представьте себе лёгкое облако над вами. (Imagine a light cloud above you.)
Оно уносит ваше волнение, ваши беспокойства, ваше напряжение. (It carries away your anxiety, your worries, your tension.)
Дышите медленно и глубоко. (Breathe slowly and deeply.)
Вы чувствуете, как вам становится легче. (You feel yourself becoming lighter.)
Не думайте о плохом. (Don't think about the bad.)
Думайте только о хорошем. (Think only about the good.)
Цените этот момент. (Appreciate this moment.)
Цените тишину вокруг вас. (Appreciate the silence around you.)
Спасибо, что были со мной. (Thank you for being with me.)

Russian for daily life with Lena 📖💫

Learn with me how to meditate in Russian.

皆さんは子どもの頃の夢を覚えていますか？
それを叶えることはできましたか？ 
今回は、フミが子どものときに憧れていた職業について話します。

Do you remember what was your childhood dream?
Did you make it come true?
This time, Fumi talks about his dream job when he was small.

♤ キーワード
・整備士（せいびし：mechanic） 
・素朴な（そぼくな：down to earth） 
・何なら（なんなら：if you’d like）
・保母さん（ほぼさん：nursery teacher） 
・目が点になる（めがてんになる：to be stunned） 

 ♧ 理解度チェッククイズ 
1.  フミが子どものときに憧れていた２つの職業は？

♢ 前回のクイズの答え 
1. アヤが旅を楽しむためにする３つのことは？
①計画を立てすぎないこと
②１〜２口サイズの日本のお菓子を持っていくこと
③最終日だけいいホテルに泊まること

BGM special thanks：MusMus

アヤさんとフミさんの日本語雑談（Aya and Fumi’s Japanese Chit-Chat）

Episode 16：子どもの頃の夢

Beginner Chinese Listening：李丽学汉语 Lily learns Chinese

Beginner Chinese Listening

Escucha este audio-artículo y descubre la provincia de Granada y buenos trucos para viajar por ella disfrutando de los lugares más auténticos.

VIAJAR POR ESPAÑA  "AUDIOS"

Mi España - La Provincia de Granada

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Yj2jMngCzXXQ94kgo9QNbCs-gqspPVG8/view?usp=drivesdk