Bookmarks

1）是……的 a way of emphasizing something about an action, like the time, location or way something has been done.

（例）他是去年九月来的。Emphasizing time

He came last year in September.

（例） 他是来旅游的。Emphasizing purpose

He came for tourism.

（例）他们是坐船走的。Emphasizing method of transportation

He went by boat.

（例） 她是在家吃的早饭。Emphasizing where she had breakfast

She had breakfast at home.

2）可能 possible, maybe

（例）这么晚了他可能不会来了。

It's so late, maybe he wouldn't come after all.

（例）今天下午可能会下雪。

Maybe it will snow this afternoon.

3）再 indicates an action or state repeating or continuing

（例）请您再说一遍。

Could you say that again?

（例）我们再等一会儿吧。

Let’s wait a little bit longer.

4）赶快 quickly, hurry

（例）要下雨了，我们赶快走吧。

It's going to rain, let's go quickly.

（例）已经8点了，赶快起床吧。

It's already 8 o'clock, quick! Get out of bed!

Signposts

Roads in Beijing

Most roads in Beijing follow a strict grid pattern, N S E W, with the exception of the ring roads. These are expressways that circle around the city, like a series of concentric circles.

Before 1949, Beijing was a walled city with 9 major gates. In the 1950's, the city wall was replaced with what is now known as the second ring road. This is the major expressway in the middle of the city, which has now expanded far beyond the area of the original, walled city.

Until fairly recently, the third ring road roughly marked the limit of the developed urban area. But Beijing has continued to expand at a rapid pace. Now there are 4th, 5th and 6th ring roads. In general, outside of the 4th ring road you will find mainly factories, rural areas and satellite communities.

Funny thing is, there is no first ring road. In my mind, the first ring road should probably be considered the road that follows around the outside of Tiananmen Square. After all, Tiananmen Square is the centre of Beijing, but locals never refer to this as the "first ring road".

Substitution and Extention

1）……的话

（例）你要是去书店的话，请帮我买一张地图。

（例）如果你现在有事的话，那我明天再来。

2）可……了

（例）王府井的人可多了。

（例）北京的冬天可冷了。

Translation:

Huang: Have a count, how many do we have now?

Xuemei: It's still one short, the big red suitcase.

Huang: Maybe it hasn't come yet. There's quite a few flights arriving at the same time. Wait a bit longer.

Xiaojie: I'll go get a trolley.

Huang: Ok!

Xiaojie: Look, all the luggage for our plane is out, this luggage is for the next flight.

Xuemei: Quick, you better go ask what's happened?

Huang: I'll go ask at that counter.

Huang: We've just arrived from the United States. We're missing a piece of luggage.

Staff : Please show me your plane tickets and luggage stickers.

Staff : Three people's luggage, four pieces in total.

Huang: Yes, so far we've only got three pieces.

staff : There might be special circumstances. Please fill out a form first.

Huang: What's the reason?

staff : It's not clear right now. I'll check again for you in a while. Can you describe the suitcase please.

Xuemei: It's red, about this size.

Xiaojie: It has a lock and a brown strap.

Huang: That suitcase is very important to us.

staff : We are very sorry about this problem, sir.

Huang: We hope you can give us an answer as soon as possible.

staff : Rest assured, we'll handle it as soon as we can. Please leave a contact phone number, sir.

Huang: Phone number?

Xuemei: We'll leave cousin's home phone number.

staff : We'll inform you as soon as there is a result.

Huang: OK, then we're going!

staff : Goodbye!