Bookmarks
1）能 to be able to
（例）您能给我看一下儿您的护照吗？
Could you show me your passport for a moment?
（例）您现在不能换房间。
You can't change rooms now.
2）都 all
（例）这些都是我们的行李。
This luggage is all ours.
（例）我们都是从美国来的。
We are all from the Unites States.
3）左右 approximately
（例）一个双人间一天大概300块钱左右。
One double room per day is approximately 300 yuan.
（例）他大概50岁左右。
He is around 50 years old.
4）不过 but, indicating a change
（例）这个房间不错，不过小了一点儿。
This room is not bad, but it's a little small.
（例）北京的秋天天气很好，不过空气很干燥。
The weather in the autumn in Beijing is quite nice, but the air is a little bit dry.
Signposts
Channels in China
In many hotels in China you can watch international English satellite channels like CNN and BBC, or even HBO. Hong Kong satellite channels like Phoenix TV and Channel V are even more common. These channels are both in Mandarin Chinese. Phoenix TV is a general purpose channel, Channel V is for music videos. There are others as well, like the Star Movie channel.
Even without these international stations, most hotels will receive 20 or 30 domestic Chinese channels, including both national and regional satellite channels. Most provinces in China have their own local channels as well as one or more satellite channels that can be received throughout China. Watching the local channels is a great way to practice your language skills and learn a little bit about what’s happening in the area you are visiting. Many cities even have their own channels that can be received locally.
The national broadcaster, China Central Television or CCTV, has over a dozen channels. Right now you’re watching CCTV-9, the English channel 英语频道. There are also special channels for sports, movies, television dramas, news, childrens programming, even traditional arts like Peking Opera. Viewers outside of China will be most familiar with CCTV-9 and CCTV-4, the Chinese language international channel, as these are both relayed by satellite to cover almost the whole world. CCTV-1 and CCTV-2 are mostly general channels, especially focusing on news and current affairs. No matter where you are in China, even in the most remote areas, you can almost always receive CCTV-1.
Substitution and Extention
1）一下儿 a polite, colloquial expression, indicating the time required is limited
（例）我来介绍一下儿，这是我的朋友。
Let me make a brief introduction, this is my friend.
Translation:
Huang:（to the staff）We’d like to check in.
Staff: Have you made room reservations?
Huang: Yes we have.
Staff: Please tell me the name.
Huang: Huang Renhao, from New York, the U.S.
Staff: You reserved two rooms, a double and a single.
Huang: That’s right！
Staff: Please show me your passports
Thank you. Then fill in a registration card.
Huang: OK.
Staff: Thank you! Please pay the deposit.
Xuemei: Do you take credit cards?
Staff: Yes.
Xuemei: Thank you!
Staff: These are your room keycards, one room is 1183, the other is 1179.
Xuemei: Which floor are they on?
Staff: They’re both on the 11th floor.
Xuemei: Is the double room facing south?
Staff: No, 1183 faces west.
Xuemei: Can you change the double room to a south-facing one? I like south-facing rooms.
Huang: We’ll be staying here for about a week, please change the room for us.
Staff: I’ll check to see if there are any vacant rooms. Yes there’s one, but it’s not on the 11th floor.
Xuemei: That’s alright, which floor is it on?
Staff: 9th floor, room 918.
Xuemei: We’ll take room 918.
Staff: The restaurant is on the 2nd floor, there’s a café to the left on the 1st floor.
Staff: They will take the luggage to your room.
Huang: Thank you! Let’s go! Where is Xiaojie?
Xuemei: Here she is. Xiaojie, let’s go.
Xiaojie: OK, mum.
（at the room）
Porter: This is your room.
Xuemei: Thank you！（hands a tip）
Porter: Thanks, but we can’t accept that. Goodbye!
Xuemei: I forgot, you don’t need to tip in China.
Huang: Let’s go have a look at Xiaojie’s room.
Xuemei: Let’s go.