Bookmarks

1）应该 should

（例）去他家之前应该先给他打个电话。

Before we go to his house, we should give him a phone call.

（例）今天天气很冷，你应该多穿点儿衣服。

Today is really cold. You should wear more clothing.

2）那么 and 这么, both indicate more than expected

（例）没想到北京的夏天这么热。

I never expected the summer in Beijing is so hot.

（例）没想到上海的汽车那么多。

I never knew that there are so many cars in Shanghai.

Signposts

Changing Money

Renminbi, the Chinese currency, is not yet fully convertible. That means you can’t just take renminbi and exchange 兑换 for foreign currency without a permit or other documentation. But it’s easy to change from foreign currency into renminbi.

The exchange rate is strictly regulated by the national government in China. No matter wher you change money, at the airport, your hotel, a bank or even in major shopping areas, the rate is exactly the same. There should be no other fees or commissions charged.

If you have Chinese currency left over at the end of your trip, you can change this back into foreign currency provided that you have your original receipts from when you changed money the first time. Most people do this at the airport on their way out, as you may have to show your outbound plane ticket to prove you are leaving the country.

Substitution and Extention

1）…还是… or, indicating a choice（or…是…还是）

（例）你喝茶还是喝咖啡？

Would you drink tea or would you drink coffee?

（例）你是想去北京还是想去上海？

Would you like to go to Beijing or would you like to go to Shanghai?

2）好（or不好）＋V ，indicates the verb is easy (or not easy) to do.

（例）这首歌很好唱。

This song is really easy to sing.

（例）这个字不太好写。

This character is not very easy to write.

Translation

Huang：wher should we eat tomorrow？

Xuemei：What do you think? Should we eat at the hotel or somewher outside？

Huang：Let’s eat somewher out of the hotel. How about having lamb hotpot？

Xuemei: Great！

Huang：I think we should make a booking.

Xuemei：Yes，we should also change some money.

Huang：Let’s go together.

Xuemei: Great!

（at the bank）

Bank clerk: What can I do for you?

Huang：I’d like to change some renminbi with US dollars.

Bank clerk：Please fill in this form.

Huang：What’s the exchange rate today？

Bank clerk：The sell rate for US dollars is 8.26.

Huang：I’ll change 500 dollars.

Bank clerk：Please show me your passport.

Huang: OK.

（bank clerk processes application）

Bank clerk：Sign the form, please.

Huang：wher do I sign？

Bank clerk：At the bottom right hand corner.

Xuemei：（points to bottom right hand corner）Here.

Bank clerk：This is your renminbi，please count it.

Huang：（counts money）No problem. Thank you!

Bank clerk: You’re welcome!

（door-knocking sounds）

cousin：Renhao！

Huang：Cousin！Come in please！

Xuemei：Cousin，how are you？

cousin：Pretty good.

Xuemei: Take a seat!

Cousin: You two haven’t changed much, Xuemei still looks young as ever.

Huang：This must be Liu Yong？He’s so tall already.

cousin：He’s already a second year university student.

Xuemei：Time passes so quickly, last time when I came he was still a kid！

cousin：She was still in primary school then.

Liu Yong：wher’s Xiaojie？

Huang：She’s gone to buy films.

Liu Yong：You can buy films everywher, even right next to the hotel.

Huang：She wants to buy black and white films, they’re not so easy to buy here.

Xuemei：The girl really likes photography, especially in black and white.

Liu Yong：Black and white films are so rare these days.

（door-knocking sounds）

Huang：Maybe Xiaojie’s back.