Communicate in Chinese 交际汉语 Lesson 8: Asking for help

会话 A
(在饭店前台)
刘明：对不起，我想找光明公司的李经理。
甲：请问他住几号房间？
刘明：我也不清楚，你能帮我查查吗？
甲：请问李经理全名？
刘明：李新，新旧的新。
甲：你好。李经理住在912 房间。
刘明：谢谢您。
甲：不客气。
Translation:
(At the hotel reception.)
Liu Ming: Excuse me, I'm looking for Manager Li of the Guangming Company.
A: Could you please tell me his room number?
Liu Ming: I'm not sure either. Can you look it up for me?
A: What's Manager Li's full name?
Liu Ming: Li Xin, the Xin as in Xin Jiu.
A: OK. Manager Li is in room 912.
Liu Ming: Thank you.
A: You're welcome.
会话 B
(在宿舍)
小江：Tina，你今天下午去哪(儿)？
Tina：我下午哪(儿)也不去。(打电脑)我要把论文写完。
小江：那你能把自行车借给我吗？我的车坏了，正在修。
Tina：没问题。小江，给你钥匙。
小江：谢谢你，Tina。
Tina：小江，我能麻烦你点(儿)事吗？
小江：什么事？
Tina：麻烦你帮我买一盒软盘。
小江：好，一会(儿)见！
Tina：一会(儿)见！
Translation:
(At the dormitory.)
Xiao Jiang: Tina, where are you going this afternoon?
Tina: I'm not going anywhere this afternoon. (Typing on the computer) I have to finish my thesis.
Xiao Jiang: Then can you lend me your bike? My bike's broken down, it's being fixed.
Tina: No problem. Here's the key, Xiao Jiang.
Xiao Jiang: Thank you, Tina.
Tina: Xiao Jiang, could I ask you for a favor?
Xiao Jiang: What is it?
Tina: Could you please get me a box of floppy disks.
Xiao Jiang: OK, see you soon!
Tina: See you soon!
会话 C
(在家里，兰兰 正在写作业。李红下班回家了。)
兰兰：妈妈，您回来啦！
李红：兰兰，做作业呢吗？
兰兰：是啊，妈妈，您能帮我看看这篇文章吗？我看不懂。
李红：等一下。(拿起来看) 兰兰，是英文呀？我可不懂。这样吧，我请小江帮忙。
兰兰：太好了！
李红：(打电话) 小江啊，有篇文章麻烦你帮兰兰看看好吗？明天你有空(儿)吗？
小江：李老师，正好我也有一篇中文文章看不懂，您也帮我看看好吗？
李红：好吧！
Translation:
(At home, Lan Lan is doing homework. Li Hong is back from work.)
Lan Lan: Mom, you're back!
Li Hong: Are you doing your homework, LanLan?
Lan Lan: Yes, mom, can you have a look at this essay for me? I can't understand it.
Li Hong: Wait a minute. (Picks it up to read) Lan Lan, it's in English? That I don't understand. How's this, I'll ask Xiao Jiang for help.
Lan Lan: That's great!
Li Hong: (makes a phone call) Xiao Jiang, could you have a look at an essay for Lan Lan? Will you be free tomorrow?
Xiao Jiang: Teacher Li, just as well I also have a Chinese essay that I can't understand, can you help me look at it?
Li Hong: OK!
Cultural Background
Help is only a phone call away
In China as in elsewhere help is often no further than a phone call away. But it is important to know what number to call. For example, the number to call for a general emergency is 110.
Like elsewhere in the world, Chinese hotels supply travel guides, helpful phone numbers and phone books.
Language Points
1、Repeated verbs: active verbs can be repeated, verbs repeated stress the action is brief or casual.
The second syllable has a weak and short pronunciation. For example: "问问" ask around, "看看" have a look, "查查" look it up,"帮帮" do a favour, "修修" give it a fix,"说说" tell us about it, etc.
2、Modal verbs to denote will and desire, for example, "会, 能, 要", or "will, can, want" are usually used in front of verb to show ability or desire. To negate, use" 不会, 不能, 不要" etc. For example: "不会修", don't know how to fix, "不能去", can't go, "不要接电话", don't answer the phone.
3、The "吧" sentences: unlike the "吧" used at the end of questions, if placed at the end of a
narrative sentence, the "吧" adds expectations about the request or command. The subject is usually "你" or "you". For example, "你说吧!" You tell me! "帮帮忙吧!" Give us some help! "问问他吧!" Ask him!
4、"麻烦" — "trouble" is a verb. In "Could you please help", "您" is both the object for "麻烦", and the subject for "帮忙". For example, "麻烦你借钥匙给我", could you please lend me the key. "麻烦你帮我修车" could you please help me fix the bicycle.
5、"不" in front of a verb negates the action. For example: "不会", don't know how, "不能", cannot, "不懂", don't understand. "会" and "能" are auxiliary verbs.
Substitutional Drills
1、我也……
我也不懂。
我也不行。
我也不会。
2、我可不会……
我可不会写。
我可不会唱。
我可不会骑。
3、麻烦您能帮我……
麻烦您能帮我一下吗？
麻烦您能帮我开一下门吗？
4、您能帮我……
您能帮我修修吗？
您能帮我看看吗？
您能帮我查查吗？
5、我去……
我去单位。
我去商店。
我去车站。