Travel in Chinese Lesson 3 Take a taxi

司机：您好，欢迎来北京。

黄人豪：您好，这几个大箱子就放在后备箱，小的就随身携带吧。

司机：先生，请问去哪儿？

黄人豪：明月饭店。

司机：明月饭店？在颐和园那儿吧？

黄人豪：对，离那里不远。我这里有明月饭店的具体地址，你看看。

司机：噢，知道了。

黄人豪：北五环的入口，从这里能上五环？雪梅，看，都有五环路了？

雪梅：是啊，北京变化真大。

司机：是啊，现在都有六环路了。

小杰：这儿是不是离长城很近？

司机：没错儿，从这个口出去就能到八达岭长城。

司机：你第一次来北京吗？

小杰：这是第二次，我很小的时候来过一次。

司机：那你的汉语说得可真不错。

小杰：谢谢，我现在正在学习。

司机（对黄先生）先生，您是中国人？

黄人豪：我在中国出生的，后来去了美国。已经好几年没回来了。

司机：那您可要好好看看，这几年变化太大了。

黄人豪：是啊！

雪梅：请问，明月饭店快到了吗？

司机：快了，从前边那个出口出去，往左拐，过了红绿灯就到了。

黄人豪：现在，这种立交桥很多。

司机：要我说，还是少，多了，就不堵车了。

小杰：明月饭店！

司机：到了。

黄人豪：多少钱？

司机：加上高速公路费，一共九十六块。

找您钱，别忘了您的行李。

黄人豪：谢谢！再见！

司机：不客气，再见！
 

Translation:

Driver：Hello! Welcome to Beijing!

Huang：Put the big suitcases in the back, we’ll carry the smaller ones.

Driver：Sir, wher are you going？

Huang：Mingyue Hotel.

Driver：Mingyue Hotel？Is that around the Summer Palace？

Huang：That’s right. It’s not far from there. I have the detailed address for Mingyue Hotel, have a look!

Driver：Oh, I know.

Huang：Entrance to north fifth ring road! You can get on the fifth ring road from here？Xuemei, there’s now a fifth ring road？

Xuemei: Yes, Beijing has changed so much.

Driver：Yes, there’s even a sixth ring road now.

Xiaojie：Is this near the Great Wall？

Driver：That’s right. Take this exit and you can get to the Badaling Great Wall.

Driver：Is this your first time to Beijing？

Xiaojie：It’s my second time，I came here once when I was very young.

Driver：Well, your spoken Chinese is really good.

Xiaojie：Thank you，I’m studying it now.

Driver（to Mr Huang）Are you Chinese？

Huang：I was born in China, then I went to the United States. I haven’t been back for quite a few years.

Driver：Well, you should take a good look around. There have been so many changes in the past few years.

Huang：Indeed！

Xuemei：Excuse me，are we near the Mingyue Hotel yet？

Driver：Soon. Just take the exit ahead and make a left turn. The hotel’s just past the traffic lights.

Huang：There are so many fly-overs nowadays.

Driver：There’s still not enough, if you ask me. There wouldn’t be traffic jams if we had more fly-overs.

Driver：Here we are!

Huang：How much is it？

Driver：That’s 96 Yuan including the freeway toll.

（Huang gives the driver 100 Yuan，Driver gets change and tears off a receipt）

Driver：Here’s your change. Don’t forget your luggage!

Xuemei：Thank you！Goodbye！

Driver：You’re welcome! Bye！
 

Bookmarks

1）还有 also, in addition

（例） 他会说法语、英语，还有汉语。

He can speak French, English, and Chinese.

（例） 这种衣服的颜色很多，有红色、蓝色、还有黄色。

This clothing is very colorful, there is red, blue, and there is yellow.

2）一……就……，indicates that one event follows immediately after the other

（例）你一到北京就给我打个电话。

As soon as you arrive in Beijing, give me a call.

3）离 from

（例）这儿离我们家不太远。

It's not too far to our house from here.

（例）现在离飞机起飞还有十分钟。

From now to the time the plan takes off, there is about 10 minutes.

4）都 here is used for emphasis, like "even" in English

他说的话我一句都听不懂。

（例）I can't even understand one word of what he is saying.

你的朋友我一个都不认识。

（例）I don't even know one of your friends.

Signposts

Taxis in China

Taking a taxi in Beijing is relatively straight-forward. Taxis are clearly marked, with roof lights as well as special paint jobs. Most taxis are red, but different companies sometimes use different colours. Regardless, a legitimate taxi should be clearly marked, and have an official, working meter.

You should never have to negotiate the price of a taxi trip. Instead, you should insist on 走表 use the meter. The only exception is if you are going to be travelling far out of the urban area, or reserving the car for a whole day. For example, if you take a taxi all the way to the Great Wall, you might negotiate a flat fare in advance.

There is no tipping for taxis. You simply pay the fare listed on the meter, and you should be given a printed receipt. The only extra charges are for road tolls, like on the airport expressway. Even then, you should be given the receipt that shows the exact amount of the toll.

If you ever have a problem with a taxi, just write down the taxi number that is listed on the inside and the outside of the car. Taxis are very strictly regulated, and all complaints are taken seriously. In fact, if the driver sees you writing down the number, that's usually enough to solve any problem right away.

In my experience, the vast majority of taxi drivers are honest and hard-working. It's a very tough job.

Substitution and Extention

1）正在……indicates something is just happening

（例）我们正在学习汉语。

We are right in the middle of learning Chinese.

2）就……了 indicates that something will happen soon

（例）还有一个小时就到中国了。

We are going to be in China in just one hour.

（例）飞机就要起飞了。

The plane will get off soon.