Travel in Chinese Lesson 6 Channels & long distance calls

雪梅：小杰，房间怎么样？

小杰：挺好的。照相机，怎么还没有消息呢？

黄人豪：别着急，我已经通知服务台了，有消息他们马上通知我们。

雪梅：以后要照顾好自己的东西啊。

黄人豪：看看电视节目吧，看看中国的电视节目。

小杰：有美国的电视节目吗？

黄人豪：我问问。

黄人豪：（打电话）您好，是前台吗？请问，房间里的电视能看到美国的电视频道吗？那哪个频道可以看到体育节目呢？

黄人豪：对不起，我没有找到体育频道。

黄人豪：好，谢谢。

她说上来给咱们调试一下。

服务员：这是体育频道，这是英语频道。

服务员：噢，对了，冰箱里有饮料和啤酒。

雪梅：唉，我有个问题想问你，房间里的电话能打国内长途吗？

服务员：对不起，现在还不能，只能打市内电话。

雪梅：要是打国内长途的话，怎么办呢？

服务员：您需要到服务台办理开通手续，开通以后就可以打了。

雪梅：国际长途能打吗？

服务员：打国际长途需要到服务台办理押金手续，然后就可以打了。

雪梅：是这样，明白了。

黄人豪：我们出去吃点儿饭吧。庆祝一下儿。

雪梅：好啊，小杰，咱们走吧。

小杰：你们去吧，我不想去。

（电话铃响了）

黄人豪：（接电话）喂，你好！

什么！照相机包，已经给我们送来了。谢谢！

小杰：我的照相机回来了。

小杰：爸爸、妈妈，咱们去吃饭吧，我可真饿了。

黄人豪：好，走！
 

Translation:

Xuemei: Xiaojie, how’s your room?

Xiaojie : It’s alright. How come there’s no news about the camera yet?

Huang: Don’t worry, I’ve already told reception. They’ll let us know as soon as there’s news.

Xuemei: You’ve got to take care of your belongings from now on！

Huang: Watch some TV, see what’s showing on Chinese television.

Xiaojie : Are there any American programmes?

Huang: Let me ask.

（makes a phone call）

Huang: Could you tell me if the TV in the room can get American channels?

Reception : Sorry, right now we can’t get American TV programmes.

Huang: Well, which channel is for sports programmes?

Sorry, I can’t find the sports channel .

Ok, thanks!

She said she would send someone to tune it.

（Staff comes in, adjusts television）

Staff: Let me tune it for you.

Huang: Thank you!

Staff: This is the sports channel, and this is the English channel.

Staff: Oh that’s right, there’s beer and drinks in the fridge.

Xuemei: I want to ask you a question. Can the phones in the room make national long distance calls?

Staff: Sorry that’s not available yet, you can only make local calls.

Xuemei: Then how do we make national long distance calls?

Staff: You’ll need to apply the service at reception, then you can make the calls.

Xuemei: Can you make international calls?

Staff: For international long distance calls you need to pay a deposit at reception. Then you can make the calls.

Xuemei: Now I understand.

Huang: Let’s go get something to eat. Celebrate a bit.

Xuemei: Good ideas. Xiaojie, let’s go?

Xiaojie : You guys go, I don’t want to go.

（phone rings）

Huang:（picks up the phone）Hello? What? They’ve already sent the camera bag back. Thank you！

Xiaojie : I’ve got my camera back.

Huang: Yes.

Xiaojie : Dad, Mom. Let’s go eat. I’m really hungry.

Huang: OK! Let’s go.
 

Bookmarks

1）怎么样 a general question like "what do you think" or "what´s up"

（例）你觉得北京的天气怎么样？

What do you think about the weather in Beijing?

（例）六点了，一起去吃晚饭怎么样？

It's 6 o'clock why don't we go for dinner together?

2）别 don´t , better not

（例）今天天气不好，我们别出去了。

The weather is no good today, let's not go out.

（例）时间太晚了，别看电视了。

It's too late. Don't watch TV anymore.

3）收到 to receive

（例）我昨天收到了她的信。

I received her letter yesterday.

（例）我收到了我预订的机票。

I received the ticket that I've reserved.

Signposts

Making Phone Calls in China

Making phone calls in China is much easier and cheaper than it used to be. At most hotels, you can dial directly from your room, although, as we saw in the dialogue, a deposit is often required. Sometimes you can simply have the front desk swipe your credit card as a deposit.

Local calls are usually 7 or 8 digits, depending on the city. Large cities like Beijing switched to 8 digit numbers several years ago. The largest cities have a 2 digit area code. 10 for Beijing, 21 for Shanghai. Smaller locations have 3 digit area codes. For example, Chengde to the north of Beijing is 314. To make a domestic long distance call, you usually dial 0, then the area code followed by the local number. For long distance calls, you can also buy phone cards that give you heavily discounted rates on long distance charges.

10 digit phone numbers are also very common in China, and they usually start in 1,3. These are for cell phones. The numbers are longer because most of these phones can be used while roaming anywher in China. Rather than have a separate area code, the area code is built into each cell phone number. Cell phones are extremely common in China. At least in the cities, it seems just about everybody has one, from high school students to retired people. Cell phones are not very expensive, so it makes sense to buy one if you are in China for more than just a few weeks. For shorter trips, you can even rent cell phones.

Substitution and Extention

1）……的话 indicates a hypothetical, if something happens. It can be preceded by "要是"or "如果".

（例）要是方便的话，请给我打个电话。

If it's convenient, please give me a phone call.

（例）如果有时间的话，我们今天下午就去颐和园。

If we have time, we can go to the Summer Palace this afternoon.

2）可……了 is used to show emphasis, like "really".

（例）她的汉语说得可好了。

Her Chinese is really quite good.