Travel in Chinese Lesson 34 Peking University

雪梅：（打电话中）老王啊，好的，我现在就走，你在西门等我吗？没问题，我五点钟一定准时到。

同事：呦，今天要去赴谁的约会啊，这么激动。

雪梅：我这次的采访对象正好是我北京大学的同学，我们好多年没见过面了，你说我能不激动吗？（边说边收拾东西）

同事：是吗？那你快点儿去吧（边说边笑着往外推雪梅）

老王：哎，在这儿呢。（招手示意）好久不见。雪梅啊，你一点儿也没变。

雪梅：你不是也一样吗？还是那么年轻。

老王：（大笑）过奖，过奖。唉，你后来回过学校吗？

雪梅：一直没有。早就说来，但总是有事儿耽搁了。

老王：既然今天来了，我们就去校园好好看看，采访的事情等会儿再说，怎么样？

雪梅：我求之不得，咱们走吧。

老王：（往前走，走到大草坪前）你看，这片草坪一点儿也没变，早上啊，还是有那么多的人在这儿读外语。

雪梅：唉，还是上学的时候好。

路人：老师，请问百年讲堂怎么走？

老王：你往前走，在前边的路口右拐。

路人：谢谢老师！

老王：大一的新生，还找不到路呢。

雪梅：我刚到北大的时候，也东问西问的。老王，百年讲堂是？

老王：哦，那是百年校庆的时候修的，走，我带你去看看吧。

雪梅：好的。

老王：雪梅，这就是百年讲堂。

雪梅：真漂亮。

老王：哎，可惜百年校庆的时候你没能赶回来，要不然可以看到很多老同学呢。

雪梅：是啊，我当时在美国呢。哎，他们的变化大吗？

老王：变化大是大，可是很多人你还是能一眼就认出来。

雪梅：真想他们啊。

老王：来，我们去那边看看。

（边走边看，至未名湖）哎，到了到了。未名湖，博雅塔，这里的风景还是那么好。

（呼吸一口空气）我终于回来了。

老王：看把你高兴的，你忘了，你当初还给未名湖起过名字呢。

雪梅：以前的事儿就别提了吧。对了，我差点儿把一件很重要的事儿给忘了。

老王：怎么，你现在就要开始你的采访了，我的大记者？（开玩笑的口气）

雪梅：谁让你变成研究文化方面的专家的？而且，我还想请你帮我一个忙。

老王：什么事儿？你说。

雪梅：我们报社想请你给我们做一次关于文化方面的报告，你看怎么样？

老王：报告啊，最近我很忙，不知道有没有时间。

雪梅：知道你忙，这不是才来求你的吗？你不至于连这个面子也不给我吧？这可是我们社长专门交给我的任务。

老王：怎么，你也学会“走后门”啦。好，看在你的面子上，我去还不行吗？

雪梅：那太好了。我已经向我们社长打了保票，万一你去不了我可就惨了。

老王：好，看在你的面子上，我一定去。

雪梅：一言为定！
 

Translation

Xue Mei: Lao Wang，all right，I’m leaving now. Will you wait for me at the entrance to the journalism institute at Peking University. No problem. I’ll be there at five.

Colleague: Wow, who are you going to meet today? You ’re so excited.

Xue Mei: The person I’m interviewing happens to be my old classmate from Peking University. We haven’t seen each other in years. How could I not be excited?

Colleague: Really? Well, you’d better hurry!

Lao Wang: Hey, over here! We haven’t seen each other for a long time, Xue Mei. You haven’t changed much.

Xue Mei: Aren’t you just the same? You still look as young as you always did.

Lao Wang: You’re too kind. Hey, have you been back to the university since you left?

Xue Mei: No. I always said I’d come, but something always came up.

Lao Wang: Since you’re here today，we should take a good look at the campus. We’ll leave the interview for later, how’s that?

Xue Mei: That’s perfect! Let’s go.

Lao Wang: Look! This lawn hasn’t changed a bit. There are still so many people studying foreign languages in the morning.

Xue Mei: Hmm, your school days are the best.

Passenger: Excuse me teacher, wher is the University Centennial Auditorium?

Lao Wang: You should go straight, and turn right at the crossroads.

Passengers: Thank you, teacher!

Lao Wang: New students always get lost.

Xue Mei: When I was a new student I was the same, couldn’t find the way at all. Lao Wang, What is the University Centennial Auditorium?

Lao Wang: Oh, it was built for the centenary celebrations. Let’s go and have a look.

Xue Mei: Sure.

Lao Wang: Xue Mei，this is the University Centennial Auditorium.

Xue Mei: It’s really beautiful.

Lao Wang: It’s a pity you couldn’t come back, or you would have seen a lot of old classmates.

Xue Mei: Yes，I was in the US at the time. Hey, have they changed much?

Lao Wang: They’ve changed a lot, but you’d still recognize a lot of them at first sight.

Xue Mei: I really miss them. Look！Weiming Lake，Boya Pagoda. The scenery is still so beautiful here. Finally I’m back.

Lao Wang: Look how pleased you are! Have you forgotten you once gave a name to Weiming Lake?

Xue Mei: Don’t bring that up. Right，I nearly forgot something very important.

Lao Wang: What, you’re going to start your interview already，Ms Bigshot Journalist?

Xue Mei: Well it’s your fault for being the cultural expert. Also, I’d like to ask a favour from you.

Lao Wang: What favour?

Xue Mei: Our newspaper would like you to give a presentation on cultural issues. What do you think?

Lao Wang: Presentation. Well, I’m pretty busy. I don’t know if I have time.

Xue Mei: I know you’re busy, that’s why I’ ve come to grovel. You’ve got to do it for old time’s sake. This is an assignment the chief of our newspaper gave to me especially.

Lao Wang: What, you’ve started to use the “backdoor” tactic, too? OK, just for you, I’ll do it. Is that alright?

Xue Mei: That’s great. I’ve already promised our chief. If you’d turned me down, I’d have been in trouble.

Lao Wang: OK，for your sake, I’ll definitely do it.

Xue Mei: That’s a promise！
 

Bookmarks

1）万一 just in case

（例）万一明天下雨，我们还去不去？

Would we still go tomorrow in the small chance that it rains?

（例）还是多带点衣服吧，万一天气突然变冷了呢？

You should still bring some more clothing, just in case the weather suddenly gets colder.

2）至于 to the extent of

（例）这个问题，你只要好好想想，不至于答不上来。

If you just thought carefully about this problem, you wouldn't be unable to answer.

（例）你不至于连北京都没听说过吧。

It couldn't be that you never head of Beijing.

3）既然since

（例）既然你不喜欢吃辣的，我们就别去吃四川菜了吧。

Since you don't like to eat spicy food, let's not go and have Sichuan food.

（例）既然你不舒服，我们就早点儿回去吧。

Since you're not feeling well, let's go back a little earlier.

Sign Posts

Peking University

Today we had a little peak at the campus of 北京大学 Beijing university, also known as Peking University, or by the short form 北大.Peking University is the premiere general arts university in China, although nearby Tsinghua University boasts the strongest programs in sciences. There is a real rivalry between the schools, just like between Harvard and Yale, or Oxford and Cambridge.

The campus of Peking University is one of the most beautiful in China. In imperial China, this was the private summer residence of a corrupt official. It was said to be second only to the emperor's Summer Palace. In fact, the old summer palace, the one that was destroyed by British and French troops during the Opium Wars in 1860, is immediately to the north of the Peking University campus.

After the fall of the Qing dynasty, a modern university was founded on these grounds. This was Yanjing University, set up largely by American missionaries and educators. Many of the original university buildings, like the famous Boya pagoda, were designed by an American architect who wanted the buildings to retain a strong Chinese flavour.

Peking University is actually much older, with over 100 years of history, but it was originally located closer to downtown. After 1949, Peking University absorbed Yanjing university, and moved to the current campus. Much of the old, traditional flavour of the campus remains.

The May 4th movement in 1919 is the most important moment in the history of Beijing University. In some ways, this marks the beginning of the modern age of Chinese history. That day marks a specific protest, as well as the beginning of a great cultural movement that continued for many years. To this day, not only is May 4 the anniversary of the founding of Peking University, it's also known as Youth Day across China.

Substitution and Extension

1）V＋是＋V，可是…… this maybe true, but and then provide a clarification

（例）中国菜，我会做是会做，但是水平不太高。

I can cook Chinese food, but my level of ability isn't very high.