Travel in Chinese Lesson 53 The Summer Palace 1

小王：阿姨，刘勇在吗？

表姐：他出去买本书，很快就回来了，你先进来等他一会儿吧。

小王：好的，谢谢阿姨。

表姐：来，我给你们介绍一下，这是刘勇的表妹，小杰。

小杰，这是小王，刘勇的同学。

小杰：哥哥好！小王：你好！

表姐：小王啊，我觉得你平时挺精神的，怎么今天看起来这么无精打采的？

小王：别提了，昨天两点多才睡。

表姐：呦，开夜车啊，这对身体可不好。

小杰：是啊，而且晚上开车，也很危险。

表姐：哈哈，小杰，“开夜车”的意思就是晚上不睡觉，和开车可没关系。

小杰：是这么回事儿啊，有意思。那你为什么要开夜车呢？

小王：我们老师给我出了道难题，非要让我今天陪外教去颐和园，所以我一直在查资料，恶补这方面的知识。

表姐：那今天外教还满意吗？

小王：那还用说，我们外教说，到目前为止，我是他遇到的最好的导游呢。

表姐：你还真有两下子！

小王：不是开玩笑，我现在都可以当颐和园的导游了。

小杰：那太好了，周末我和妈妈要一起去颐和园，你能当我们的导游吗？

表姐：哎，对了，正好刘勇周末要去学车，不能和她们一块儿去，你要是能陪她们去可就太好了。

小王：没问题，小事一桩，包在我身上，保证让你们满意。

小杰：哥哥，颐和园是不是挺大的？

小王：对，不过主要不是因为它面积大，而是因为它可以看的东西太多。

小杰：那去颐和园主要应该看什么呢？

小王：根据我的调查，颐和园是中国园林艺术和建筑艺术的代表。如果你想了解中国的园林文化和建筑文化，看看颐和园就够了。

小杰：有那么好吗？听起来和广告一样。

小王：我可没吹，你们亲自去看看就知道了。

小杰：一言为定，我星期六来找你。

小王：行！
 

Translation:

Xiao Wang: Aunt, is Liu Yong around？

Cousin: He’s gone out to buy a book. He’ll be back in a little while. Why don’t you come in and wait for him.

Xiao Wang: OK, thanks aunt.

Cousin: Here, let me introduce you to Xiaojie, Liu Yong’s cousin. Xiaojie, this is Xiao Wang, Liu Yong’s school friend.

Xiaojie: Hello！Xiao Wang: Hello！

Cousin: Xiao Wang, you’re usually pretty full of life.Why do you look so worn out today?

Xiao Wang: Don’t ask, I didn’t get to bed until two am.

Cousin: Oh, night-driving. That’s not good for your health.

Xiaojie: Yes, besides, night-driving is very dangerous.

Cousin: Haha, Xiaojie, “night driving” means not sleeping at night. It has nothing to do with driving.

Xiaojie: Oh right, interesting. Then why did you do that？

Xiao Wang: Our teacher gave me a tough task. I had to take our international teacher to the Summer Palace today, so I was studying up on the subject.

Cousin: Well, was the international teacher pleased？

Xiao Wang: Naturally. Our international teacher said I was the best tour guide he’s ever met.

Cousin: You’re really pretty good！

Xiao Wang: No kidding, I really can be a Summer Palace tour guide now.

Xiaojie: That’s perfect. My mother and I are going to the Summer Palace this weekend. Can you be our tour guide？

Cousin: Oh right. It happens Liu Yong has driving lessons this weekend and can’t go with them. If you could go with them instead that would be great.

Xiao Wang: No problem, piece of cake. I’ll take care of it, satisfaction guaranteed.

Xiaojie: Xiao Wang, is the Summer Palace really huge？

Xiao Wang: Yes. But the main thing is not just its size, it’s because there’s so much to see there.

Xiaojie: Then what do you mainly see at the Summer Palace？

Xiao Wang: According to my research, the Summer Palace is a prime example of Chinese landscape design. If you want to know about China’s landscape culture, just take a look at the Summer Palace.

Xiaojie: Is it really so great？Sounds like an advertisement.

Xiao Wang: I’m not bragging, you can see for yourself.

Xiaojie: It’s a deal then. I’ll come and meet you on Saturday.

Xiao Wang: Sure！
 

Bookmarks

1)主要 main, primary

例)上海是中国的主要城市之一。

Shanghai is one of the main cities in China.

例)水果的价格主要是由季节来决定的。

The price of fruits is mainly determined by the season.

2)根据according to

例)根据气象部门预测，未来两天将有大风。

According to the prediction of the weather department, it would be windy over the next two days.

例)根据我对他的了解，他应该不会这么做。

According to my understanding of him, he shouldn’t do something like that.

Sign Posts

The Old Summer Palace

There are actually two summer palaces around Beijing, one built after the other. The oldest one dates from the 18th century, when Emperor Qianlong created the Garden of Perfect Purity. 圆明园. In English, we just call this the Old Summer Palace. Besides a spectacular landscape garden, it also housed buildings in various European styles. This was built at the height of the Qing Dynasty, and the Emperor specifically wanted to include samples of architectural styles from around the world. Later, during the Opium Wars in 1860 this palace was stormed by western troops, who destroyed the palaces and removed the treasures. The ruins of the central water fountain, originally one of the most spectacular sites, have become an important symbol of foreign aggression in China. Many people believe these ruins should be kept as they are, as a potent reminder of China’s history.

Empress Dowager Cixi set about establishing a new Summer Palace in 1888 to replac the old one. This palace is called 颐和园 in Chinese, and is located only a kilometre or two from the old Summer Palace.

Substitution and Extension

1)到……为止 up to a certain point

例)到目前为止，我至少已经去过20多个国家了。

Up to this point, I’ve been to at least 20 countries.

例)没想到他这么不讲信用，我们的合作就到此为止吧。

I never expected that he would be so untrustworthy. Our corporation ends here.

2)有两下子 to know a trick or two

例)他修车很有两下子。

He’s very skillful at fixing cars.

例)他拍电影真有两下子。

He’s really skillful at making movies