Travel in Chinese Lesson 72 Kunming

雪梅：人豪，快点儿啊，都怪你，让你早点儿来，你偏磨磨蹭蹭地，看，现在人那么多。

人豪：唉，别生气嘛，我怎么知道路上会堵车呢。看，那只猴子可爱吗？

雪梅：恩，可爱，厚厚的嘴唇，大大的眼睛。

人豪：漂亮吧。这是云南特有的一种动物，叫金丝猴，和大熊猫一样珍贵。

雪梅：是吗？金丝猴，是因为它有金色的毛吧？

人豪：你真聪明！而且这只金丝猴还有一个好听的名字，叫灵灵。

雪梅：哈哈，有意思，看起来它就很机灵聪明。

人豪：我的夫人，现在心情开始好起来了？今天早上是我不对，给你陪个不是，好不好？走，咱们进去看看吧。

雪梅：哇，人豪，快看，用鲜花做的大钟。快点儿把相机拿出来，我一定要照一张像，太漂亮了。

人豪：别急，别急。（边说边拿相机）

雪梅：（继续往前走）这儿这么多花，我的眼睛都不够用了，这简直是花的海洋。

人豪：我听说过，这就是“鲜花大道”。

雪梅：哎，那边还有用鲜花做的大船和柱子，我从没和那么多花在一起。

人豪：看你高兴的。我的一个朋友告诉我，这里的鲜花每隔一段时间就会更换一次，不同的季节，看到的鲜花大道也是不同的。

雪梅：能和这么多花生活在一起，我都有点儿嫉妒这里的人了。

人豪：是啊，这里的天气一年四季都像春天似的，不过，话又说回来了，这里要是不像春天一样漂亮，又怎能叫“春城”呢？

雪梅：说得有道理。哎，老公，那边的大房子里是什么？好像很多人都去了那儿。

人豪：你不是一向不喜欢人多的地方吗？现在也开始凑热闹了？

雪梅：谁说我凑热闹，这叫“随大流儿”。

人豪：好，好，我说不过你。走吧，咱们过去看看。

雪梅：原来是个大温室。人豪，有好多植物我都没见过。你看，那是什么？

人豪：我也不知道，不过，看样子应该是热带植物吧。

雪梅：哎，他们在干嘛呢？过去看看！

你为什么要对这它唱歌呢？

当地人：这叫跳舞草，只要你唱得好，它就会跟着你的歌声动，就好像在跳舞一样。

人豪：这么好玩儿啊，我来试试。

雪梅：你唱歌那么难听，它会动才怪。

人豪：我唱得有那么糟糕吗？我偏要试试。看，动了，动了。
 

Traslation:

Xuemei: Renhao, hurry up. It’s all your fault. I asked you to come early, but you were dawdling. See, what time it is!

Renhao: Hey, don’t be angry with me. How could I predict the traffic jam on the road? Look, isn’t that monkey lovely?

Xuemei: Er, it’s very lovely, thick lips and large eyes.

Renhao: Isn’t it beautiful? This animal is unique to Yunnan. Its name is the golden monkey. And they are as rare and precious as giant pandas.

Xuemei: Yes? Because of its golden hair?

Renhao: You’re really smart. Moreover, it’s got a beautiful name, Lingling.

Xuemei: Haha, interesting. You can tell by looking at it that it’s smart and intelligent.

Renhao: My dear, you feel better now? It was my fault this morning. I apologize, OK? Let’s go inside.

Xuemei: Wow, Renhao, look at that big clock made of flowers. Quick, give me the camera. I have to take a picture. It’s marvelous.

Renhao: No hurry. Here it comes.

Xuemei: So many flowers! It’s really “an ocean of flowers”.

Renhao: I heard about this before. This is “Flower Avenue”.

Xuemei: Oh, there’s a large boat and pillars made of flowers. I’ve never been with so many flowers.

Renhao: Look how happy you are! A friend told me that the flowers here are changed every once in a while. You see different “Flower Avenues” in different seasons.

Xuemei: Being able to live with so many flowers, I’m a little jealous of the people here.

Renhao: Yes, the weather here is like spring all year round. But back to the point, how could it be named “the Spring City” if it weren’t as beautiful as spring?

Xuemei: It makes sense. Dear, what’s in that big house? It seems a lot of people are going there.

Renhao: Don’t you usually prefer to avoid crowds? Now you’re starting to like hanging out with the crowd? Xuemei: Who said so? I’m following the crowd.

Renhao: OK, I give up. Let’s go and have a look.

Xuemei: Oh, it turns out to be a big greenhouse. Renhao, many of the plants here are new to me. Look there, what’s that?

Renhao: I don’t know either. But it looks like a tropical plant.

Xuemei: What are they doing? Let’s go and have a look. Why are you singing at it?

Local: This is dancing weed. As long as you can sing beautifully at it, it’ll move with your voice, like dancing.

Renhao: Interesting. Let me have a try.

Xuemei: You always have a problem keeping the tune when you sing. It won’t move.

Renhao: Just listen. See, it’s moving.
 

Bookmarks

1、形容词+起来action started

（例）天气开始慢慢地热起来了。

The weather starts to warm up slowly.

（例）一过十点，这里的人就开始多起来了。

After 10 o'clock, there are more and more people here.

2、简直 simply

（例）从北京去纽约的机票价格，对我来说，简直太贵了。

The price of an airline ticket from Beijing to New York is for me simply too expensive.

（例）黄山的风景简直太美了。

The scenery in Huangshan is simply too beautiful.

Sign Posts

The City of Spring
 

Kunming is the political, economical and cultural center of Yunnan Province and has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in Southwest China.

As I mentioned before, Kunming enjoys a pleasant climate that lives up to the nickname of "the City of Spring". The summers are never too hot, nor the winters too cold.

Yunnan province is home to some 26 ethnic groups, such as the Yi2, Bai2, Miao2, Dai4 and Ha1ni2, and so is one of the most colourful cultural regions of China. Each group has their own customs and festivals, such as the Torch festival of the Yi people, to mention just one of many examples. Each region within Yunnan province boasts its own distinct cultural flavour.

In 1999, Kunming was host to a huge International Horticultural Expo. This was a huge boost to the local economy and helped to put Kunming on the map, as it were, as a major tourist destination.

Expo '99 was the first horticultural exposition to have been held in China. The site of Expo'99 was located in the scenic area named "the Golden Temple Resort" in the northern suburbs of Kunming, covering an area of 218 hectares. Covered with dense vegetation, the site is laid out against the mountains with streams murmuring throughout the entire area. Horticultural works are integrated with modern architecture of markedly different styles to explore the expo’s theme of "Man and Nature". Delegations from many different countries built their own pavilions here to display their particular interpretation of the theme and to introduce people to the native flora and fauna of their respective countries.

After the Expo, these ground were converted into a permanent exhibition of horticulture. They are still one of the most popular sites to visit in Kunming.

Substitution and Extension

1、话又说回来了 back to the point

（例）走这条路虽然比较累，不过话又说回来了，这边的风景可要比那边的好多了。

It may be a little bit tiring to go on this road. But more to the point, the scenery of this side is much better than on that side.

2、跟着（谁）+V to do something with somebody

（例）请跟着我一起说.

Please repeat after me.