Travel in Chinese Lesson 88 Mongolian Yurt 2

蒙古包里

人豪：小杰，你看叔叔家漂亮吗？

小杰：漂亮。爸爸，我们也盖一间和叔叔一样的房子吧。

人豪：好啊。

朋友：请坐。

乌兰：请喝茶。

朋友：小杰，渴了吧。尝尝叔叔家的奶茶，看看好不好喝？

小杰：咦，怎么是咸的？爸爸，我以前从来都没喝过这样的茶。

人豪：好喝吗？

小杰：挺香的。叔叔，你是怎么泡的，告诉我。等我回家以后泡给我妈妈喝，让她也尝一尝。

人豪：小杰，叔叔家的茶可不是泡的，是熬出来的。

小杰：熬出来的？那不是成熬汤了么？

人豪：哈哈，不是那么回事。奶茶啊，是用这种特殊的茶叶煮出来的。

小杰：哇，这么厚，看起来象砖一样。

人豪：对，这就是蒙古族的砖茶。把这样的茶叶放进锅里煮，然后再放鲜奶慢慢熬，最后加入盐巴，才能做出这样的奶茶。我说得对吧？

朋友：对，对。

小杰：这么复杂啊，我可做不出来。

小杰：叔叔，刚才进来的时候看到门口有马，是您的吗？

朋友：是啊。

小杰：那您会骑吗？

人豪：叔叔当然会骑了。小杰，在这儿，如果不会骑马，那可就算不上一个真正的蒙古人。想当年，叔叔还得过那达慕骑马比赛的冠军呢！

小杰：那达慕？又是蒙语吧。这是一个什么样的比赛呢？

人豪：这是蒙古族一个特别的节日，就好像我们汉族的春节一样。大家在一起比赛摔跤、骑马，可好玩儿了。

小杰：爸爸，我这次能看到吗？

人豪：那达慕是一个夏天的节日，通常在七八月份举行。

小杰：时间已经过了。真可惜。叔叔，当了那达慕的冠军是不是特别神气。您快点儿教我骑马吧。下次比赛的时候我也要参加，当冠军。

朋友：有志气！走，叔叔教你骑马去。

小杰：噢，骑马去喽。

（在马上）

朋友：坐直，收腹，腿夹紧，缰绳拿好。

小杰：爸爸，我有点儿害怕。

人豪：小杰别怕，按叔叔说的去做。要做一个勇敢的孩子。草原上把这样的孩子叫“巴特尔”。

小杰：驾，爸爸，你的巴特尔来了！
 

Translation:

Renhao: Xiaojie, do you like your uncle’s home？

Xiaojie: Yes, it’s nice. Dad, let’s build a house just like uncle’s.

Renhao: OK.

Friend: Have a seat.

Wulan: Help yourself to a cup of tea.

Renhao: Xiaojie, you must be thirsty. Try some of your uncle’s milk tea. See if you like it.

Xiaojie: Oh, it’s surprising salty! Dad, I’ve never had tea like this before.

Renhao: Do you like it？

Xiaojie: It really tastes good. Uncle, tell me how you brewed it, so I can make it for mum to try when I get home.

Renhao: Xiaojie, uncle’s tea wasn’t brewed. It was boiled.

Xiaojie: Boiled？Isn’t that like soup？

Renhao: Haha, it’s not like that. Milk tea is made from this special kind of tea leaves.

Xiaojie: Wow, it’s as thick as a brick.

Renhao: Exactly! This is Mongolian brick tea. You boil the tea leaves in a pot, then add fresh milk and simmer. Finally, you add some salt, and then you have milk tea. Am I right?

Friend: Yes. You’re right.

Xiaojie: It’s so complicated. I don’t think I would be able to make it.

Xiaojie: Uncle, when I came in just now, I noticed that there was a horse at your door. Is that yours？

Friend: Yes.

Xiaojie: So you know how to ride it？

Renhao: Of course uncle knows how. Out here, you’re not considered a real Mongolian if you don’t know how to ride a horse. Back in his day, uncle was the horse riding champion at Nadamu！

Xiaojie: Nadamu？That sounds like Mongolian again. What kind of competition is that？

Renhao: It’s a special Mongolian festival, a bit like Chinese New Year for the Han people. People get together and have competitions in wrestling, and horse-riding. It’s so much fun!

Xiaojie: Dad, will I get to see it this time？

Renhao: Nadamu is a summer festival; it’s usually held in July or August.

Xiaojie: So we’re too late. What a shame. Uncle, it must be awesome to be a Nadamu champion! You’ve got to teach me how to ride a horse. That way, I can enter the next competition and be a champion too.

Friend: Gutsy girl！Let’s go. I’ll teach you how to ride a horse.

Xiaojie: Yay! We ’re going horse riding.

Friend: Sit straight, breathe in, legs together tight, and hold on to the reins.

Xiaojie: Dad, I’m a little scared.

Renhao: Don’t be scared, Xiaojie, just do as your uncle says. Be a brave girl. On the grasslands we call kids like this “Bate’er”.

Xiaojie: Jia! Dad, here comes your Bate’er！
 

Bookmarks

1、V+不出来 verb can't be completed, done

（例）这道菜这么复杂，我可做不出来。

This dish is so complicated. I can't makeit.

（例）他的变化太大了，见了面我都认不出他来了。

He's changed too much. I can't even recognize him when I see him.

2、通常 usually

（例）他早上通常六点钟就起床了。

He ususally gets up at six o'clock in the morning.

（例）下班以后他通常开车回家。

After work, he usually gets home by driving.

Sign Posts

Distinct Culture of Inner Mongolia

The Mongolian people, who make up a large percentage of the population of Inner Mongolia, have a culture that is quite distinct from the rest of China. wher the central regions of China have always been agricultural societies, the Mongolian grasslands were inhabited by a nomadic people who lived off the grazing of sheep, yaks and other animals. Skill at horseback riding has been a central aspect of Mongolian culture that is still celebrated to this day.

The best time to experience local culture in Inner Mongolia is the Nadam Festival period or 那达慕节 in Chinese. In Mongolian, Nadam means "recreation or game". The festival is a traditional gathering of the Mongolian people, held annually in July or August when the pastures are at their greenest, and usually lasts between three and ten days. The festival is celebrated with horse racing, wrestling, archery and other competitions as well as theatrical performances.

Mutton dominates the Mongolian menu, and you can hardly find better mutton anywher else wher in China. Roasted whole sheep烤全羊 is more than a dish, it’s a huge meal that used to be a privilege enjoyed only by Mongolian kings. Roasted whole sheep is famous not only for its quality mutton but also for its special method of preparation. The mutton, filled with various spices, is first heated at high temperatures in an airtight oven until it is medium-well done. Then the mutton is roasted with fire until it becomes golden brown. This allows the flavors of the spices to pervade the meat completely.

If you can’t finish a whole sheep at once, you might want to try Shouba Rou 手扒肉. Unlike roasted whole sheep, shouba rou is more popular among herdsmen. Mutton is boiled in a wok without salt or any other spices. The meat is then cut with a Mongolian knife and dipped into seasonings.

Dairy products are abundant and include cheese, milk curd, salty milk tea （奶茶） and mare’s milk. There is a whole category of foot items called 奶食 that are dairy products made in a mind-boggling variety of ways.

Due to their nomadic traditions, Mongolians are a very open and welcoming people, and fermented mare’s milk is customarily served to welcome guests and visitors.

Substitution and Extension

1、算不上 can't be considered

（例）没去过长城，就算不上真正来过中国。

If you haven't been to the Great Wall, it can't be considered that you've really been to China.