Making polite conversation
Lilly White talks to Mr Zhang in the car on their way to the hotel.(part 2)
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Lilly:
天气真热啊！ 上海的夏天一直都是这样吗？
Mr Zhang:
是啊，上海的夏天又热又湿，很不舒服。
Lilly:
我听说了。我有点担心，不知道能不能适应。
Mr Zhang:
不用担心，现在到处都有空调，商店、地铁、公共汽车，都有空调。
Lilly:
是吗？ 那就好多了。
Mr Zhang:
其实上海最热的时候是八月份，气温可以达到三十九度。
Lilly:
真的吗？ 那人们还去上班吗？
Mr Zhang:
当然，当然得上班，三十九度也得上班。英国夏天没那么热吧？
Lilly:
没有。英国的夏天一般都是二十多度。
Mr Zhang:
才二十多度啊？ 那真是舒服。
Lilly:
是的。但是英国的夏天很短。英国的冬天很长，又冷又多雨。
Mr Zhang:
嗯，我也听说英国常常下雨。
Lilly:
是的，不过常常下雨有一个好处，就是草地长得很好 。
Mr Zhang:
哈哈，难怪英国人踢足球踢得好！
Lilly:
哈哈，您说的有道理。您喜欢看英国足球吗？
Mr Zhang:
当然！我喜欢贝克汉姆、鲁尼，他们踢得太好了！
Lilly:
您喜欢英国的哪个球队？
Mr Zhang:
我喜欢曼联。我女儿特别喜欢阿森纳。
Lilly:
我也喜欢阿森纳。阿森纳是伦敦的球队。您女儿今年多大了？
Mr Zhang:
她今年十四岁，在上中学。她特别想看一场真正的英国足球比赛。
Lilly:
哦，希望有一天你们能去英国看一场球赛！
Lilly:
It’s really hot (lit. the weather is really hot)! Is it always like this in Shanghai in summer?
Mr Zhang:
Yes, summer in Shanghai is hot and humid, very uncomfortable.
Lilly:
I’ve heard about it. I’m a bit worried, (as) I don’t know if I can get used to it or not.
Mr Zhang:
No need to worry. There is air-conditioning everywhere now: shops, underground, buses, all have air-conditioning.
Lilly:
Is there? Then that’s a lot better.
Mr Zhang:
Actually the hottest time in Shanghai is August, the temperature can reach thirty-nine degrees.
Lilly:
Really? Do people still go to work then?
Mr Zhang:
Of course, of course (people) must work, (even if) it’s thirty-nine degrees, you still must work. Summer in England is not that hot, is it?
Lilly:
No. Summer in England is usually twenty-odd degrees.
Mr Zhang:
Only twenty-odd degrees? That’s really comfortable.
Lilly:
Yes, but summer in England is very short. Winter in England is very long, cold and rainy.
Mr Zhang:
Yes, I’ve also heard that it rains a lot in England.
Lilly:
Yes, but there is one advantage of raining often, (which is that) grass grows very well.
Mr Zhang:
Haha, no wonder English people are good at football then!
Lilly:
Haha, that makes sense (lit. what you say is reasonable). Do you like watching English football?
Mr Zhang:
Of course! I like Beckham, Rooney, they play so well!
Lilly:
Which English football team do you like?
Mr Zhang:
I like Manchester United. My daughter especially likes Arsenal.
Lilly:
I like Arsenal too. Arsenal is a London team. How old is your daughter (lit. how old is your daughter this year)?
Mr Zhang:
She’s fourteen (lit. she’s fourteen this year). She goes to middle school. She very much wants to watch a real English football match.
Lilly:
Oh, I hope one day you’ll be able to go to England and watch a football match!
These are notes about potentially difficult key expressions. They are listed in the order in which they appear in the dialogue.
1. 都
上海的夏天一直都是这样吗？Is it always like this in Shanghai in the summer?
现在到处都有空调。 There is air-conditioning everywhere now.
英国的夏天一般都是二十多度。 Summer in England is usually twenty-odd degrees.
都 all, both is used to emphasize that everything is included.
一直都 (lit. continuously all): 一直都很热 very hot all the time
一般都 (lit. commonly all): 一般都是二十多度 (it) is usually twenty-odd degrees
到处都 (lit. everywhere all): 到处都有空调 there is air-conditioning everywhere
2. 又……又……
上海的夏天又热又湿。 Summer in Shanghai is hot and humid.
又……又…… is used to link two adjectives or two verbs/verbal phrases. It means '…and…' or 'not only…but also…'.
又冷又多雨 not only cold, but also rainy
又热又湿 not only hot, but also humid
他又会说英文又会说中文。He can not only speak English, but also Chinese.
3. 好多了
那就好多了。Then that's a lot better.
好多了means 'much better'. 多了 'a lot', 'by far' is put after the adjective 好 good. Similarly, 快多了means 'much faster', 高多了 means 'much higher', and 冷多了 means 'much colder'.
4. 英国夏天没那么热吧？
The full version of this sentence should be: 英国夏天没上海夏天那么热吧？Summer in England is not as hot as summer in Shanghai, is it?
When saying 'A is not as…as B', use the word 没.
5. 得
a). When it means 'have to, must', 得 is pronounced as 'děi'.
当然得上班，三十九度也得上班。Of course (people) must work, (even if) it’s thirty-nine degrees.
b). When it's used as a particle to connect a verb and a complement, 得 is pronounced as 'de' (neutral tone).
草地长得很好。Grass grows very well.
英国人踢足球踢得好。English people are good at football. (lit. English people play football very well.)
6. 上
她今年十四岁，在上中学。 She's fourteen. She goes to middle school.
上 here means 'to go to', e.g. 上班 to go to work, 上学 to go to school, 上网 to surf the internet (lit. to go to the internet); sometimes it's used instead of 去 in a more colloquial register. e.g.
你上哪儿？Where are you going? 我上医院。I'm going to the hospital.
7. 场
一场球赛 a football match
场 is the measure word for games, competitions, performance, dramas, debates, etc. e.g.
那场演出精彩极了。That performance was excellent.
人生就像一场戏。Life is like a drama.
Check your vocabulary
Read the Chinese phrases and drag the English translations to match them. For help, click on the audio button or the Chinese text to hear each phrase. Check your answers.
Weather talk
Select the correct answer according to the dialogue 'Making polite conversation'. Check your answers.
1. 上海的夏天
2. 英国的冬天
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