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Intermediate - Titanic: A Chinese Romance
Dec 04, 2008
Show notes
When it comes to tales of both romance and disaster, China is never far away. So in today's Intermediate podcast, we step back into history and show the Chinese connection to the Great Ship itself. Our podcast is less explicitly pedagogical than usual, but we hope you'll still find it both enjoyable and educational. We're still experimenting with recording formats, so welcome thoughts and comments as well.
Absolute Beginners - Working All Night
Dec 02, 2008
Show notes
Whether you're working towards a degree or working professionally, odds are you need to pull the occasional all nighter. We feel your pain, as do about half the taxi drivers in Beijing.In this lesson, we cover a casual way of asking after someone. How are you feeling? And the best thing about this phrase is that with a slight change it doubles as a useful way of telling others you're not at the top of your game. This is the kind of authentic Chinese that will help you break the ice with strangers. We highly recommend it.
Intermediate - In Cold Blood
Nov 27, 2008
Show notes
The district attorney gritted his teeth at the thought of another day of cross-examination. "I've questioned her type before," he told the mayor. His mind was still reeling from the circus that had been opening statements, and the defendant's appearance in a pink mink wrap and a fresh tan. Respect for the dead was not her forté. "It'll be hard to get her to crack under pressure."At the heart of the case was a dead man, but a representative of certain entrenched interests and an old friend of the political establishment. His had been a very public death, and as the vortex of money, sex and politics proved irresistible, the evidence that had once seemed so overwhelming began to take on a distinctively circumstantial tinge in public opinion. Whether it produce justice or not, the trial would stagger to a close one way or the next. As he left for the courtroom, the district attorney just prayed it would bring justice for someone, somewhere.
Absolute Beginners - An Unholy Smell
Nov 25, 2008
Show notes
A giant shuddering sound escaped from deep within the bowels of the great industrial machine. In the pin-drop silence that followed, an ominous hiss could be heard far below the iron gangplanks where the night crew plied their trade, feeding a constant stream of waste into the ovens of the thermal plant, the engineering marvel whose energy output fed the ever-hungry city."Sulfur leak," bellowed the shift manager, the panic rising in his voice as he dropped his clipboard mid-check. His cry had barely subsided before the general shock gave way to panic, shift workers jostling over each other in a frenzied rush for the ventilation shaft.
Elementary - Wireless Internet
Nov 18, 2008
Show notes
One of the advantages of being multilingual is that your asset is your mind, so many job opportunities (assuming you want them) end up being as flexible as you are. Take translation, for instance. While the average workload might veer more towards real estate contracts than film scripts, you can do your job anywhere, even on the beach. That makes up for a lot of party-of-the-first-part bits.And on the subject of translation, doing a really top-notch job requires settling yourself down somewhere comfortable, such as a nice cafe. And then you'll need your laptop, and wireless Internet access. See where we're going here? This may only be an elementary podcast, but we're keeping our eye on the ball: with fluency comes freedom.
Intermediate - Golden Monkey Throat Lozenges
Nov 17, 2008
Show notes
Sore throat? Dry, hacking cough? Golden Monkey Throat lozenges offer soothing relief from pain and a great orange taste! Listen to today's podcast for a lesson in the power of sheer repetition as a marketing technique. In no time you'll be asking for them by name!
Absolute Beginners - The Fourth Tone
Nov 13, 2008
Show notes
What's that plummeting to the ground? Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Our confidence? The stock market? No... this time it's the fourth tone, the eldest and most bitter of the four tones in mandarin, Chinese.If you noticed our earlier lessons on the first three tones you probably saw this coming a mile away. For those who haven't, today we're continuing our series on the four tones with a lesson dedicated exclusively to the fourth tone. If you're trying to get your head around this wonderful tonal language, listen to this podcast for a brief introduction to both the fourth tone as well as some common examples. Then head to the vocabulary section to practice your own pronunciation against our recordings. If you're feeling confident you can then check out our real-world examples which combine today's new vocabulary with words we've learned earlier on. With progressive lessons like this, you'll be fluent in no time.
Advanced - Nanluoguxiang: the cafe district
Nov 11, 2008
Show notes
Five years ago there wasn't a single cafe in this old hutong district a mere ten minutes east of Houhai and the Drum Tower. Despite the explosion of small bars and coffee shops since, Nanluoguxiang remains one of Beijing's most pleasant areas. The neighborhood's older and more traditional architecture offers a welcome break from the oppressive vastness of other parts of Beijing, while the noise here is generally under control and aggressive peddlers have yet to descend on the area.This has made Nanluoguxiang less of a party street and more of a community for Chinese and foreign translators, writers, photographers and artists. The sense of community on the street is palpable, and it doesn't take long to learn people's names and find a favorite cafe. Whether you want some coffee or are just looking for a quiet place to grab a drink and tackle some work, Nanluoguxiang is a good choice.Join us in today's podcast as we learn a bit more about this street, see its gradual commercialization through the eyes of Echo, Apple and 9527. Although this recording is much more Chinese podcast than explicit lesson, we've highlighted some of the more difficult words and names on the vocab page. If you have trouble listening to Chinese at speed, you'll probably want to check it out before hitting the podcast. Enjoy.
Elementary - Running Late
Nov 10, 2008
Show notes
If you're anything like our own bedraggled staff, getting out of bed in the morning is one of the more vicious challenges of the day. Combine natural lethargy with the reality of doing business in China (let's just admit that adventurous jobs often require extended hours), and you've got a recipe for exactly the situation we run into today.Of course, being the merciless corporate flacks we are, we're on the other side of the table. So listen in to our podcast today to find out what happens when Kang arrives late for work, yet again. This is hardly the first time it's happened, and we'll see how well his apologies go over with Apple, who has somehow ingratiated herself into a management position.
Intermediate - The Argument
Nov 05, 2008
Show notes
More than a social lubricant, the apology is a survival skill, because even when you're right, you often risk getting beaten by your significant other. Join us in today's listening test as we eavesdrop on a not-atypical conversation. As with our other listening tests, we recommend listening once, and then testing your comprehension in our quiz section. Use the mouseover version in the text section to check your comprehension after the fact.Despite witnessing a few savage public beatings, our crew here has never heard of anyone actually hospitalized after a handbag assault. That is still no reason to throw caution to the wind. As murky as they are out West, the rules of the apology are even less clear in China. A good rule of thumb is to follow local custom: apologize early and often.
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