Chinese Beginners

Friends, recreation and pastimes

Listenings

Activity 1 – lifestyle survey 调查

Question 1

Your school magazine is conducting a survey about the lifestyle of students in school. Choose the appropriate answer for each question. Discover which profile best matches you.

ch_m1_a4_sd_01.mp3

1. 午饭我常常吃

  • A
  • B
  • C
ch_m1_a4_sd_02.mp3

2. 晚饭我常常吃

  • A
  • B
  • C
ch_m1_a4_sd_03.mp3

3. 放学回家后我常常

  • A
  • B
  • C
ch_m1_a4_sd_04.mp3

4. 你吃快餐吗？

  • A
  • B
  • C
ch_m1_a4_sd_05.mp3

5. 周末我

  • A
  • B
  • C
ch_m1_a4_sd_06.mp3

6. 放学后我喜欢

  • A
  • B
  • C
ch_m1_a4_sd_07.mp3

7. 我每天睡

  • A
  • B
  • C

Question 2

Match the first part of each sentence to the most appropriate ending.

午饭我常常吃

周末我

放学后我喜欢

我每天睡

我有时候

去商场买东西。

十个小时。

三明治和水果。

吃快餐。

上网。

Question 3

Describe the lifestyle and eating habits outlined in each profile in step 1. Answer in English.

Question 4

You want to find out about your friend’s lifestyle. Write down the questions you are going to ask from the survey. Answer in Chinese.

Question 5

With a partner, write two more survey questions in Chinese. For each question provide options a, b and c to fit the profiles.

Question 6

How would you advise a friend with a profile C to improve his or her lifestyle? Answer in Chinese.

Activity 2 – announcement 通告

Listen to the community radio information.

Announcement.mp3

Question 1

Listen to each question and three alternative answers. Choose the most appropriate answer.

Announcement quiz 1.mp3

画画儿班教小朋友们

  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
Announcement quiz 2.mp3

武术班的电话号码是

  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
Announcement quiz 3.mp3

太极拳班，星期一到星期五每天

  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
Announcement quiz 4.mp3

太极拳

  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
Announcement quiz 5.mp3

在中国花园小朋友们可以

  1. A
  2. B
  3. C

Question 2

Choose one of the events discussed on the community radio. In English, explain why you would or would not participate in this event.

Activity 3 – conversation 对话

Fangfang and Simon are classmates. Listen to their conversation.

Conversation.mp3

Question 1

True or false?

  1. Simon went to his girlfriend’s birthday party.
  2. There were a lot of people at the birthday party.
  3. There was a birthday cake at the party.
  4. They had lots of dishes as well as noodles.

Question 2

  1. Whose birthday party did Simon attend?
  2. How many people attended the birthday party?
  3. Explain what food is served to celebrate Chinese birthdays?
  4. Explain why Fangfang was so shocked.

Concluding questions

  1. Write a brief account, in Chinese, of the party Simon attended.
  2. Research customs related to birthday celebrations in China. You can include food, gifts, and so on. Write a report in English. You may use the link below to get started.
  3. Imagine you are Simon. Write a note in Chinese to your girlfriend’s grandmother to apologise for the inappropriate birthday gift.

Item 1

Listen to the audio:

chn_beg_t2_l_track_01.mp3

How is Xiaoming going to contact his friend Datong?

Item 2

Listen to the audio:

chn_beg_t2_l_track_02.mp3

What arrangement does Lin Fang make?

Item 3

Listen to the audio:

chn_beg_t2_l_track_03.mp3

What is the boy going to do on the weekend?

Item 4

Listen to the audio:

chn_beg_t2_l_track_04.mp3

Why did the speaker go to bed so late last night?

Item 5

Listen to the audio:

friends_listening_t5.mp3
  1. Why does Dashan call Xiaomei?
  2. What do we know about Xiaomei from the conversation?

Readings

Activity 1

Read the following text, then answer the questions in English.

大山，你好！

我叫大伟，今年十七岁, 是金华男女中学十一年级的学生。我在澳大利亚出生， 爸爸是德国人，妈妈是澳大利亚人。

我对中国的文化很感兴趣，也喜欢和中国人交朋友，所以老师要我写信给你，希望你会做我的笔友。

大山，你有什么爱好？放假的时候喜欢做什么？我喜欢看电影、听音乐，但是我不喜欢运动。澳大利亚很多年轻人都喜欢运动。他们一般喜欢打网球、打板球、游泳、冲浪等。周末的时候，他们也喜欢和朋友去看电影、跳舞。

我这个人爱安静，所以朋友不多。放假的时候，我常常一个人在家看书、画画。现在，我正在学山水画和书法，老师说我进步得很快。我很想去中国旅游，现在，我正在打零工存钱，希望很快可以去中国看你。

祝你学业进步！

大伟

九月十日

Question 1

Which of the following is true about David?

a) He is studying in Year 11 at Jinhua Boys’ High School.

b) He is 17 years old and his father is Dutch.

c) He wants to have a Chinese pen pal.

d) He likes reading and watching television.

Question 2

What does David do to enhance his understanding of Chinese culture?

Activity 2

Read the following text, then answer the questions in English.

王山：妈，这是我的好同学约翰，我请他来我们家过中秋的。

约翰：王伯母，太麻烦您了！

妈妈：你中文说得真好，跟中国人差不多。

约翰：哪里、哪里，是王山教我的。

王山：妈，约翰对中文很有兴趣，也非常用心学习，是中文班上最

好的学生。

妈妈：小山有你这位朋友，我也放心了。来！来！先吃一块月饼吧！

约翰：谢谢您！……很香……，什么味道？

王山：是妈妈做的菜。今天是中秋节，妈妈做了很多好吃的菜。约翰，来！你一边吃月饼，我们一边做灯笼。晚饭后，我们去公园点灯笼，也可以看 月亮。

约翰：这是不是叫“赏月”？

王山：对。中秋节的月亮是一年中最圆最亮的。中秋节还有很多美丽的故事，以后再告诉你吧！

Question 1

Explain why Wang Shan invites John to his house.

Question 2

What do they do to celebrate the festival?

Activity 3

Read the following text, then answer the questions in English.

马田：

你好！我今年十六岁，是澳大利亚人。我喜欢听摇滚乐，看喜剧片。周末的时候，我常常和朋友们去游泳、冲浪、打板球和踢足球。我也喜欢野营。

丁力：

你好！我今年十七岁，在北京第一中学上高中三年级。我平常的功课很忙，所以没有时间玩儿。有空的时候，我喜欢和家人一起看电视，上网、或打电话跟朋友聊天。我最喜欢一群人上卡拉OK，也爱参加同学的生日会。

比蒂：

你好！我今年十八岁，是悉尼男女中学十二年级的学生。我爸爸是澳大利亚人，妈妈是中国人。我今年要考大学入学试了，所以妈妈常常要我复习功课，没有娱乐的时间。放假的时候，我才可以和同学去看电影、听演唱会。我最喜欢看娱乐杂志，了解一下明星的生活，也喜欢逛商店，看时髦的衣服。

Question 1

List the activities that Martin, Ding Li and Betty each like to do in their spare time.

Question 2

Contrast the personality of Martin and Ding Li.

Question 3

What do Ding Li and Betty have in common?

Activity 4

Read the following passage then answer the questions that follow in English.

我的爱好是打网球。因为我的好朋友王力，我才喜欢这个运动。

王力的爸爸是澳大利亚人，妈妈是中国人。他的中文说得很好，因为他妈妈只和他说中文。从小学开始，我们是同学。他的家离我家很近，我们每天一起上学，一起放学回家。

中学后，王力开始打网球。他的网球打得很好，是学校网球队的队员。每个星期六上午，他教我打网球。现在，我们都是网球队的队员，还代表学校参加双打比赛。

现在，我们都是十二年级的学生，学习非常忙。可是，每个星期六，我们仍然打网球。打网球让我们开心，忘了读书的压力。很快，我们可能会上不同的大学，但是，我们还会常常一起打网球的。

Question 1

What do you know about Wang Li?

Question 2

How do they benefit from playing tennis?