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Unit 5 The plane is about to take off

Dialogue

Xuéyŏu: Xiăo Dīng, nĭ kàn, Dàwèi hé Shìhăi yĕ lái le.

学友 ： 小丁，你看，大为和世海也来了。
Xueyou: Ding, look, David and Shihai are also here.

Dīng: Dàwèi, Shìhăi, zhème máng, nĭmen zĕnme yŏu kòng lái?
小丁 ： 大为，世海，这麽忙，你们怎麽有空来？
Ding: David, Shihai, (you are) so busy. How come you guys have time to come?

Dàwèi: Nĭmen jiù yào qù Zhōngguó le. Yí qù jiù shì yì nián. Wŏmen bù lái sòngbié
zĕnme xíng?
大为 ： 你们就要去中国了，一去就是一年。我们不来送别，怎麽行？
David: You are leaving for China soon. (You) will be gone for a year. It won’t
be nice (if) we don’t come to say good-bye.

Dīng: Xièxie.
小丁 ： 谢谢。
Ding: Thank you.

Shìhăi: Xiăo Dīng, fēijī jiù yào qĭfēi le. Nĭmen jiù yào qù Zhōngguó le. Nĭ juéde
zĕnmeyàng?
世海 ： 小丁，飞机就要起飞了，你们就要去中国了，你觉得怎么样？
Shihai: Ding, the plane is going to take off. You are leaving for China.
How do you feel?

Dīng: Wŏ juéde yòu jīdòng yòu nánguò.

小丁 ： 我觉得又激动又难过。
Ding: I feel both excited and sad.

Dàwèi: Jīdòng, wŏ kĕyĭ lĭjiĕ, kĕshì nĭ nánguò shénme ne?

大为 ： 激动，我可以理解，可是你难过什麽呢？
David: (Being) excited, I can understand, but, what are you sad about?

Dīng: Wŏmen jiù yào fēnbié le. Wŏ zhēn bú yuànyì líkāi nĭmen.
小丁 ： 我们就要分别了。我真不愿意离开你们。
Ding: We are about to part. I really don’t want to leave you guys.

Dàwèi: Bié nánguò le. Míngnián wŏmen yĕ yào qù Zhōngguó.

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大为 ： 别难过了。明年我们也要去中国。
David: Don’t be sad. Next year we will go to China, too.

Xuéyŏu: Nĭmen dăsuàn shénme shíhou qù Zhōngguó? Wŏmen yídìng qù jīchăng jiē nĭmen.
学友 ：你们打算什麽时候去中国？我们一定到机场接你们。
Xueyou: When do you plan to go to China? We will definitely go and pick you up
at the airport.

Dàwèi: Wŏ míngnián xiàtiān huòzhĕ qiūtiān qù. Shìhăi hái méi juédìng ne.
大为 ： 我明年夏天或者秋天去。世海还没决定呢。
David: I will go either next summer or autumn. Shihai has not made up his mind yet.

Dīng: Shìhăi, wèishénme ne?

小丁 ：世海，为什麽呢？
Ding: Shihai, why?

Shìhăi: Jīnnián shŭjià wŏ yŏu yí ge zài Shìjiè Yínháng shíxí de jīhuì. Wŏ yòu
xiăng qù Zhōngguó, yòu xiăng qù Huáshèngdùn shíxí, suŏyĭ yóuyù bùjué.
世海 ：今年暑假我有一个在世界银行实习的机会。我又想去中国，又想去华盛顿
实习，所以犹豫不决。
Shihai: This summer I have an opportunity to intern at the World Bank. I want to
go to China, and I also want to intern in DC. That’s why I can’t make
up my mind.

Dīng: Juédìng le jiù xiĕ xìn gàosu wŏmen, hăo ma?

小丁 ： 决定了就写信告诉我们，好吗？
Ding: Write to tell us when you make the decision. OK?

Shìhăi: Hăo.
世海 ： 好。
Shihai: OK.

Dàwèi: Fēijī jiù yào qĭfēi le. Nĭmen zhŭnbèi zhŭnbèi, shàng fēijī ba.
大为 ： 飞机就要起飞了，你们准备准备，上飞机吧。
David: The plane is about to take off. Get ready for the boarding.

Shìhăi: Xuéyŏu, Xiăo Dīng, zhù nĭmen xuéxí hăo, shēntĭ jiànkāng! Yílù pīng'ān.
世海 ： 学友，小丁，祝你们学习好，身体健康！一路平安！
Shihai: Xueyou, Ding, wish you healthy and study well! Bon voyage!

Xuéyŏu, Dīng: Xièxie, xièxie. Zàijiàn!

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学友，小丁： 谢谢，谢谢。再见
Xueyou, Ding: Thank you. Bye.

Reading

学友和小丁乘坐中国民航的飞机从纽约去北京。飞机上的人很多，各种肤色的人都有。

大家都去中国。几个穿得很整洁的年轻姑娘给旅客送茶倒水，非常热情，非常周到。

她们是飞机上的航空小姐，会说汉语，也会说英语。学友和小丁告诉航空小姐他们是

去中国留学的美国学生，请航空小姐跟他们说中国话。航空小姐的汉语很标准。听他

们说汉语，学友和小丁一点问题也没有。学友和小丁说的汉语，航空小姐也都懂。航

空小姐问学友和小丁学汉语学了几年，怎麽进步得这麽快。小丁回答说：" 我们学

汉语学了快两年了。我从小就喜欢中国文化，上了大学，有机会学汉语，我很高兴，

所以学得很认真，也很努力。再说，我们的老师也很好。工作非常认真，教得也很好，

所以我们都进步得很快。"

纽约离北京很远，坐飞机要二十个小时。在飞机上，学友和小丁看了两个中国电影，

一个故事片，一个动画片，都很有意思。小丁和学友还带了很多杂志和书在飞机上看。

所以，他们觉得时间过得快。当机长在广播里告诉大家北京就要到了的时候，小丁又

激动又不安。中国，这个美丽，神秘的国家，等待他们的将是什麽呢？

Zài fēijī shàng

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( Zài Fēijī Shàng )

Xuéyŏu hé Xiăo Dīng chéngzuò Zhōngguó Mínháng de fēijī cóng Niŭyuē qù Bĕijīng.

Fēijī shàng de rén hĕn duō, gè zhŏng fūsè de rén dōu yŏu. Dàjiā dōu qù Zhōngguó.

Jĭ ge chuān de hĕn zhĕngjié de niánqīng gūniang gĕi lŭkè sòng chá dào shuĭ, fēi

cháng rèqíng, fēicháng zhōudào. Tāmen shì fēijī shàng de hángkōng xiăojiĕ, huì

shuō Hànyŭ, yĕ huì shuō Yīngyŭ. Xuéyŏu hé Xiăo Dīng gàosu hángkōng xiăojiĕ tāmen

shì qù Zhōnguó liúxué de Mĕiguó xuésheng, qĭng hángkōng xiăojiĕ gēn tāmen

shuō Zhōngguó huà. Hángkōng xiăojiĕ de Hànyŭ hĕn biāozhŭn. Tīng tānmen shuō

Hànyŭ, Xuéyŏu hé Xiăo Dīng yì diăn wèntí yĕ méi yŏu. Xuéyŏu hé Xiăo Dīng shuō

de Hànyŭ. Hángkōng xiăojiĕ yĕ dōu dŏng. Hángkōng xiăojiĕ wèn Xuéyŏu hé Xiăo

Dīng xué Hànyŭ xué le jĭ nián, zĕnme jìnbù de zhème kuài. Xiăo Dīng huídá shuō

:"Wŏmen xué Hànyŭ xué le kuài liăng nián le. Wŏ cóngxiăo jiù xĭhuan Zhōnguó

wénhuà, shàng le dàxué, yŏu jīhuì xué Hànyŭ, wŏ hĕn gāoxìng, suŏyĭ xué de hĕn

rènzhēn, yĕ hĕn nŭlì. Zài shuō, wŏmen de lăoshī yĕ hĕn hăo. Gōngzuō fēicháng

rènzhēn, jiāo de yě hěn hăo, suŏyĭ wŏmen dōu jìnbù de hĕn kuài."

Niŭyuē lí Bĕijīng hĕn yuăn, zuò fēijī yào èrshí ge xiăoshí. Zài fēijī shàng,

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Xuéyŏu hé Xiăo Dīng kàn le liăng ge Zhōngguó diànyĭng, yí ge gùshì piān, yí ge

dònghuà piān, dōu hĕn yŏu yìsi. Xiăo Dīng hé Xuéyŏu hái dài le hĕn duō zázhì

hé shū zài fēijī shàng kàn. Suŏyĭ, tāmen juéde shíjiān guò de kuài. Dāng jīzhăng

zài guăngbō lĭ gàosu dàjiā Bĕijīng jiù yào dào le de shíhou, Xiăo Dīng

yòu jīdòng yòu bù'ān. Zhōngguó, zhè ge mĕilì, shénmì de guójiā, dĕngdài tāmen de

jiāng shì shénme ne?

Xueyou and Ding was on board an Air China plane from New York to Beijing.

The plane was quite crowded (the people on board were many). (Among them)

there were people of different colors. All of them went to China. A few

well-dressed young women were serving the passengers tea and water.

(They) were cordials, and very attentive. They were stewards, and they

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spoke both Chinese and English. Xueyou and Ding told the stewards that

they were American students going to China to study, and asked the

stewards to speak Chinese with them. The stewards’ Mandarin were very

good. Listening to their speaking Chinese, Xueyou and Ding had no problem

at all (comprehending). (And) the stewards understood all Xueyou and Ding

said in Chinese. The stewards asked Xueyou and Dong for how many years

they had learned Chinese, (and) how they had made such a good progress.

Ding said: “We have been learning Chinese for almost two years. I liked

Chinese culture even when I was little. When I attended college, I had

a chance to learn Chinese. I was very happy. So (I) was very serious

about the study, and also worked very hard. In addition, we had some

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good teachers. (They) worked earnestly, and taught effectively. That’s

why, all of us made tremendous progress.”

New York was far away from Beijing. It took twenty hours by air. During

the trip (on the plane), Xueyou and Ding saw two Chinese movies: one

feature film and one animated film. Both were very interesting. Ding

and Xueyou also brought quite a lot of magazines and books to read on

the plane. So they felt the time flew. When the captain said through

the loudspeaker that they were approaching Beijing, Ding felt a rush

of excitement and uneasiness: what would be awaiting them in China,

this beautiful and mysterious country?

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Grammar

1.The Impending Aspect:

In Chinese, when indicating an action is going to happen very soon, one can (1)put any of
the adverbs

要,快,就要,快要 before the main verb or the predicative adjective; and (2)put the particle
了 at the

end of the sentence. For example:

飞机 就要 起飞 了。 The airplane is about to take off.

subj. v.

电影 快 开始 了。 The movie is going to begin soon.

subj. v.

晚饭 要 冷 了。 The dinner is going to be cold soon.

subj. pred. adj.

Note:

(1)To form a question, one can add 吗 or 吧 to the end of the sentence.

For example:

你爸爸快起床了吗/吧？ Is your Dad getting up soon?

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你就要回台湾了吗/吧？ Are you about to return to Taiwan?

The affirmative answer to the question is 对 or 是 .The negative answer will be

没 (有)or 还没(有)呢 .

For example:

天气快热了吧？ 对/是。 Is the weather getting hot? Yes.

你们就要考试了吗？ 还没呢。 Are you having an exam? Not yet.

(2) If there is a time phrase such as 明天,五点,in the sentence to indicate the specific time
when

the action is going to take place, ONLY 就要...了 can be used.

For example:

我弟弟五点半就要吃饭了。 My younger brother is having dinner at 5:30.

他说他妈妈明天就要来了。 He said that his mom is coming tomorrow.

他们十一点就要到北京了。 They are arriving at Beijing at 11:00.

2.The Imperative Sentence:

We have come across sentences such as:

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吃饭！ Eat!

请喝茶！ Have tea, please!

我们走吧。 Let’s go.

Sentences like those are known as IMPERATIVE SENTENCE. An imperative sentence is

used to express a

suggestion, advice, or to make a command. To form a negative imperative sentence, one

can put

either 别 or 不要 before the main verb or the predicative adjective.

For example:

别/不要吃饭！ Don’t eat!

请别/不要喝茶！ Please don’t drink tea.

我们别/不要走吧！ Let’s not go.

Note that to soften the tone of an imperative sentence, one can add the particle 了 to the
end of the sentence.

For example:

上飞机了！ On borad (the plane)!

别说话了！电影就要开始了。 Don't talk! The movie is about to start.

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3.The expression 怎麽行:

The expression 怎麽行 is often used as a rhetorical question. It translates into English
roughly as

“Would it be OK?” For example:

你不吃饭，怎麽行？ You won’t eat. Would it be OK?

学汉语不作作业，怎麽行？ Study Chinese, and won’t do the homework. Would it

work?
Speech Pattern

1. The impending aspect:

1. Xià xīngqī yī tā jiù yào lái le. Nĭ zhěngli zhěngli nĭ de fángjiān.

Tā lái le, jiù zhù zài nĭ de fángjiān lĭ.

2. Shŭjià kuài yào dào le. Nĭ yǒu shénme dăsuàn ma? Wǒ yào dào shìjiè

yínháng shíxí.

3. Huǒchē jiù yào jìn zhàn le. Qĭng dàjiā zhŭnbèi xià chē.

4. Nĭ yào zǒu le ma? Duì, nĭ yǒu shìr ma? Wǒ zuò le yìxiē diănxīn, nĭ

dài gěi nĭ māma, hăo ma?

5. Tiānqì kuài yào rè le. Nĭ wèishénme xiànzài cái măi dàyī?

6. Zhāng lăoshī shénme shíhou lái? Kuài lái le, kuài lái le.

7. Wǒmen jiù yào chī fàn le. Shéi shuō jiù yào chī fàn le?

Wǒ hái méi zuò fàn ne.

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1.下星期一她就要来了.你整理整理你的房间.她来了,就住在你的房间里.

2.暑假快要到了.你有什么打算吗?我要到世界银行实习.

3.火车就要进站了.请大家准备下车.

4.你要走了吗?对,你有事儿吗?我作了一些点心,你带给你妈妈,好吗?

5.天气快要热了.你为什么现在才买大衣?

6.张老师什么时候来?快来了,快来了.

7.我们就要吃饭了.谁说就要吃饭了?我还没作饭呢.

1. She will come next Monday. You tidy up your room. When (she) comes,

(she) will live in your room.

2. The summer vocation is about to com. Do you have any plan? I will

intern in the World Bank.

3. The train is approaching the station. Please get ready to deboard.
4. Are you going to leave soon? Yes. What can I do for you (do you have any thing

you want me to do)? I made sine desert. Would you take some to your Mom?
5. The weather is getting warm soon. Why didn’t buy a overcoat until now?
6. When will Teacher Zhang be here? Very soon, very soon.
7. We are going to eat soon. Who says we are going to eat soon?

I haven’t cooked yet.

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2. The Imperative Sentence:

1. Bié kàn diànshì le. Kuài shí diăn le. Shuìjiào ba. Míngtiān hái yào shàng kè ne.
2. Búyào nánguò le. Wǒmen míngnián zài Táiběi zàijiàn.
3. Wǒ de shū zài năr ne? Bié zhăo le. Wèishénme ne? Nĭ gēge jiè gěi duìmiàn de Xiăo
Dīng le.
4. Jīntiān nĭ hē jiŭ hē de tài duō le. Bié kāi chē le. Hē jiŭ yĭhòu bù néng kāi chē.
5. Nĭ bàba de shēntĭ zěnmeyàng? Bié wèn le. Zuótiān tā yòu zhù yuàn le.

1. 别看电视了.快十点了.睡觉吧.明天还要上课呢.
2. 不要难过了.我们明年在台北再见.
3. 我的书在哪儿呢?别找了.为什么呢?你哥哥借给对面的小丁了.
4. 今天你喝酒喝得太多了.别开车了.喝酒以后不能开车.
5. 你爸爸的身体怎么样?别问了.昨天他又住院了.

1. Stop watching TV (Don’t watch TV). It’s about ten. Go to bed.

Tomorrow (you) have to go to school.

2. Don’t be sad. We’ll meet again in Taibei next year.
3. Where is my book? Don’t look for it. Why? Your brother lent it to Ding across.
4. Today you drank too much alcohol. Don’t drive. (You) can’t drive after drinking.
5. How is your Dad’s health? Don’t ask. He was admitted the hospital yesterday.

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3. The Expression 怎么行:

1. Qù Zhōngguó, bù qiānzhèng ,zěnmexíng?

2. Nĭ fàn chī de zhème shăo, zěnmexíng?
3. Xué Zhōngwén, bù xué hànzì, bù xué yŭfă, zěnmexíng?
4. Kèrén lái le, nĭ bú sòngchá dàoshuĭ, zěnmexíng?
5. Niŭyuē lí Jiāzhōu hĕn yuăn, nĭ bú zuò fēijī, zěnmexíng? Wŏ zuò huŏchē.

1. 中国,不签证,怎么行?
2. 你饭吃得这么少,怎么行?
3. 学中文,不学汉字,不学语法,怎么行?
4. 客人来了,你不送茶倒水,怎么行?
5. 纽约离加州很远,你不坐飞机,怎么行?我坐火车.

1. Going to china, and not applying for visa, would it be OK?

2. You eat so little, would it be OK?
3. Learning Chinese, but not learning character, would it be OK?
4. The guests are here, and you are not serving tea and beverages. Is it right?
5. New York is far away from California, but you don’t take a plane. Would it be

OK? I’ll take the train.

4. The pattern Subj. V. phrase 一点问题也没有 = Subj. have no problem V. phrase;

or It would be no problem for someone to V. phrase:

1. Tā xué Hànyŭ xué le sān nián le. Tīng, Shuō, Dú, Xiĕ, yìdiăn wèntí yĕ méiyŏu.

2. Wŏmen jiā de fángzi hĕn dà. Nĭ zài zhèr zhù yìdiăn wèntí yĕ méiyŏu.

3. Tā kāi chē kāi de hĕn hăo. Sòng nĭ qù jīchăng yìdiăn wèntí yĕ méiyŏu.

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4. Bié yóuyù bùjué le. Nĭ mèimei nàme cōngming, xué jīngjì yìdiăn wèntí yĕ méiyŏu.

5. Jīntiān xiàwŭ wŏ yŏu kòng, jiāo nĭ kāi chē yìdiăn wèntí yĕ méiyŏu.

6. Tā de Hànyŭ hĕn biāozhŭn, Yīngyŭ yĕ bú cuò. Dāng fānyì yìdiăn wèntí yĕ méiyŏu.

1. 他学汉语学了三年了.听,说,读,写,一点问题也没有.
2. 我们家的房子很大.你在这儿住一点问题也没有.
3. 他开车开得很好.送你去机场一点问题也没有.
4. 别犹豫不决了.你妹妹那么聪明,学经济一点问题也没有.
5. 今天下午我有空.教你开车一点问题也没有.
6. 他的汉语很标准,英语也不错.当翻译一点问题也没有.

1. He has learned Chinese for three years. (He) has no problem in listening,

speaking, reading and writing.

2. Our family’s house is big. It would no problem for you to live here.
3. He drives well. He will have no problem giving you a ride to the airport.
4. Don’t be hesitated. Your sister is smart. (She) will have no problem learning

Economics.
5. This afternoon I’m free. (I) will have no problem teaching you driving.
6. His Chinese is good, and his English is not bad. (He) will have no problem to

be an interpreter.

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5.The patter V. phrase 要 some length of time = It takes some length of time to V.
phrase.

1. Cóng zhèr dào Niŭyuē zuò huŏchē yào yí ge xiăoshí. Kāi chē yào

duōcháng shíjiān ne?

2. Cóng Rìbĕn dào Mĕiguó zuò fēijī yào duōshăo xiăoshí? Dào Mĕiguó

de dōngbù háishì xībù?

3. Zuò zhèxiē Hànyŭ zuòyè yào duōcháng shíjiān? Jīntiān de zuòyè

hĕn nán, wŏ xiăng yào yí ge wănshang.

4. Xiĕ yì băi ge Hànzì yào yí ge xiăoshí. Xiĕ wŭ băi ge Hànzì

yào duōshăo shíjiān?

1. 从这儿到纽约坐火车要一个小时.开车要多长时间呢?
2. 从日本到美国坐飞机要多少小时?到美国的东部还是西部?
3. 作这些汉语作业要多长时间?今天的作业很难,我想要一个晚上.
4. 写一百个汉字要一个小时.写五百个汉字要多少时间?

1. It takes an hour to go from here to New York by train.

How long will it take by car?

2. How many hours will it take to go from Japan to the States by air?

It will go to the East or the West of the States?

3. How long will it take to do these homework? Today’s homework is very

difficult, (it) will take a whole evening.

4. It takes an hour to write a hundred characters. How long will it take to

write five hundred characters?

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6. The pattern Subj.一 V. phrase 就是 some length of time = Once Subj. V. phrase,

it would be some length of time:

1. Bié kàn diànshì. Bié kàn diànshì. Nĭ yí kàn diànshì jiùshì jĭ ge xiăoshí.

Wŏmen méiyou shíjiān.

2. Zhè ge háizi hĕn nŭlì. Yì xuéxí jiùshì jĭ ge xiăoshí, suŏyĭ tā xué de hĕn hăo.

3. Tā bàba qù Yīngguó le. Yí qù jiùshì jĭ nián. Nĭ rènshi tā bàba ma? Bú rènshi.

4. Zuótiān wŏ qù tā sùshè tán gōngzuò. Wŏmen yì tán jiùshì yí ge wănshang.

Shíjiān guò de zhēn kuài.

5. Tā shuō tā qù yīyuàn kànkan, jiù huílái. Kĕshì, yí qù jiùshì sìshí fēnzhōng.

Nĭ wèishénme bù gēn tā yìqĭ qù ne?

6. Tā hĕn xĭhuan duànliàn. Mĕi cì tā zài jiànshēnfáng yì dāi jiùshì yí ge xiàwŭ.

1. 别看电视.别看电视.你一看电视就是几个小时.我们没有时间.
2. 这个孩子很努力.一学习就是几个小时.所以他学得很好.
3. 他爸爸去英国了.一去就是几年.你认识他爸爸吗?不认识.
4. 昨天我去她宿舍谈工作.我们一谈就是一个晚上.时间过得真快.
5. 他说他去医院看看,就回来.可是,一去就是四十分钟.你为什么不跟他一起去呢?
6. 她很喜欢锻炼.每次她在健身房一呆就是一个下午.

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1. Don’t watch TV. Don’t watch TV. Once you watch, it will be several hours. We

don’t have time.

2. This kid is diligent. Once (he) studies it will be several hours, so he

studies well.
3. His did went to England. Once he left, it is a couple of years. Do you know

his Dad. No.

4. Yesterday I went to her dorm to talk about work. Once we talked, it went for a

whole evening. Time flew.

5. He said he went to the hospital to take a look. Once he left he was gone for

forty minutes. Why didn’t you go with him?

6. She likes exercise very much. Every time she went to the gym, she stays for

a whole afternoon.

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