User Comments - chris

Posted on: Checking out at a Hotel

Thanks Lujiaojie. So, am I to understand that Chinese does not have a specific phrase for "checking in" at an airport? Rather, we have this "to handle the boarding plane formalities"? So what do Chinese people call the "check-in desk" and "check-in queue" at an airport? :-)

Posted on: Reinstalling Windows

Thanks Connie, it makes perfect sense now that I think about it!

Posted on: Delegating Tasks

Zhen, totally see what you mean. I've just completed my first 30second effort (Hide & Seek Intermediate). With all the pausing and rewinding, it's easy to lose the gist of the conversation. However, at the end when you sit back and listen to the whole slot it's suddenly all crystal clear!

Posted on: Giving Instructions to the Ayi

Hi Bodawei, I've just got round to this lesson and reading the comments. Very interesting thread above and here. You made lots of points that trouble me also. However, over the years I'm reaching the view that there is little wrong with a structured (or class-based) society as long as there is societal equality in opportunity (I strongly disagree with equality in outcome, since outcome should be based on merit). To put it another way, as long as individuals are given equal opportunity to reach the top of society (or achieve their own goals - afterall not everybody will want to just get to the top structure of society), then I think that is ok. Unfortunately, in my view governments seem to focus too much on 'equality of outcome' rather than 'equality of opportunity'.

Posted on: Delegating Tasks

Hi xiao_liang, I know exactly what you mean. Generally, these days it is very rare that I am flummuxed (sp?) by an Intermediate expansion sentence core grammatical structure. It is purely those completely new words that get me (that I haven't come across in other lessons, etc).

Posted on: Delegating Tasks

Yep, Zhen. Jenny is particularly good at this at the Intermediates. I'm at that frustrating cusp right now where for some Intermediates I get all of it, but others practically nothing. A strange feeling. It's funny, I've noticed that when I listen not too attentively, I actually understand more. Whereas if I really 'actively' listen for every one of Jenny's words I start falling behind and missing chunks. Moral of the story is that you really don't need to understand every word that's spoken to understand what's being said (if that isn't an oxymoron!).

I'm also determined to give one of the 30sec transcribe slots a go - might knock off work early today (given there's no-one else in the office!) and give it a go.

Posted on: Delegating Tasks

Wow, that's good going cinnamonfern. I just checked my "manage lessons" tab and I have 163 Intermediates listed as "studied". However, I still rarely understand the full dialogue on first listen and need to download the PDF to properly get it. However, I am getting better at picking up Jenny's talking during the lesson itself - I'd say I understand about 50-60% on average on first listen these days. I think the key word in your post is "review" - I am painfully bad at doing this, instead focusing on completing as many Intermediates as possible. Also I think your and Baba's (and others') efforts on transcribing various lessons build vital comprehension skills and are a great learning method. Unfortunately, I just don't have the time/patience to do it myself! A definite D- for my effort :-)

Posted on: Checking out at a Hotel

Just had an "aha" moment after reading your comment. I always thought dengji was to board a plane, and indeed it is when the characters are 登机. But changing the second character to 记 changes the meaning to "to register one's name". This has got me thinking - how does one say "to check in" when at an airport. Is it "登记" (deng1ji4) to check-in and then "登机" (deng1ji1) to board the plane?

Posted on: Checking out at a Hotel

I do exactly the same RJ. I have frequent business trips around the region and am under strict orders from the better half every time to bag the various toiletries and bring them home. She has quite a collection at the moment... sadly I can probably identify the hotel brand just from the brand of their toiletries these days!

Posted on: Checking out at a Hotel

Wow, I thought the price in the lesson was unrealistically low - but RMB15? That is remarkable, although to be fair I'm basing my experience on the big cities. Perhaps I need to venture out of my bubble....