Lesson 15  请 kè Entertaining guests

Communication goals■ Behave as a guest and host in a semi-formal gathering

■ Give and respond to compliments

Key structuresV-过

situation1 以前 situation2

多 V 一点

9780415472517_Textbook_L15.indd 306 4/7/2010 3:34:31 PM

Lesson 15 请 kè Entertaining guests 307

DialogueThe Situation: Xiao Zhang has arrived at Xiao Xie’s home from the subway station.

When he enters Xiao Xie’s home, Xiao Xie introduces him to his parents, who he has

not met before. Xiao Wang, Xiao Ye, and Xiao Gao, the other dinner guests, have

already arrived. Xiao Wang and Xiao Gao are Xiao Zhang’s classmates, Xiao Ye is

Xiao Gao’s roommate and also Xiao Zhang’s girlfriend.

Part A

小谢： 小张，请 jìn，请 jìn。我给你们 jièshào 一下。这是我爸爸，这是我

妈妈。这是我的 tóngwE，张大 wéi。

谢先生： HuAnyíng 你到我们家来。很 gAoxìng néng rènshi 国 qiáng 的朋友。

小张： 谢先生，谢太太，谢谢你们请我到你们家来吃饭。我买了一 xiB 水

guI sòng 给你们。

谢太太： Bié 那么 kèqi。叫 shEshu Ayí 吧。你来中国已经快一年了。早就

yCnggAi 请你来家坐坐。

小张： 1yí，你们家 zhBn piàoliang。

谢太太： 哪 lH，这个 fáng 子很 jiù 了。没什么。

9780415472517_Textbook_L15.indd 307 4/7/2010 3:34:33 PM

308 Routledge Course in Modern Mandarin Chinese Level 1

Part B

小王： 大 wéi 你好。

小张： 高美 lì，YIu 文，王 Màikè，你们早就到了吗？

小 Yè： 我们也 gAng 到。

谢太太： 饭快好了。吃饭以前我们先 zhào 一张 zhàopiàn 吧。

谢先生： 好，我来 zhào。大家说 “qié 子。” (see Language FAQs)

Part C

谢先生： 来。吃饭吧。Suíbiàn 坐。Bié kèqi。

谢太太： 不好 yìsi，今天没什么 cài。我就做了三个：hóngshAo jC，回 guD

ròu，和 chFo báicài，都是家 cháng cài，没什么，还有 jiFo 子。你们

吃过 jiFo 子吗？

小谢： 妈，他们去年八月就来中国了，在中国已经 zhù 了差不多一年了，

当然吃过 jiFo 子了。

小高： 我很 xHhuan 吃 jiFo 子。来中国以前我没吃过，可是来中国以后我

cháng 吃。您的 jiFo 子 fBicháng 好吃。

谢太太： 那太好了，来，多吃一点。小高，你 yòng kuài 子 yòng 得 zhBn 好。

小高： 我会 yòng，可是 yòng 得不好。

…to be continued.

Vocabulary

Ayí [gè] noun aunt

báicài noun cabbage

cài [gè] noun dishes ( food)

cháng adverb often

chFo verb stir-fry

9780415472517_Textbook_L15.indd 308 4/7/2010 3:34:34 PM

Lesson 15 请 kè Entertaining guests 309

chFo báicài noun phrase stir-fried cabbage

dàjiA 大家 noun phrase everyone

fángzi [gè] fáng 子 noun house

guò 过 verb suffix (experienced doing the action)

hFo chC 好吃 adjectival delicious

verb phrase

hóngshAo noun red-simmered, red-cooked

description

hóngshAo jC noun phrase red-simmered chicken

huAnyíng verb welcome

huí guD ròu 回 guD ròu noun phrase twice-cooked pork (returned-to-the-pot meat)

jC noun chicken

jiA cháng cài 家 cháng cài noun phrase home-style food, simple food

jiFozi [gè] jiFo 子 noun Chinese dumplings, “jiaozi”

jièshào verb introduce

kèqi adjectival verb polite

kuàizi kuài 子 noun chopsticks

mA 妈 noun mom

méi shénme cài 没什么 cài conversational there aren’t any special dishes expression

nFlH 哪 lH conversational (used for deflecting expression compliments)

name 那么 intensifier so

qiézi [gè] qié 子 noun eggplant

9780415472517_Textbook_L15.indd 309 4/7/2010 3:34:34 PM

310 Routledge Course in Modern Mandarin Chinese Level 1

qùnián 去年 noun last year

ròu noun meat

shAo verb simmer

shuHguI 水 guI noun fruit

shEshu noun uncle

sònggGi sòng 给 verb give as a present

suíbiàn adverb as you please

tàitai [gè, wèi] 太太 title Mrs.

xiAnsheng 先生 title Mr. [gè, wèi]

xiB classifier several

yCnggAi modal verb should

yHqián 以前 noun before

yC xià 一下 verb suffix (do an action for a short duration)

yòng verb use

zFo jiù 早就 adverb long before now, long ago

zhào verb photograph, take (a photograph)

zhù verb live/reside in a place

zuò 做 verb cook (L9 做 do)

9780415472517_Textbook_L15.indd 310 4/7/2010 3:34:34 PM

Lesson 15 请 kè Entertaining guests 311

Time words: past, present, future

past present future

days 昨天 今天 明天

yesterday today tomorrow

weeks 上个星期 这个星期 下个星期

last week this week next week

months 上个 yuè 这个 yuè 下个 yuè

last month this month next month

years 去年 今年 明年

last year this year next year

Characters

爸 bà dad 爸爸 (bàba) dad

吧 ba (indicates suggestions and supposition)

高 Gao (family name) 高 xìng (gAoxìng) happy

国 guó country 中国 (ZhDngguó) China

美国 (MGiguó) America

后 hòu * 以后 (yHhòu) after, afterward

回 huí return 回家 (huí jiA) go home (return home)

回 guD ròu (huí guD ròu) twice-cooked pork (returned-to-the-pot meat)

9780415472517_Textbook_L15.indd 311 4/7/2010 3:34:34 PM

312 Routledge Course in Modern Mandarin Chinese Level 1

叫 jiào call 你叫什么？(NH jiào shénme？) What are you called?

今 jcn * 今天 (jCntiAn) today 今年 (jCnnián) this year

来 lái come

妈 ma ma, mom 妈妈 (mAma) mom

美 mgi beautiful 美国 (MGiguó) America

美 lì (MGilì) given name ( female)

年 nián year 今年 (jCnnián) this year

去年 (qùnián) last year

您 nín you (polite)

朋 péng * 朋友 (péngyou) friend

前 qián front * 以前 (yHqián) before

前 biAn (qiánbiAn) in front

水 shuh water 一 píng 水 (yC píng shuH) one bottle of water

水 guI (shuHguI) fruit

先 xian first 先生 (xiAnsheng) Mr.

友 yiu * 朋友 (péngyou) friend

子 zi * hái 子 (háizi) child

jiFo 子 (jiFozi) dumplings

坐 zuò sit

9780415472517_Textbook_L15.indd 312 4/7/2010 3:34:34 PM

Lesson 15 请 kè Entertaining guests 313

character: strokes: total strokes:

Stroke Order Flow Chart

8

7

10

8

6

6

5

4

7

6

9

6

11

8

9

4

6

4

3

7

9780415472517_Textbook_L15.indd 313 4/7/2010 3:34:35 PM

314 Routledge Course in Modern Mandarin Chinese Level 1

Use and structure

 15.1.  给 (people) jièshào introduce (people) 

To introduce people, say:

给 (people) jièshào 一下我给你们 jièshào 一下。Let me introduce you.

or

给 (person A 和 person B) jièshào 一下请给小张和小高 jièshào 一下。Please introduce Xiao Zhang and Xiao Gao (to each other).

When giving introductions in this way, the verb jièshào introduce is generally followed by 一下 or is repeated: jièshào jièshào. The following sentences with jièshào jièshào are equivalent to the sentences above with 一下.

我给你们 jièshào jièshào。Let me introduce you.

请给小张和小高 jièshào jièshào。Please introduce Xiao Zhang and Xiao Gao (to each other).

See also Use and Structure note 15.2.

Dialogue practice

Do these activities in class after mastering the dialogue for this lesson. Change partners so that you practice each part several times.

 Dialogue  15A  and  15B:  Work with two or three other classmates and take turns introducing one of your classmates to your “parents” when they visit your home. Hosts should try to use as many polite expressions as possible to make the guest feel welcome. Guests should express gratitude and praise. Someone should suggest that they take a picture.

 Dialogue 15C:  Continue playing the role of guest and host through dinner. Hosts: be humble about your food offerings and curious about what your guests have eaten before. Guests: be generous in your praise of the food and your hosts’ home.

9780415472517_Textbook_L15.indd 314 4/7/2010 3:34:35 PM