Chapter 8: "Choose Your Future!"

HOW TO TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE
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将来    (jiāng lái) future
  • 你没有什么工作经验，先找个地方实习一下，对将来工作肯定有好处。

挣钱    (zhèng qián) make money
  • 我想学文学。可是我妈妈说，学文科将来找工作不容易，而且挣钱也少。

申请    (shēn qǐng) to apply [to a school or job]
  • 你要申请哪些学校？
  • 我想申请离我姐姐家比较近的学校，这样我就可以搬到她家去住，把房租跟饭钱省下来。

要么...要么...    (yào me, yào me) if it's not..., it's...
  • This is a selective conjunction. It means "choosing between two or more possibilities or desires." Used when debating possible future choices.
  • 你要么学医，要么学经济，就是不能学文学。= You have to study either medicine or economics. It just can’t be literature.​

工学院    (gōng xué yuàn) school of engineering
  • 我想念研究生，要么上工学院，要么上管理学院，我还没跟指导教授谈。

管理学院    (guǎn lǐ xué yuàn) school of management​
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TRAIN: write 3 sentences in your journal using the following grammar structure:​
  • 要么...要么...

SPEAK: discuss your plans for the future in terms of education, profession, and income.

WRITE: write a letter to your future self, listing the goals you want to accomplish by the time you're 30 years old, 50 years old, and 70 years old.
Mastery
DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 将来，挣钱，申请，要么...要么... ，工学院，管理学院​
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

GRAMMAR: complete the following exercises:
  • Translate: I'd like to go to graduate school, either engineering school, or either business school.
  • TARGET: no grammar mistakes.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 你没有什么工作经验，先找个地方实习一下，对将来工作一定有好处。
  • 我想学文学。可是我妈妈说，学文科将来找工作不容易，而且挣钱也少。
  • 我想申请离我姐姐家比较近的学校，这样我就可以搬到她家去住。
  • 你要么学医，要么学经济，就是不能学文学。
  • 我想念研究生，要么上工学院，要么上管理学院，我还没跟指导教授谈。
  • TARGET: no more than 2 mistakes, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
  • Talk about the future.
  • Talk about applying to schools.
  • Talk about your career choices.
  • Talk about making choices between two possibilities.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

​Chapter 9: "Voldemort! Where Are You?"

HOW TO TALK ABOUT PUNISHMENT
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整天    (zhěng tiān) all day long [adv]
  • 我对金融没有兴趣，整天跟数字打交道，多没意思。

受不了    (shòu bù liǎo) cannot take it; unable to bear​
  • this is a verb phrase.
  • 今天太热，我真的受不了。= It’s so hot today. I truly can’t take it.
  • 除了中文课以外，其他几门课都得花很多时间准备，还经常要写文章，所以他觉得有点儿受不了。​

把...省下来    (bǎ... shěng xià lái) to save [money, time]
  • structure: sub + [money, time, etc.] + 省下来
  • 我想申请离我姐姐家比较近的学校，这样我就可以搬到她家去住，把房租跟饭钱省下来。​​
  • 这样去学校更快，可以把时间省下来 = you can go to school faster in this way, can save time
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SPEAK: discuss the worst punishments you can think of. Describe how they make you feel.

WRITE: write a letter to your parents complaining about one teacher's terrible treatment of you. You feel like you are constantly being mistreated for no reason. Can you bear it anymore?
Mastery
​DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 整天，把...省下来，受不了
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 我对金融没有兴趣，整天跟数字打交道，多没意思。
  • 其他几门课都得花很多时间准备，还常常要学文章，所以他觉得有点儿受不了。
  • 我想申请离我姐姐家比较近的学校，这样我就可以搬到她家去住，把房租跟饭钱省下来。TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
  • Talk about suffering difficulties.
  • Talk about how to save money/time.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

Chapter 10: "With Eyes Wide Open"

HOW TO DISCUSS WHAT TO DO
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讨论    (tǎo lùn) to discuss
  • 后天要去见指导教授，讨论选课的事。= The day after tomorrow he will see his professor to discuss course selection, and he wants to talk with other schoolmates first.

建议    (jiàn yì) suggestion; to suggest
  • 哎，我给你一个建议吧。你没有什么工作经验，先找个地方实习一下，对将来工作一定有好处。
  • 你这个建议真不错，我看我也不必去找指导教授了，就听你的"指导"吧！

意见    (yì jiàn) opinion
  • 别，别，别，还是听听教授的意见吧。​

管    (guǎn) to control, to manage
  • 我们班很多同学的父母都不太管孩子选什么专业(zhuān yè)，比我们自由。​​
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SPEAK: each person brings up a problem to discuss. Suggest solutions and evaluate each other's opinions.

WRITE: write a letter to your pen pal, suggesting ways they can deal with an ongoing problem. State your opinion.
Mastery
​DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 讨论，意见，建议，管
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 后天要去见指导教授，讨论选课的事。
  • 你这个建议真不错，我看我也不必去找指导教授了，就听你的"指导"吧！
  • 别，别，别，还是听听教授的意见吧。​
  • 我们班很多同学的父母都不太管孩子选什么专业，比我们自由。​​
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following role-play:
  • STUDENT #1: you are applying to colleges. However, you don't know which schools to apply to. Have a discussion with the other student. Ask for opinions.
  • STUDENT #2: Student #1 asks you for advice about which colleges to apply to. Have a discussion with the other student. Give helpful suggestions.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

Chapter 11: "Show Me the Chamber of Secrets!"

HOW TO TALK ABOUT FINAL DECISIONS
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解决    (jiě jué) to solve; to resolve
  • 对，我决定了！也选经济和电脑课！我的问题解决了，太好了！我后天就告诉我的教授。​

对...来说    as far as one's concerned (duì... lái shuō)
  • structure: 对 ＋ subject ＋ 来说，statement of opinion
    • can ONLY be used to convey speaker’s opinion
    • similar to 觉得，认为
  • 对她来说，今年最需要做的事情是选一个好大学。＝ As far as she’s concerned, the thing most needed to be done this year is to pick a good college.
  • 对小王来说，今年找到工作最重要，要不然吃饭，租房子都会有问题。＝ As far as Xiao Wang is concerned, the most important thing this year is to find a job. Otherwise, both food and housing would become problematic.

只是...    (zhǐ shì) it's just that...
  • "只是" and "就是" are synonymous structures used in the same way.
  • This is a conjunction that signifies a turn in thought; it is very similar to 不过 and milder in tone than 但是 and 可是。
  • The first clause is usually positive in meaning, whereas the second clause modifies the first clause, pointing out a flaw in something that might otherwise be perfect.
  • 你要搬到校外去住，我不是不同意，只是我觉得太早了一点。= It’s not that I object to your moving off campus. It’s just that it’s too soon.
  • 对他来说，听和说很容易，只是写汉字有点儿难。
  • 这个饭馆儿很好，也不贵，只是常常没有位子。
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TRAIN: write 3 sentences each using the following grammar structures:
  • ​对...来说
  • 只是... ​

SPEAK: talk about your goals for the rest of the year, using "只是" to qualify your statements.

WRITE: you recently found out a shocking secret. Write an anonymous letter to the person in question, telling him/her that the secret is known, and advising him/her to fix the situation as soon as possible.
Mastery
​DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 对...来说，解决，只是​
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

GRAMMAR: complete the following exercises:
  • Translate: In first-year Chinese class, as far as he's concerned, listening and speaking is very easy.
  • Translate: Listening and speaking [Chinese] is very easy, it's only that writing Chinese characters is a little difficult.
  • Rule (in English): Compare and contrast the structures 但是，可是，不过，and 只是. Give examples in context.
  • TARGET: no grammar mistakes.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 对她来说，今年最需要做的事是选一个好大学。
  • 对，我决定了！也选经济和电脑课！我的问题解决了，太好了！我后天就告诉我的教授。
  • 你要搬到校外去住，我不是不同意，只是我觉得太早了一点。
  • 对他来说，听和说很容易，只是写汉字有点儿难。
  • TARGET: no more than 2 mistakes, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
  • Talk about personal attitudes (using 对...来说).
  • Use conjunctions (such as 只是) to signify a turn in thought.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

 MINIBOSS #3: ACT 3 REVIEW

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Pika, Pika! Can you beat me?
Mastery Challenge 1 (Vocabulary and Grammar): ​
​Mastery Challenge 2 (Speaking):
  • Perform the following role-play:
    • Discuss in detail which of at least two great colleges you should attend.
    • ​Consider the following criteria: price, location, curriculum, environment, size, etc.
    • Discuss the experiences you need to pursue your future career.
    • Describe the influence of other people on your plans.
    • Resolve your dilemma by making a final decision.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

BONUS CHALLENGES:
  • ​GODLIKE: Achieve a 100% score on all mastery challenges—zero mistakes!