​Chapter 1: "Filial Piety"

HOW TO BE AN OBEDIENT CHILD
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乖    (guāi) [of children] obedient; well-behaved
  • 谁不知道你是父母的乖孩子！
  • 他是父母的乖孩子，一边读书，一边打工挣钱。

孝顺    (xiào shùn) filial piety; to be obedient to one's parents
  • 孝顺是子女对父母应尽的最大责任。

大人    (dà ren) adult
  • 张天明觉得自己已经是大人了，应该找工作挣钱来减轻父母的负担，所以就上网看看有没有适合自己的工作。

农民    (nóng mín) farmer, peasant
  • 很多农民想搬到大城市去打工，因为那里的工资比在农村里高。
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SPEAK: discuss filial piety and the importance of being an obedient child. Use the words in Chapter 1.​

WRITE: write a story based on the following picture, using the words in Chapter 1: 
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​DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 乖，孝顺，大人，农民
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 天明好乖啊！他很听话。
  • 在中国，孩子都要照顾父母。孝顺非常重要。
  • 这么多年很快就过了，儿子现在也是大人了。时间过得好快啊！
  • 农民的生活不容易。每天很早起床，很晚睡觉。
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
  • Describe the pressures of being a child.
  • Talk about filial piety.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

Chapter 2: "The Prince and the Farmer"

HOW TO TALK ABOUT YOUR INCOME
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收入    (shōu rù) income
  • 张天明的父母收入虽然不少，但是供天明和姐姐上大学，经济上还是有些压力。

工资    (gōng zī) wages; pay
  • ​中国城市里有很多从农村来找工作的人，饭馆儿喜欢找他们，因为工资比较低。
​
低    (dī) low
  • 中国城市里有很多从农村来找工作的人，饭馆儿喜欢找他们，因为工资比较低。

打工    (dǎ gōng) to work part-time or temporarily [vo]
  • 中国大学生一般在哪儿打工？在餐馆儿当服务员吗？
  • 我想打工挣点儿零用钱。

千    (qiān) MW for one thousand
  • 一千 = 1000

万    (wàn) MW for ten thousand
  • 一万 = 10,000

​亿    (yì) MW for one hundred million
  • 一亿 = 100,000,000
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SPEAK: discuss your future jobs. What would you like your income to be? Which jobs can get you that income? Do you want to work part-time? Give specific income numbers!

WRITE: write a story based on the following pictures, using the words in Chapter 2:
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​​DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 收入，工资，低，打工，千，万，亿
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 我的收入太低了，所以我需要打工。
  • 她的工资很高，而我的工资很低，不好意思请她去吃饭。
  • 她一个月的工资才两万元。她的朋友想借九千元，但是她有一点儿不愿意。
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
  • Talk about high and low incomes.
  • Talk about you and your family's sources of income.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

Chapter 3: "Lifestyles of the Famous Rich"

HOW TO WASTE MONEY
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压力    (yā lì) pressure
  • ​张天明的父母收入虽然不少，但是供天明和姐姐上大学，经济上还是有些压力。

​说到...    (shuō dào) structure used to expand on a topic already mentioned
  • This is a structure used to expand on a topic already mentioned in the flow of a conversation.
  • ​Examples:
  • 1. 说到钱，我的同屋今天跟我说，她妈妈生气了，不给她钱了。＝Speaking of money, my roommate told me that her mom got angry and wouldn't give her any more money.
  • 2. 说到打球，我们这个周末去打球好吗？＝ Speaking of playing ball, should we go play basketball this weekend?
  • 3. 说到下个学期的课，我们可以不选我们学校的课吗？= Speaking of next semester's classes, can we choose not to take our school's classes?

不是A, 就是B        If it's not A, it's B [pattern used to list two predictable scenarios]
  • This is a pattern used to list two predictable or habitual scenarios.
  • It's similar in usage to "一会儿... 一会儿..."
  • NOTE: see also the "不是A，而是B" structure. The two structures have very different meanings.
  • Examples:
  • 1. 她觉得学校餐厅的菜不好吃，不是叫外卖，就是跟同学去饭馆。= She finds the food at the school cafeteria unappetizing. Either she orders takeout, or she goes out to restaurants with her classmates.
  • 2. 现在租房子很容易，不是价钱太贵，就是房子不好，麻烦得很。= It's really difficult to rent an apartment now. Either the rent is too expensive, or the rooms are bad, it's really troublesome.
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TRAIN: write 3 sentences using the following grammar structure:​
  • 说到...
  • 不是A, 就是B

SKIT: in a group, write a dialogue between a frugal friend and a wasteful friend. Memorize your skit and perform in front of the class!
  • One friend is very wasteful with money... you just love spending money on everything!
  • Your other friend is not happy with this (and maybe a little jealous)!

​WRITE: write a response to the following questions: 1) 你在生活上有压力吗？高压力还是低压力？为什么？

WRITE: write a tabloid article about a certain heiress's spending habits, pictured below:
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​DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 压力，说到...，[不是...，就是...]
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

GRAMMAR: complete the following exercises:
  • Translate: Speaking of money, today my roommate wanted to borrow money from me.
  • Translate: If it's not ordering takeout, it's going out to restaurants with her classmates.
  • TARGET: no grammar mistakes.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 张天明的父母收入虽然不少，但是供天明和姐姐上大学，经济上还是有些压力。
  • 说到钱，我的同屋今天跟我说，她妈妈生气了，不给她钱了。
  • 她觉得学校餐厅的菜不好吃，不是叫外卖，就是跟同学去饭馆。
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
  • Talk about people who waste money, and how they waste it.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

​Chapter 4: "Reckoning"

HOW TO PAY FOR TUITION
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供    (gōng) to provide
  • 供天明上大学    to provide for Tian Ming to attend college
  • 张天明的父母收入虽然不少，但是供天明和姐姐上大学，经济上还是有些压力。

交    (jiāo) to hand over; to pay

费用 (fèi yòng) costs; expenses; fees
  • “费” is short for “费用”

学费    tuition
  • 交学费: to pay tuition
  • 以前中国大学生不用交学费。

收费    (shōu fèi) to charge tuition or fees
  • 现在大学收费了，所以不少大学生也想办法打工挣钱。
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SPEAK: discuss how you pay for tuition at your school. Do your parents help you? How do or how will you pay for tuition at college? Do you have a college tuition fund, started by your parents at birth? If not, what's your plan?

READ: read this text and translate it into English:

学费当然打工是赚不出来的。住宿和生活费是完全可以的。

吃得话自己做会比出去吃便宜一点，一周100美元买菜完全够了。

再来算赚钱。一周能赚300美元不成问题，工作30个小时一周，平均一天4-5小时，基本晚上时间就没有了，除了上课就是打工。

所以理论上是可以靠打工赚出生活费和住宿费的。

WRITE: write a story based on the following comic:
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​​DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 供，交，学费，费用，收费
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 以前中国大学生不用交学费。
  • ​A：我的父母最近有一点儿担心。
  • B：为什么？你的大学不是不收学费吗？
  • A：下个学期要开始收。我的父母想帮我交学费，可是他们的收入也不高。
  • 张天明的父母收入虽然不少，但是供天明和姐姐上大学，经济上还是有些压力。
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
  • Talk about paying for tuition.
  • Talk about financial assistance (from family or others).
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

 MINIBOSS #1: ACT 1 REVIEW

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Pika, Pika! Can you beat me?
Mastery Challenge 1 (Vocabulary and Grammar): ​
​Mastery Challenge 2 (Speaking):
  • Perform the following conversation tasks:
    • Describe the pressures of being a child or a parent.
    • Talk about filial piety.
    • Talk about you and your family's income.
    • Talk about paying for tuition (including financial support from parents).
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.
​
BONUS CHALLENGES:
  • ​GODLIKE: Achieve a 100% score on all mastery challenges—zero mistakes!