​Chapter 1: "Hero"

HOW TO DISCUSS YUNNAN TRAVEL
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云南    (yún nán) Yunnan [Chinese province]
  • 那天晚上，我们在一个很有云南特色的茶馆里喝茶。
  • 我们是坐火车去的云南

游览    (yóu lǎn) [v] to tour, to go sightseeing; [n] excursion
  • 游览云南 = to tour Yunnan
  • 第一天我们游览了石林。
  • 我们明天要去游览大雪山。

游客    (yóu kè) [n] tourist
  • NOTE: 游客 is similar to 旅客 but is more narrowly targeted at tourists on vacation
  • 来来往往的游客 = "coming and going" travelers

旅客    (lǚ kè) [n] passenger; traveler; tourist
  • NOTE: 旅客 is similar to 游客 but more broadly targets all kinds of travelers

行程    (xíng chéng) [n] route; (travel) itinerary ​
  • similar to “路线” (route), but more specific to tourism and traveling
  • ​旅游行程 = travel itinerary
  • 如果明天妈妈回来了，那么我安排的行程就要改变了。
Lesson
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SPEAK: imagine you are planning a trip to Yunnan. Discuss your initial plans and itinerary.

WRITE: write a letter to your Chinese pen pal, telling him/her that you want to travel to Yunnan.
Mastery
​DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 云南，游览，游客，旅客，行程
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 我们游览了云南。
  • 我们明天要去游览大雪山。
  • 夏天，来来往往的游客特别多。
  • 如果明天妈妈回来了，那么我安排的行程就要改变了。
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
  • Talk about traveling in Yunnan. 
  • Talk about planning a travel itinerary.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

Chapter 2: "A Woman, a Gun, and a Travel Agency"

HOW TO USE TRAVEL AGENCIES
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旅行社    (lǚ xíng shè) [n] travel agency
  • 旅行＝travel，社＝agency/organization

旅游团    (lǚ yóu tuán) [n] tour group; package tour
  • 旅游＝travel，团＝group
  • NOTE: 旅游团 specifically refers to a packaged, organized group tour. It is organized through a 旅行社.

旅行团    (lǚ xíng tuán) [n] travel group; tour
  • NOTE: identical to 旅游团

报名    (bào míng) [v] to sign up; to register

参加    (cān jiā) [v] to participate; to take part; to attend
  • NOTE: often combined with 报名 to form the phrase "报名参加"
  • 报名参加    (bào míng cān jiā) [phrase] to sign up and participate in
  • 去云南之前，我们在网上报名参加了一个旅行团。

​只好    (zhǐ hǎo) [adv] have no choice but
  • Examples:
    • 小张的父母不给他零用钱了，他只好去打工。＝ Little Zhang's parents stopped giving him an allowance, so he has to work part-time.
  • 雪梅只好给我们当翻译 = Xuemei has no choice but to translate for us
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TRAIN: write 3 sentences using the following sentence structure:
  • 只好​

SPEAK: imagine you are planning a trip to Yunnan. Discuss travel agencies and package tours.

WRITE: write a letter to your Chinese pen pal, telling them about your experience booking a package tour of Yunnan through a travel agency.
Mastery
DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 旅行社，旅游团，旅行团，报名，参加，只好
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 去云南...我们在网上报名参加了一个旅行团。
  • 下次你们到中国旅游找旅行团。
  • 有时他说的话我们三个人都听不懂，雪梅只好给我们当翻译。​​
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
  • Talk about travel agencies.
  • Talk about booking a package tour.
  • Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of using a travel agency.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

Chapter 3: "Not One Less"

HOW TO TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF A PACKAGE TOUR
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团费    (tuán fèi) [n] tour fees; organization fees
  • 团＝tour/group，费＝ 费用 = fees 

包括    (bāo kuò) [v] to include; to consist of

门票    (mén piào) [n] admission ticket; admission fee
  • 门＝door，票＝ticket
  • 去云南之前，我们在网上报名参加了一个旅行团。团费包括交通，旅馆，三餐，和景点门票。

酒店 (jiǔ diàn) hotel
  • 酒店 is usually used for larger or fancier hotels compared to 旅馆 (which is more of a motel).
  • This is the most common term on travel sites or when interacting with travel agents
Lesson
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SPEAK: imagine you are planning a trip to Yunnan. Discuss the pros and cons of signing up for a package tour.

WRITE: write a letter to your Chinese pen pal, telling him/her why you chose to book a package tour of Yunnan.
Mastery
DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 团费，包括，门票，酒店
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 去云南...我们在网上报名参加了一个旅行团。团费包括交通，旅馆，三餐饮食，和景点门票。
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
  • Talk about what a package tour typically includes.
  • Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of a package tour.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

​Chapter 4: "The Road Home​"

HOW TO TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRAINS
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长途    (cháng tú) [adj] long-distance
  • 长途火车 = long-distance train

高铁    (gāo tiě) [n] high-speed rail
  • short for "高速铁路"；高速＝high speed，铁路＝railroad
  • NOTE: China's high-speed rail network is developing rapidly.

卧铺    (wò pù) [n] sleeping berth or bunk on a train
  • NOTE: All long-distance Chinese trains except the new "高铁" have 卧铺
  • 卧铺票 = sleeper [train] ticket

车厢    (chē xiāng) [n] train car; railway carriage
  • 卧铺车厢 = sleeper car​
  • 我也去软卧车厢看了看。那里每个小房间里有两个上铺，两个下铺，床比较软也比较大，房间的门可以关上。= I also went to the soft sleeper car to have a look. There each compartment had two upper bunks and two lower bunks. The bunks were softer and also bigger, and the doors could be closed.​
Lesson
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SPEAK: imagine you are planning a trip to Yunnan. Compare different types of trains in order to decide what long-distance ticket to buy for your trip.

WRITE: write a letter to your Chinese pen pal, asking them their opinion on the different types of trains you can take in China. Give your own opinion too.
Mastery
DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 长途，高铁，卧铺，车厢
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 我们是坐火车去的云南，为了能跟别的旅客练习说中文，我们买了卧铺票，因为车厢每个“房间”都没有门，容易找人聊天儿。
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
  • Talk about different types of Chinese trains.
  • Talk about sleeper trains.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

Chapter 5: "Codename: Authenticity"

HOW TO BUY DIFFERENT TRAIN TICKETS
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硬卧    (yìng wò) [n] hard sleeper [berth on a train]
  • 我们是坐火车去的云南，为了能跟别的旅客练习说中文，我们买了硬卧票，因为硬卧车厢每个“房间”都没有门，容易找人聊天儿。​

软卧    (ruǎn wò) [n] soft sleeper [berth on a train]
  • 我也去软卧车厢看了看。那里每个小房间里有两个上铺，两个下铺，床比较软也比较大，房间的门可以关上。
硬    (yìng) [adj] hard

​软    (ruǎn) [adj] soft

*硬座*    (yìng zuò) [n] hard seater [seat on a train]

*软座*    (ruǎn zuò) [n] soft seater [seat on a train]
Lesson
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Click for the LEARNING SLIDES
Practice
SPEAK: imagine you are planning a trip to Yunnan by traveling there on a long-distance train. Discuss whether to get hard sleeper tickets, soft sleeper tickets, hard seater tickets, or soft seater tickets.

WRITE: write a letter to your Chinese pen pal, telling them why you decided to get soft sleeper train tickets for your upcoming trip to Yunnan.
Mastery
​DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 硬卧，软卧，硬，软，*硬座*，*软座*
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

GRAMMAR: complete the following exercises:
  • Culture: Describe a hard sleeper and a soft sleeper train car, and compare and contrast the differences.
  • Culture: List at least two possible types of tickets/accommodations in a long-distance sleeper train. (There are four.)
  • TARGET: no grammar mistakes.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 我也去软卧车厢看了看。
  • 我们是坐火车去的云南，为了能跟别的旅客练习说中文，我们买了硬卧票，因为硬卧车厢每个“房间”都没有门，容易找人聊天儿。​
  • 哎呀，过春运坐长途火车的人真多，买不到软卧或者硬卧车票吗？那只好买硬座票...
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
  • Talk about different types of Chinese trains (including sleeper cars).
  • Compare and contrast "soft sleeper" vs. "hard sleeper" vs. "hard seat" tickets.
  • 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:
    • Talk about planning a travel itinerary to Yunnan. 
    • Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of using a travel agency (and booking a package tour). 
    • Talk about different types of Chinese trains (including sleeper cars).
    • Compare and contrast "soft sleeper" vs. "hard sleeper" vs. "hard seat" carriages.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.
​
BONUS CHALLENGES:
  • ​GODLIKE: Achieve a 100% score on all mastery challenges—zero mistakes!