Popular Post renzhe Posted January 6, 2011 at 04:21 PM Popular Post Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 at 04:21 PM Time to work on understanding newspapers. It's very odd that I understand Wuxia intrigue and Tang dinasty priests better than daily newspapers. So I'll try to read an article a day this year. Or until I get bored. Unlike heifeng's langdu thread, this is more about reading and understanding stuff. So more quantity, less quality. Many of these make for terrible langdu practice. I just read whatever I get my hands on, 5-10 minutes max. I won't be doing word lists on most days. Feel free to join. 教育部长谈高考改革：部分科目一年多考: http://www.infzm.com/content/54333 《学习时报》3日刊登了教育部部长袁贵仁的文章《全面推动我国教育事业实现科学发展》。袁贵仁在这篇文章中，透露了下一步高考改革的主要思路：“一是按照不同类型人才培养要求，把普通本科和高等职业教育入学考试分开；二是完善高中学业水平考试和综合素质评价，引导学生学好各门课程，克服文理偏科现象；三是探索有的科目一年多次考试，减轻高考压力；四是完善高校招生名额分配办法，清理并规范升学加分政策，维护考试招生公平公正；五是加快建立多渠道升学和学习的“立交桥”，为学生成长成才提供多次选择机会。” ..... Disable javascript if you want to cut and paste from the page. 多考 = 多次 考试 文理 [wénlǐ] 文科 & 理科 完善 [wánshàn] to perfect 科目 [kēmù] (academic) subject 课程 [kèchéng] course 清理 [qīnglǐ] tidy up 规范 [guīfàn] standard 政策 [zhèngcè] policy 公正 [gōngzhèng] impartiality, fairness 参考 [cānkǎo] consult 总分 [zǒnɡfēn] total score (of an exam) 兼容 [jiānróng] be compatible 体制 [tǐzhì] system 征求 [zhēngqiú] solicit 规划 [guīhuà] plan 纲要 [gāngyào] outline 弄虚作假 [nòngxūzuòjiǎ] falsify EDIT: On a second thought, this would fit better under "reading and writing skills" than under "art and literature". Feel free to move it! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ma3zi1 Posted January 6, 2011 at 05:52 PM Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 at 05:52 PM This sounds like a great idea! I'll type one up for tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renzhe Posted January 6, 2011 at 06:59 PM Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 at 06:59 PM An article about 海归, the Chinese educated abroad thinking about returning to China. This one is a bit jargon-heavy, so I annotated some important words. 中国掀起吸引高层人才热潮 新一波"海归潮"涌动: http://liuxue.people.com.cn/GB/204387/204397/12983509.html 美国侨报报道称，今年6月，中国发布首个《国家中长期人才发展规划纲要(2010-2020年)》，从中央到地方，正在掀起一股吸引海外高层次人才的热潮，这为海外华人回国创业和发展提供了新的舞台与机遇。不过，一千个“海归”就有一千个不同的故事，到底归不归、何时归、归哪里、怎么归，每个人有各自不同的道路选择。 人才战略：从招商引资走向招才引智 参与了这个规划纲要起草制定的欧美同学会副会长、中国与全球化研究中心主任王辉耀博士指出，《人才规划》的目标是使中国摆脱在全球化经济体系中“体力劳动者”和“低端知识工人”的角色，由“世界制造中心”成为“世界创新创意中心”，提高国民和国家的整体素质，最终由区域大国变为世界大国，由经济大国变为经济强国。 涌动 [yǒngdòng] surge 热潮 [rècháo] craze 机遇 [jīyù] opportunity 素质 [sùzhì] (human) character 审视 [shěnshì] to examine … closely 反思 [fǎnsī] to review 持续 [chíxù] go on 转型 [zhuǎnxíng] transform 红利 [hónglì] bonus 驱动 [qūdòng] drive 密集型 [mìjíxíng] ...-intensive (like labour-intensive) 支招 (儿) [zhīzhāo] to give advice 首鼠两端 [shǒushǔliǎngduān] be in two minds 彷徨 [pánghuáng] hesitate 沉住气 [chénzhùqì] keep calm; be steady 跳槽 [tiàocáo] change jobs 通用电气 [tōngyòngdiànqì] General Electric 西门子 [xīménzǐ] Siemens 跳板 [tiàobǎn] spring-board 派驻 [pàizhù] post; station 创业 [chuàngyè] carve out a career 部委 [bùwěi] ministries and commissions 优惠 [yōuhuì] preferential 民营 [mínyíng] privately-run 缺陷 [quēxiàn] (noun) defect 讲学 [jiǎngxué] give lectures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted January 6, 2011 at 07:49 PM Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 at 07:49 PM I like reading the 聯合報's daily news digests. You can subscribe to them on their website www.udn.com. They're sent out by e-mail. There's a couple of different ones: Taiwanese news, international news, economic news, etc. The advantage is you get an e-mail every day, which serves as a reminder ;) I also find their coverage pretty good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renzhe Posted January 6, 2011 at 07:59 PM Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 at 07:59 PM That might be an interesting source of articles, thanks. I'll try to mix them up. If you run into a fun article, do post a link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meng Lelan Posted January 6, 2011 at 10:01 PM Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 at 10:01 PM Love this thread, renzhe, thanks. I tend to read the Chinese version of BBC and Wall Street Journal, if I see anything fun I will let you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renzhe Posted January 6, 2011 at 10:39 PM Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 at 10:39 PM Even better, just post the link here and quote the first paragraph. The more people, the merrier, then we'll get less boring articles than the ones I found. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ma3zi1 Posted January 6, 2011 at 11:41 PM Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 at 11:41 PM Here's a nice short, lighthearted article: 英國電話公司打算把一些電話亭裝上提款機，扮成提款亭。紅色電話亭是英國街頭常見的景象，後來不少國家也都把電話亭漆成紅色。中廣新聞報導，這幾年，手機大行其道，英國街頭的1萬2000多個電話亭有一半幾乎沒人用。電話公司原來計畫拆除，不過，很多民眾捨不得。據報導，為了不讓這些小紅方亭在街頭消失，他們想出了把電話亭改裝成提款亭的辦法。 http://www.worldjournal.com/view/full_lit/10832948/article-走進電話亭-帶著錢出來?instance=lit 電話亭 = phone booth 提款機 = ATM 大行其道 = 某種道術正在盛行 (something that is currently in prevalent use) 拆除 = to tear down 消失 = to disappear, to vanish 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meng Lelan Posted January 6, 2011 at 11:57 PM Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 at 11:57 PM Even better, just post the link here and quote the first paragraph. The more people, the merrier, then we'll get less boring articles than the ones I found. Oh groovy, this will be the cat's pajamas. Do you care about the source, like are you wanting articles from the Chinese press or articles from the overseas press like Wall Street Journal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renzhe Posted January 7, 2011 at 12:12 AM Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 at 12:12 AM I don't care about the source, I only care that they use proper, formal language. I want to improve reading of modern news stories (mostly vocab, jargon and those ubiquitous abbreviations), so modern news stories are welcome. Don't care what they're about, whether they're boring or interesting, just lots of volume in small daily chunks. Lifestyle, politics, interest stories, I'm planning to mix it up. This will disqualify many blogs, but I don't mind occasional blog entry with good quality Chinese. Obviously stuff like BBC or WSJ qualifies. All of you who read online articles daily, please drop a link when you read something. It doesn't have to be great, it will still stop others from searching and make it easier to keep reading every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted January 7, 2011 at 02:09 AM Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 at 02:09 AM If possible, stick a couple of questions in as well - really helps people get involved when they know why they're reading. Eg, for mai3zi1's just above at post 8: 1. The changes in the article will make it easier for the British public to: a) make phone calls B) visit other countries c) access their bank accounts 2. The booths will not be demolished as a) there are too many of them B) the public objected to the plans c) British Telecom will sell them to other countries 3. Role play an argument between a British Telecom executive and an old lady who . . . .ok, that's a bit excessive. Similarly, if you can include any language questions you have (or had, while reading) that'll get people involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted January 7, 2011 at 02:15 AM Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 at 02:15 AM This is on the Fruit Daily today, and I think is relevant to the article at #1. But since it is on a HK newspaper, most probably most people won't be able to read it. 內地教師港大校門抗議 促退出北大加分試 免間接害苦學生 獲選為亞洲第一大學的香港大學，被斥與內地名大學同流合污。在內地有「反補課英雄」稱號的佛山原教師蕭兵，由本周一起一連五日，穿上寫了紅色字句的「血衣」，在港大門外抗議，不滿港大為奪優異學生，加入北京大學等舉辦的入學加分試，變相認同內地高中的假期補課文化，間接害苦學生，惟港大堅決不退出。...... 蕭兵表示，內地高中有潛規則，高中生在首兩年完成全部三年課程，高三則集中操練應付高考。在首兩年學生常要在寒假、暑假和周末回校補課，他便是在 03年因支持任教的高中的 100多名學生聯署反對在十．一黃金周補課後，備受校方針對而丟職。 ..... 他表示，學校每學期收取學生數百元補課費，一半支付教師補課，餘下一半進了校長的小金庫。他指三年高中課程，是按學生年齡和心理編定，補課違反教學規律，對學生有害。國家教育部已三令五申「禁補令」，但「補課未停過，越演越烈，好悲哀……。」 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarevok Posted January 7, 2011 at 03:26 AM Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 at 03:26 AM Do tech sites like the Chinese version of Endgadget qualify? I read articles about new gadgets (especially Android-powered devices) almost everyday, so I can drop one in every now and then. Not the usual stuff you encounter in your regular newspapers, these articles also tend to be less formal at times (they still fall into the 书面语 category though), but they make up for it with the tech related vocab... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted January 7, 2011 at 08:12 AM Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 at 08:12 AM Here's some I read this morning, from the 聯合報 news digest, ordered by relative difficulty (completely subjectively decided by me). 臉書留言自殺 上千好友冷眼觀 (Facebook suicide) 星巴克換商標 消費者嗆頭殼壞去 (Starbucks logo change) 8國合作救援 瓜分北極海？ (new treaty on the Arctic) 重掌美眾院 共和黨貝納哭了 (Republicans take back House) 抗通膨 印尼總統帶頭種辣椒 (Asian inflation) I try not to look up any words, unless they're absolutely critical for understanding the text, or unless they're transliterations of place names that I've never seen before. And I try to read through the articles pretty quickly. Understanding them completely will come later. For the moment, I'm merely trying to get 80% of the articles in a reasonable time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renzhe Posted January 7, 2011 at 01:18 PM Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 at 01:18 PM Thanks for the links, everyone, now I have something to read Skylee, I can't read your article from Germany either. It's cut off after the first couple of sentences Sarevok, tech articles are OK, as long as they are something an average Chinese without a Master's degree can understand, and as long as they keep foreign-language terms to a minimum. So they fit the theme of everyday, regular stuff. One of the first articles I read (in 南方周末) compared the expansion of the number of unmarried men in China to the inflationary period immediately following the Big Bang, and then it went into explaining the physics behind it, and it was so daft that I stopped after two paragraphs. Roddy, the idea is interesting, but I don't want it to get too didactic, or give too much information. Lazy people (like me) will get the gist just by reading the questions. Perhaps a reference to something, or a short comment which can only be understood if you've read the article? I know that these made me curious enough to watch some of the first episodes. OK, my question: In Daan's North Pole article, 轉捩點 must be 轉折點, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gato Posted January 7, 2011 at 01:42 PM Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 at 01:42 PM An interview with a famous history professor at Fudan University about the lack of deep moral beliefs among people today in mainland China. He advocate a turn to religion to build a moral foundation for the society. Surprisingly, he suggests Christianity as the most likely choice for the religion. There are literally hundreds of visitor comments on the FT Chinese site in response to the interview, most of them sympathetic. http://www.ftchinese.com/story/001036297 2010年12月31日 14:59 PM 葛剑雄：中国人信仰什么？（上） http://www.ftchinese.com/story/001036307 葛剑雄：中国人信仰什么？（下） http://baike.baidu.com/view/33493.htm 葛剑雄 （教授，历史学博士，博士生导师）祖籍浙江绍兴，1945年12月15日出生于浙江湖州。曾任复旦大学中国历史地理研究所、历史地理研究中心主任。现任复旦大学图书馆馆长，教育部社会科学委员会委员。 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted January 7, 2011 at 01:50 PM Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 at 01:50 PM In Daan's North Pole article, 轉捩點 must be 轉折點, right? No I don't think so. it's 轉捩點 (zhuan lie dian). PS - this term is really quite common. But perhaps it is not used in Mainland China. Who knows? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renzhe Posted January 7, 2011 at 02:03 PM Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 at 02:03 PM You're right, skylee. I just found it in my paper dictionary, with the explanation " = 转折点". I think that it is indeed less commonly used on the Mainland. My girlfriend also spontaneously read it as 转折点. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ma3zi1 Posted January 7, 2011 at 04:46 PM Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 at 04:46 PM Good morning! Here's another article: 英国一名幼稚园女校长与老师开派对，为了制造惊喜，她竟送女教师情趣用品，此举却玩出问题，收礼人不但不领情，更有人当场吓到差点掉泪。校长事后为此道歉。在布莱克本奥德利社区幼稚园任职校长的费尔顿（Sally Felton），日前与教职员开派对，期间兴奋宣布要大方送礼物。可是，她给女教师的礼物原来是阴茎形状的制冰器、皮鞭等情趣用品。教师们收到后，不但有惊无喜，有人拆开礼物后更吓到差点掉泪。一名知情人士向当地媒体表示：「费尔顿犯了很大的错误。」玩出火的费尔顿事后道歉：「若这些礼物冒犯了别人，我很抱歉。」她表示，只是想要让礼物是有趣的新玩意。 http://gb.worldjournal.com/view/full_lit/10774514/article--ifbase4-base148-JUU1JUI5JUJDJUU3JUE4JTlBJUU1JTlDJTkyJUU1JUE1JUIzJUU2JUEwJUExJUU5JTk1JUI3LSVFOSU4MCU4MSVFOCU4MCU4MSVFNSVCOCVBQiVFNiU4MyU4NSVFOCVCNiVBMyVFNSU5MyU4MQ~~?instance=wjbk8 成語 (from the caption)： 花容失色 ＝ 形容女子受到驚嚇，如花朵般美麗的容貌失去顏色 (describes how when a woman is horrified, she looks like a beautiful flower that has lost its color) And per roddy's suggestion, here's a few questions: 1)What is 情趣用品? a. emotionally touching items b. interesting knick-knacks c. sexually related items d. party favors 2)送給老師情趣用品禮物的那個人是誰？ a. 幼稚園的另一教師 b. 幼稚園的校長 c. 幼稚園的學生 d. 幼稚園學生的母親 3)陰莖 is a less vulgar way to refer to what? a. a hidden plant b. a shady spot c. a stalker d. the male anatomy 4)Although the original intentional was 製造驚喜, what ended up being the result? a. 無驚無喜 b. 有驚有喜 c. 有驚無喜 d. 無驚有喜 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ma3zi1 Posted January 8, 2011 at 06:38 PM Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 at 06:38 PM Here are the answers to the last one I posted: 1) c. 2) b. 3) d. 4) c. And, here's a new article: http://www.worldjournal.com/view/full_lit/10860134/article-英國最醜狗-眼瞎齒歪?instance=lit 英國一隻喪失部分視力的混種狗，可能是英國最醜的狗，但滑稽模樣卻得到主人的寵愛，讓牠獲得一個溫暖的家。這隻喪失部分視力的混種波 音特犬（Pointer)）由於長得太醜，竟然被取名為「醜」（Ug）。牠被安置在動物收容所裡好幾個月都沒人理會。英國媒體報導，在咖啡館工作的愛波． 帕克（April Parker） 在「五月花」動物收容所（Mayflower sanctuary）的網站上發現「醜」之後，卻對牠一見鍾情。35歲的愛波帶著兩個分別為15和13歲的女兒去收容所，當場被牠古怪的模樣征服，於是就把牠領養，並且替牠重新取名為「道格」（Doug）。愛波說：「人們第一次看到牠時，都會傻眼，牠鼓鼓的眼睛和歪七扭八的牙齒，樣子很好笑，而且牠會不時撞到東西。但牠有一種奇特的氣質，讓牠變得很可愛。」 1)『眼瞎齒歪』是甚麼意思？ a. 沒有眼睛，沒有牙齒 b. 眼睛失去視力，牙齒不正 c. 色盲，有牙縫 d. 懶惰眼，缺牙 2）What kind of place is a 動物收容所？ a. an animal shelter b. a place where animals receive grooming treatments c. a type of veterinary hospital d. a pet psychology office 3）What is Doug's most salient characteristic? a. he can place fetch b. he is Britain's first seeing-eye dog c. he isn't house-trained d. he is very ugly 4）What other number-based 成語 does 歪七扭八 remind you of? (many answers are potentially acceptable) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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