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Lesson 26 - Asking the Way

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Where is the Summer Palace? It's not far Beijing University. Grammar, Examples and Exercices.

Table of Contents

Lesson 26

Conversation 1 : Is the Summer Palace far from here?
Conversation 2 : How long does it take by car?
Conversation 3 : How to go to the Summer Palace?
Conversation 4 : Can I park my car here?
Grammar
Exercises : Substitution Drill

Conversation 1 : Is the Summer Palace far from here?

-	Yí hé yuán 颐和园 lí 离 zhèr 这儿 yuǎn 远 bù 不 yuǎn? 远？

-	Bù 不 yuǎn, 远， hěn 很 jìn, 近， jiù 就 zài 在 Běi Dà 北大 xī bian. 西边。

-	Cǒng 从 zhèr 这儿 dào 到 Běi Dà 北大 yǒu 有 duō 多 yuǎn? 远？

-	Dàyuē 大约 yǒu 有 wǔ 五 gōng lǐ. 公里。

颐和园	Yí hé yuán	(n)	the Summer Palace
离	lí	(prep)	distance from
远	yuǎn	(n)	far away
近	jìn	(adj)	near
北大	Beì Dà	(n)	Beijing University
从	cóng	(n)	from
到	dào	(n)	to
多远	duō yuǎn	(n)	how far
大约	dà yuē	(n)	about, around
公里	gōng lǐ	(n)	kilometre

Audio file : lesson 26 - dialog 01.mp3

Translation

- Is the Summer Palace far from here?

- Not far, very close, just on the west side of Beijing University.

- How far is Beijing University from here?

- About 5 kilometers.

Conversation 2 : How long does it take by car?

-	Kāi chē 开车 yào 要 yòng 用 duō 多 cháng 长 shí jiān? 时间？

-	Yào shì 要是 bù 不 dǔ chē 堵车 de huà, 的话， yòng 用 bù liǎo 不了

	bàn 半 gè 个 xiǎo shí 小时。

要	yào	(v)	need
开车	kāi chē	(v)	drive a car
堵车	dǔ chē	(n)	traffic jam
的话	de huà	(adv)	if
不了	bù liǎo	(adv)	(unable to)
用不了	yòng bù liǎo	(v)	needn't so much

Audio file : lesson 26 - dialog 02.mp3

Translation

- How long does it take by car?

- If there's no traffic jam, less than half an hour (won't need half an hour).

Conversation 3 : How to go to the Summer Palace?

-	Qǐng 请 wèn 问， qù 去 Yí hé yuán 颐和园 zěn me 怎么 zǒu? 走？

-	Yì zhí 一直 wǎng 往 qián 前 zǒu, 走， dào 到 shí zì lù kǒu 十字路口 xiàng 向

	yòu 右 guái, 拐， zǒu 走 wǔ 五 fēn zhōng 分钟 jiù 就 dào 到 le. 了。

请问	qǐng wèn		Excuse me
一直	yì zhí	(adv)	straight
往	wǎng	(prep)	in the direction of
前	qián	(n)	forward, ahead
十字	shí zì	(n)	cross
路口	lù kǒu	(n)	intersection (of roads)
十字路口	shí zì lù kǒu	(n)	crossroads
向	xiàng	(n)	to, in the direction of
拐	guǎi	(n)	turn

Audio file : lesson 26 - dialog 03.mp3

Translation

- Excuse me, how to go to the Summer Palace?

- Go straight forward, at the crossroads, turn right, walk 5 minutes and you'll be arrived.

Conversation 4 : Can I park my car here?

-	Láo jià 劳驾， zhèr 这儿 néng 能 tíng 停 chē 车 ma? 吗？

-	Bù 不 xíng, 行， guò 过 le 了 dì 第 yī 一 gè 个 hóng lǜ dēng 红绿灯

	kěyǐ. 可以。

-	Hǎo, 好， jiù 就 tíng 停 zài 在 zhèr 这儿 ba. 吧。 Wǒ 我 xià 下 chē. 车。

劳驾	Láo jià		Excuse me
停	tíng	(b)	stop
过	guò	(v)	pass
红绿灯	hóng lǜ dēng	(n)	traffic light
下	xià	(v)	go down, get off

Audio file : lesson 26 - dialog 04.mp3

Translation

- Excuse me, can I park ( stop ) my car here?

- No. Passing the first traffic jam you can.

- Good, then let's stop here. I get off the car.

Grammar

Phrase structure

Usage of the preposition 离 (lí)

place A + 离 + place B + adjective

Examples:

- 颐和园离这儿很远。 ( the Summer Palace is far from here. )

- 北京离天津不远。 ( Beijing is not far from Tianjin. )

The adverb 多

The adverb 多 (duō) often goes before monosyllabic adjectives such as 远 (yuǎn, far) - 长 (cháng, long) - 大 (dà, big) to ask about degree or extent.

Examples:

- 多远 ( how far )

- 多长时间 ( how long time )

- 多大 ( how big )

Exercises : Substitution Drills

Exercise 1

-	Yíhéyuán 颐和园 lí 离 zhèr 这儿 yuǎn 远 bù 不 yuǎn 远？

-	bù 不 yuǎn 远。

Noun 1		Noun 2

中国	Zhōngguó	美国	Měiguó
商店	shāngdiàn	银行	yínháng
飞机场	fēijīchǎng	火车站	huǒchēzhàn
图书馆	túshūguǎn	书店	shūdiàn

Exercise 2

-	Cóng 从 zhèr 这儿 dào 到 Běi Dà 北大 yǒu 有 duō 多 yuǎn 远？

-	Dà yuē 大约 yǒu 有 wǔ gōng lǐ ５公里。

Quant.	Unit

10	公里	gōng lǐ	kilometer
100	米	mǐ	meter
25	英里	yīng lǐ	mile

Exercise 3

-	Kāi chē 开车 yào 要 yòng 用 duō 多 cháng 长 shí jiān 时间？

-	Yòng 用 bù 不 liǎo 了 bàn gè xiǎoshí 半个小时。

Sub 1		Sub 2

走路	zǒu lù	1个小时	yī gè xiǎoshí
坐汽车	zuò qìchē	10分钟	shí fēn zhōng
开车	kāi chē	1克钟	yī kè zhōng
坐地铁	zuò dìtiě	半个小时	bàn gè xiǎoshí
骑单车	qí dānchē	10分钟	shí fēn zhōng