logo eChineseLearning Newsletter  (October 21, 2009)
Highlights in This Issue
1. Chinese Mini-Test---汉语迷你测试 hànyŭ mínĭ cèshì Chinese Mini-Test
2. Chinese Story for Children---丑小鸭 Chŏu Xiăo Yā The Ugly Duckling (Part II)
3. Chinese Song for Teens---让我们荡起双桨 Ràng Wŏmen Dàngqĭ Shuāngjiăng Let's Paddle Together
4. Popular Words---桃花运 táohuāyùn Desires of the Heart
5. Finance---中国创业板开盘 Zhōngguó chuàngyèbăn kāipán China Launches Growth Enterprise Market
6. Sports---2009中国网球公开赛 Zhōngguó wăngqiú gōngkāisài 2009 China Tennis Open
Chinese Mini-Test
汉语迷你测试(hànyŭ mínĭ cèshì) Chinese Mini-Test
Beginner Level 初级 chūjí
"这些天, 西安一直在下雨(Zhè xiē tiān, Xī’ān yìzhí zài xiàyŭ )." What does the word 雨() in this sentence refer to?
     A. Wind
     B. Sun
     C. Rain
     D. Moon

Intermediate Level 中级 zhōngjí
"让咱们用响亮的音乐使聚会欢快起来." What is the Chinese pinyin for the phrase "响亮?"
     A. xiānyàn
     B. xiăngliàng
     C. rènao
     D. qímiào

Advanced Level 高级 gāojí

"Wal-Mart is the largest foreign investment operator of chain stores in China." What is the corresponding Chinese phrase for "chain store" in this sentence?
     A.  超市
     B. 商业街
     C. 旗舰店
     D. 连锁店
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Chinese Story for Children
丑小鸭(Chŏu Xiăo Yā) The Ugly Duckling (Part II)    

离开农场之后,下起了暴风雨,丑小鸭被大雨和雷电吓坏了。他被淋湿了,非常寒冷。最后,他到了一家农舍,这里住着一位老妇人,一只猫和一只母鸡。   
Líkāi nóngchăng zhī hòu, xià qĭ le bàofēnɡyŭ, chŏu xiăo yā bèi dàyŭ hé léidiàn xià huài le. Tā bèi línshī le, fēicháng hánlěng. Zuìhòu, tā dào le yì jiā nóngshè, zhèlĭ zhùzhe yí wèi lăo fùrén, yì zhī māo hé yì zhī mŭjī.
After he left the farmyard, a storm began. The rain and lightning terrified the Ugly Duckling. He was so cold and wet! Finally, he arrived at a cottage where lived an old woman, a cat, and a hen.
丑小鸭说:“可以给我一点吃的吗”?
 
Chŏu xiăo yā shuō: "Kěyĭ gěi wŏ yìdiăn chī de ma?"
Ugly Ducking: "May I have some food?"
老妇人想:“哇,我太幸运了,也许这只鸭子长大以后可以生蛋”。

Lăo fùrén xiăng: "Wā, wŏ tài xìngyùn le, yěxŭ zhè zhĭ yāzi zhăngdà yĭhòu kéyĭ shēndàn."
The old woman: "Oh, I'm so lucky. If I feed it, then someday I will get some duck eggs from it."
于是丑小鸭住了下来,但是很快母鸡和猫就开始欺负丑小鸭。因此,丑小鸭又离开了农舍。不久,夏天过去了,秋天来了。丑小鸭在池塘里游泳,一群天鹅在后面跟着他。    
Yúshì chŏu xiăo yā zhù le xiàlái, dànshì hěn kuài mŭjī hé māo jiù kāishĭ qīfu chŏu xiăo yā. Yīncĭ, chŏu xiăo yā yòu líkāi le nóngshè. Bùjiŭ, xiàtiān guòqù le, qiūtiān lái le. Chŏu xiăo yā zài chítáng lĭ yóuyŏng, yì qún tiān'é zài hòumian gēn zhe tā.
So, the duckling lived there for a few days, but the hen and the cat treated him badly as time went by. Then the poor duckling left the cottage. Soon, summer turned into fall. The ugly duckling swam in the pond and a group of swans flew after him.
丑小鸭想:“她们好漂亮啊!我真希望能像她们一样”。    
Chŏu xiăo yā xiăng: "Tāmen hăo piàoliang a! Wŏ zhēn xīwàng nénɡ xiàng tāmen yíyàng."
Ugly Ducking: "What beautiful birds! I wish I could be like them."
天气越来越冷了,冬天来了。    
Tiānqì yuè lái yuè lěng le, dōngtiān lái le.
The weather grew colder and colder and soon winter came.
丑小鸭说:“我得一直游,不然我就被冻住了”。    
Chŏu xiăo yā shuō: "Wŏ děi yìzhí yóu, bùrán wŏ jiù bèi dòngzhù le."
Ugly Ducking: "I must keep swimming and swimming, or the pond will freeze around me."
一天早晨,一个农夫看到冻僵的丑小鸭,便将他带回家了。不久,丑小鸭恢复了健康。然而,顽皮的小孩总是欺负丑小鸭!丑小鸭很害怕,最后,跑出了大门。    
Yì tiān zăochén, yí gè nóngfū kàn dào dòngjiāng de chŏu xiăo yā, biàn jiāng tā dài huí jiā le. Bùjiŭ, chŏu xiăo yā huīfù le jiànkāng. Rán'ér, wánpí de xiăohái zŏngshì qīfu chŏu xiăo yā! Chŏu xiăo yā hěn hàipà, zuìhòu, păo chū le dàmén.
Early in the morning, a farmer saw the near frozen duckling and took him home. Soon, the duckling was well again, and the children wanted to play with the duckling. But he was scared, so he ran out the door.
又是一个春天。丑小鸭长大了,他现在飞得很高,而且游得比以前快了。在一条美丽的小河里,他看到了几只美丽的鸟在河里游着,他想起她们了。    
Yòu shì yí gè chūntiān. Chŏu xiăo yā zhăngdà le, tā xiànzài fēi de hěn gāo, érqiě yóu de bĭ yĭqián kuài le. Zài yì tiáo měilì de xiăo hélĭ, tā kàn dào le jĭ zhī měilì de niăo zài hélĭ yóu zhe, tā xiăngqĭ tāmen le.
It was spring again. The ugly duckling was bigger now and he could fly high up in the sky and swim faster than before. There was a beautiful river where he saw some beautiful birds. He remembered them.
“我想去找他们玩儿,但她们可能会讨厌我”。    
"Wŏ xiăng qù zhăo tāmen wánr, dàn tāmen kěnéng huì tăoyàn wŏ."
"I want to go with them, but they will dislike me."
这时有一只鸟说道:“他是新来的”!    
Zhèshí yŏu yì zhī niăo shuō dào: "Tā shì xīn lái de!"
Then one of the birds said: "There is a newcomer."
其他鸟说道:“你真漂亮, 快来加入我们吧”。    
Qítā niăo shuō dào: "Nĭ zhēn piàoliang, kuài lái jiārù wŏmen ba."
The other birds said: "Oh, he is the most beautiful. Come and join us!"
丑小鸭非常惊讶。他不是鸭子!他是一只天鹅!他就加入了他们。丑小鸭和这群天鹅一起快乐地游着。
 
Chŏu xiăo yā fēicháng jīngyà. Tā búshì yāzi! Tā shì yì zhī tiān'é! Tā jiù jiārù le tāmen. Chŏu xiăo yā hé zhè qún tiān'é yìqĭ kuàilè de yóu zhe.
The ugly duckling was so surprised! He was not a duck but a swan! So he went and joined the swans and swam happily with them.
Chinese Song for Teens
让我们荡起双桨(Ràng Wŏmen Dàngqĭ Shuāngjiăng) Let's Paddle Together
   
Listen To the Song

让我们荡起双桨,小船儿推开波浪。
    
Ràng wŏmen dàngqĭ shuāngjiăng, xiăochuán'ér tuī kāi bōlàng.
Let's paddle together and the boat will push away the waves.

海面倒映着美丽的白塔,四周环绕着绿树红墙。
    
Hăimiàn dàoyìng zhe měilì de báită, sìzhōu huánrào zhe lǜshù hóngqiáng.
The beautiful White Tower is reflected on the sea, green trees and red walls are all around.

小船儿轻轻,飘荡在水中,迎面吹来了凉爽的风。    
Xiăochuán'ér qīngqīng, piāodàng zài shuĭzhōng, yíngmiàn chuī lái le liángshuăng de fēng.
The boat floats on the water, and a cool wind blows against our faces.

红领巾迎着太阳,阳光洒在海面上。    
Hónglĭngjīn yíng zhe tàiyáng, yángguāng să zài hăimiàn shàng.
Young Pioneers face the sun and the sunshine spills onto the sea.

水中鱼儿望着我们,悄悄地听我们愉快歌唱。    
Shuĭ zhōng yú'ér wàng zhe wŏmen, qiāoqiāo de tīng wŏmen yúkuài gēchàng.
The fish look at us from the water and listen quietly to our cheerful singing.

小船儿轻轻,飘荡在水中,迎面吹来了凉爽的风。    
Xiăochuán'ér qīngqīng, piāodàng zài shuĭ zhōng, yíngmiàn chuī lái le liángshuăng de fēng.
The boat floats on the water, and a cool wind blows against our faces.

做完了一天的功课,我们来尽情欢乐。    
Zuòwán le yī tiān de gōngkè, wŏmen lái jìnqíng huānlè.
After a long day of homework, we come to play happily.

我问你亲爱的伙伴,谁给我们安排下幸福的生活?    
Wŏ wèn nĭ qīn'ài de huŏbàn, shuí gěi wŏmen ānpái xià xìngfú de shēnghuó?
I ask you, dear partners, who has arranged a happy life for us?

小船儿轻轻,飘荡在水中,迎面吹来了凉爽的风。    
Xiăochuán'ér qīngqīng, piāodàng zài shuĭ zhōng, yíngmiàn chuī lái le liángshuăng de fēng.
The boat floats on the water, and a cool wind blows against our faces.

小船儿轻轻,飘荡在水中,迎面吹来了凉爽的风。    
Xiăochuán'ér qīngqīng, piāodàng zài shuĭ zhōng, yíngmiàn chuī lái le liángshuăng de fēng.
The boat floats on the water, and a cool wind blows against our faces.
Popular Words
流行词语(liúxíng cíyŭ) Popular Words    
桃花运(táohuāyùn) Desires of the Heart    

Origin and Meaning
The phrase 桃花运(táohuāyùn) originates from an classic poem in 诗经(shījīng), The Book of Odes, a famous classic Chinese poem work. 桃花运(táohuāyùn) means that a men has good luck with the ladies, or has found a special love. If we say somebody has 桃花(táohuā), peach blossom, in one's life, it indicates one of your 生辰八字(shēngchénbāzì), date of birth and eight Chinese characters of the horoscope, conveys the message of the desires of your heart. It doesn't have 贬义(biănyì) a derogatory connotation. On the contrary it means that somebody has an artistic sentiment in his nature. He loves aesthetics and he can get along very well with the opposite sex. This phrase is very popular in people's daily life now, and a movie called 桃花运(táohuāyùn) Desires of the Heart was released last year to describe five totally different attitudes towards love when the desires of the heart visit different people.

Usage of the Phrase
他最近交了桃花运,不再形单影只了。    
Tā zuìjìn jiāo le táohuāyùn, bú zài xíngdānyĭngzhī le.
Recently he got the desires of his heart and is not alone anymore.

If you want to enjoy the wonderful movie 桃花运(táohuāyùn) Desires of the Heart, please click here!
Finance
中国创业板开盘(Zhōngguó chuàngyèbăn kāipán) China Launches Growth Enterprise Market
    
The 创业板(chuàngyèbăn),Growth Enterprise Market, occupies an important position in capital markets all around the world. Up until the beginning of 2009, China was the only country not possessing its own Growth Enterprise Market, out of the ten countries with the highest GDP. The Growth Enterprise Market in China 开盘(kāipán) opens on Oct 23, 2009. GEM is a pressing need for the continued innovation of the Chinese financial market, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. As for the investor, it has more risk than the main board market, but there will also be more returns here.

创业板(chuàngyèbăn) Growth Enterprise Market    
创业板(chuàngyèbăn) Growth Enterprise Market is called the second board stock market, serving the small, medium-sized, and new enterprises, which cannot be on the main board market yet. 创业(chuàngyè) means starting business and 板(băn) refers to board.

开盘(kāipán) Opening Quote    
In the stock market, the word 开盘(kāipán) opening quote is called many times. The first knock-down price of every securities is called the opening quote price or opening quotation. 开(kāi) means opening and 盘(pán) refers to dish.

股票(gŭpiào) Stock    
股票(gŭpiào): 股() means part or share and 票(piào) refers to ticket or vote.
Sports
2009 中国网球公开赛(Zhōngguó wăngqiú gōngkāisài) 2009 China Tennis Open
  
中国网球公开赛(Zhōngguó wăngqiú gōngkāisài) The China Tennis Open Tournament was held on October 2nd, 2009. During the China Open women's singles tournament going into the quarter finals, a Chinese tennis player, 彭帅(Péng Shuài) Peng Shuai became a 焦点(jiāodiăn) focus when she defeated the former world number 1, Maria Sharapova from Russia. The 2005 Berlin Tennis Open, was their first chance to compete against each other. 彭帅(Péng Shuài) Peng Shuai was 横扫(héngsăo) swept away by Sharapova with the scores 6:2 and 6:1. This time, 彭帅(Péng Shuài) Peng Shuai completely 爆冷门(bàolěngmén) produced an unexpected win and won at the scores 6:2 and 6:4. So she has become regarded as a dark horse in tennis circle.

冷门(lěngmén) An Unexpected Winner

The Origin and Meaning of the Phrase
The word 冷门(lěngmén), an unexpected winner, first appeared in Casinos. When people bet chips, they usually chose the most promising one. When somebody chose one that nobody cared about, people call it 冷门(lěngmén). If the underdog achieved a victory in the end , it was called 爆冷门(bàolěngmén), a dark horse popping up. 爆(bào) means exploding literally, but here it means unexpected. 冷(lěng) means cold and 门(mén) means door.

The Usage of the Phrase
1. 今天浐灞队击败了国安队,真是爆冷门。    
    Jīntiān Chănbà duì jībài le Guó'ān duì, zhēn shì bào lěngmén.
    Today, Chanba defeated the Guo'an, which is a real dark horse upset.
2. 巴西足球队打中国足球队,中国队胜肯定是冷门,但是如果真的胜了巴西队,那就是爆冷门了。
        
    Bāxī zúqiú duì dă Zhōngguó zúqiú duì, Zhōngguó duì shèng kěndìng shì lěnmén, dànshì rúguŏ zhēn de shèng
    le Bāxī duì, nà jiù shì bàolěngmén le.

    When the Chinese soccer team and Brazil soccer team competed against each other. China is certainly
    the underdog, but if they beat the Brazilian team, it will produce an unexpected winner.

生词(shēngcí) Vocabulary:    
网球(wăngqiú): n tennis    
焦点(jiāodiăn): n focus    
彭帅(Péng Shuài): n name of a famous Chinese tennis player    
横扫(héngsăo): v to sweep away    

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