User Comments - MisterXia
MisterXia
Posted on: 亡羊补牢──保护视力
September 7, 2019 at 7:42 PMAn interesting lesson, thank you. Maybe the dialogue was a bit short for upper intermediate? Also... how do you determine which words to explain as new vocab and where to add expansion sentences? I used to sometimes struggle even with upper intermediate, but this time I really did not learn any new words except 近视 and 亡羊补牢. I could imagine stuff like having one's eyesight tested, different eyesight deficiencies or even components and types of glasses could have added more meat to this one.
Still, a useful lesson!
Yet I still hope that you can go back to providing much more expansion sentences (like for 6 or even 7 words), but therefore keep them as short as possible. I am going through some of the older ones now (upper int from 2007), and there are loads of expansion sentences. I find it so helpful to get to see a new word in different contexts.
Have a good weekend everyone!
Posted on: Backpacking to Tibet 风光在险峰—西藏之旅
September 6, 2019 at 9:29 AM很有意思的课！ 我非常喜欢去爬山， 所以相关的词语很有用。 终于知道大通铺用中文怎么讲。 住在这种地方千万不要忘带耳塞。
Posted on: 强买强卖？3D 眼镜
September 3, 2019 at 4:20 PM我也觉得这个课程不错。 录音质量也没有那么差。 我平时在开车的时候听， 所以我已经习惯各种噪音。
但是对我来说， 课程里面听对话的时候的背景音乐有一点奇怪， 比较难听而且零我很难专心。
Posted on: Living in two cities 披星戴月──双城生活
January 4, 2019 at 9:07 PM就是好奇， 不是批评： 对话里的冷暖读 "Nengnuan", 将来读 "jiangnai". 用 n 替代 l 是一种方言的影响吗？ 是什么方言呢？ 又可能是我的听力差。
听说， 房价最近跌幅很大， 乐观派最后可能会是对的。
Posted on: Living in two cities 披星戴月──双城生活
January 4, 2019 at 6:46 PM词汇挺多：
HSK lvl 5 20 matches说不定 信息 时代 记录 人生 可见 无奈 政策 地区 未来 乐观 奋斗 万一 摸 岸 雾 平 吹 直 派
HSK lvl 6 18 matches战斗 来源 标题 网络 词汇 繁华 或许 连锁 高峰 奔波 规划 位于 集团 上级 终点 党 州 跨
Posted on: 虎妈教育方式的的利与弊-Tiger Mom（1/3）
January 3, 2019 at 4:48 PM新年快乐！
Posted on: 虎妈教育方式的的利与弊-Tiger Mom（2/3）
January 2, 2019 at 4:02 PMWow, yes, I know what you are talking about. (Working in a neighbouring city, having three kids...) Time is scarce, so you don't want to waste is on inefficient learning.
I did not know that levels are determined like this. Advanced is supposed to be C1, media C2? Newbie, elementary, intermediate, upper int is A1, A2, B1, B2 respectively then? Just guessing, I honestly don't really know exactly what all these levels mean, just know I want to be C2 as soon as possible... 
I am not really sure about reliability of the levels, though. For example the older upper ints are much easier and there is an extreme gap between intermediate and upper int. There was a long time for me when intermediate was way too easy, but upper int impossible without transcript.
Now, C2 is meant to be native material of more challenging nature, right? That means, if you want to use a language in a work context, you will inevitably face C2 material. I do this frequently, when someone explains me how the factory works or we discuss sales strategies for different countries in Europe. I can cope, so am I C2? Don't think so, because I cannot cope so easily with some of the upper int lessons, which are supposed to be B2, right?
I think the main reason is why I can survice in meetings or why I felt so comfortable with these two tiger mom lessons here compared to the more scripted lessons: Naturally spoken languages is coming at you more slowly, there are a lot of 啊s and 那个s and the speaker needs time to think about what he/she says. This time allows the listener to follow. It is different with material that is written down and then read out aloud (the dialogue sections, radio broadcasts...). It is much harder. Also, with many of the lessons here I wonder if people really talk like that, it just sounds a bit unnatural compared to what I experience when discussing stuff in China.
A secondary reason is of course content. Even if I had all the vocabulary necessary, I could still never guide a Chinese surgeon through a heart transplant... I just don't have the knowledge. The other way round, after talking about crop failure for the 50th time, I can guess what is being said even if I just understand half the words.
So, this is why this kind of material presented here is very useful in my opinion: Teaching content and language at the same time and letting the language flow rather naturally, with some predetermined vocabulary cornerstones.
Of course, it needs to be supported by a full transcript as well as more comprehensive vocabulary lists and expansion sentences.
And maybe yes, there should be a more distinct line between all the lessons. Recently everything, even upper int has been kind of media...
Posted on: 虎妈教育方式的的利与弊-Tiger Mom（2/3）
December 31, 2018 at 1:32 PMThe Chinese text is difficult but not nonsense and certainly very engaging and interesting. The translation is good for me to understand some points that are extremely difficult, but this post about the translation made me think of an old podcast here:
https://chinesepod.com/lessons/translation-issues#dialogue-tab
It discusses the concept of 信、达、雅 in translation. I would suggest to forget about 雅 at all for the purpose of translation of dialogues and expansion sentences, and the focus on 雅 also should be where the main weakness of this particular translation is to be found. The product that Chinesepod sells is not English entertainment fiction, but Chinese language training. The necessary English is a means to an end, not an end in itself. The most important certainly is:
1. 信: what is actually being said here, what do the words mean in this exact context and how is a certain sentence structured in Chinese? So, 仙人 maybe would be better translated with "immortal", because Merlin is not really what you get when you baidu 仙人. Furthermore, often words can assume different meanings in different context. A good translation should take that into account and help to clarify it. (like, where does 数 mean "to count" and where does it mean "number"?)
2. 达: What does it mean? A phrase like 狭路相逢 certainly cannot be translated directly word by word. In some cases, I would prefer to see/ hear the actual meaning and what the words itself mean, maybe in brackets or so. It doesn't make for a good read in English, but certainly for a good explanation of a Chinese sentence.
3. 雅: Well, I am sometimes lost when I make flashcards with the material that Constance and Fiona produced. The English phrases sound cool, but a reverse translation into Chinese is impossible or at least opens up so many options that it is not useful for training anymore. Sometimes it is even so deep into colloquial English that I as a non-native speaker don't fully get what is being said. I have to rewrite their translations rather often before I allow them into my anki deck.
After all, it might be much more helpful to have an English phrase that sounds a bit clumsy but can very well explain how the Chinese sentence came to be in the first place than having it the opposite way.
That said: New Year happy! 2019 year go big luck! Congratulate emit wealth! 
新年快乐， 2019年行大运， 恭喜发财！
Posted on: 虎妈教育方式的的利与弊-Tiger Mom（2/3）
December 31, 2018 at 12:47 PM童年不应该是成年生活的训练营。 哎呀， 这个话题有意思极了！ 其实， 我有三个孩子， 我爸爸是教育学的博士， 还加上我们德国人现在第三代仍延续吃纳粹党时代的一种类似虎妈式教育的苦， 所以， 我对这件事情充满有见解。 所谓的虎妈， 羊马， 佛系妈都是极端思维， 这种说法让当父母的人误以为教育是这样黑白的。
现在有一些美国的心理医生开发了非常健全的， 特别有用的教育方式。 以人道主义为基础， 他们倡导所谓叛逆的孩子基本上不愿意叛逆， 反而他们成绩， 言行不到标准的原因就是， 他们缺乏基本的心理能力。 可能是挫折耐力， 又可能是灵活性等等。 他们提出很多可以障碍孩子自然发展的原因并帮助教育人员带孩子克服这些问题。 真佩服他们， 也在我孩子的教育上凭他们的想法， 顺利地解决了一些大的问题和冲突。
Some words about the lesson in general, in English: In my opinion, these two lessons and especially the first one is among the best advanced material at all in Chinesepod's library. It is an interesting topic, natural language and nothing but natural spoken language. A goldmine! I think in part II there is too much that is obviously read off a script or something, so it is a mix-up of spoken and written wording, which was rather confusing. (At least that's what it felt like for me)
If you can produce a lot of content like part I, two people chatting about a really engaging topic, sharing individual views and experiences about Chinese life and culture... wow - this would be the best thing I could imagine.
Just keep in mind that even for advanced learners, this kind of material is full to the brim with difficult and new words, so I would highly appreciate if this kind of lesson would come with a much more comprehensive transcript (no need for every 啊 and 对 and 这个 of course，哈哈) and also much more vocab and expansion sentences.
And explanations of tricky stuff. I have done some research and stuff, but I just could not figure out what is meant with 井货” (横竖都是二).
Anyway: HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone studying and teaching Chinese here. May the Chengyu and Duoyinci be with you and on your side at all times...
Posted on: 亡羊补牢──保护视力
September 8, 2019 at 7:07 AMHi!
Thank you for your reply! I did not mean this particular subject, but more in general: I always learn a lot from every podcast, but sometimes I see a topic that is very interesting for me and look forward to the lesson, but in the end I am a bit disappointed to find that there is not as much relevant vocabulary in it as I had hoped for. Why not choose a topic and go into more detail, maybe even spanning several lessons? Just an idea...
Enjoy your sunday!