User Comments - mikeinewshot

Posted on: Hanoi

xiaohu

You ask: does anyone else feel like the structure of the lessons has changed.  Frankly, no.  There have been in the past lessons where structures and patterns have been explored.  When I used to listen mainly to elementary lessons, I remember that Ken was particular good at that - some of the earlier elementaries were brilliant with 'lexical chunks' and examples of developing them.

I agree that this was a good lesson - lets look forward to many more.

And, of course, Happy Birthday Chinesepod and thank you. 

Posted on: Olympic Excitement

Thanks Bazza

Posted on: Olympic Excitement

I was working ;-( and couldnt watch the ceremony.  Is it on the web to watch anywhere?

Posted on: Addressing People

Most of the time we just hear what young people should call their elders.  At last in this lesson we did briefly hear what a 50 year old should call a 40 year old friend.

But what about a (say) 60 year old?  What should a 60 year old call their 'aiyi' who is younger than them?  And indeed what should they call their relations, say their fathers and mothers in law and so on?

Posted on: Badminton

Well I was pleased to hear that "in Canada we actually take badminton pretty seriously"!! and that badminton is only played a picnics outdoors!

In some parts of the world, it is regarded as a major sport; not only in China.  It was as far as I know invented in England (like many sports).

In my humble opinion it is the most skilfull and demanding racquet sport.  I believe it the fastest (a split second to retrieve the shot) and it is the subtlest with deception playing a large part with variety of shot in all three spatial dimensions, not only width, and length but also height.

On a different note, this has to be shortest ever dialogue for an upper intermediate.  Dumbing down has reached new depths.

Posted on: Badminton

At last - a lesson on Badminton - I will have to change my profile now!

Posted on: Aussie Rules

Clay - extremely well done!  Is Ken's succession just a matter of time? ;-)

(And well done Jenny too, of course)

Posted on: A Visit by the Police

I pulled out these words from the chat between John and Jenny,  – I hope they are correct. Lookups mainly courtesy of http://www.mdbg.net/.....?page=main

火伴 huo3 ban4 comrades-in-arms
同性恋 tong2 xing4 lian4 homosexuality / gay person / gay love
公务员 gong1 wu4 yuan2 functionary / office-bearer
固定 gu4 ding4 fixed / set / regular
搭配 da1 pei4 to pair up / to match / to arrange in pairs / to add sth into a group
摇滚乐 yao2 gun3 yue4 rock music / rock 'n roll
派对 pai4 dui4 party
级别 ji2 bie2 (military) rank / level / grade
权力 quan2 li4 (wield) power
顺从 shun4 cong2 obedient / to comply / to submit
关掉 guan1 diao4 to switch off / shut off
兴致 xing4 zhi4 interest
温柔 wen1 rou2 gentle and soft / tender
强烈 qiang2 lie4 intense / (violently) strong
做作 zuo4 zuo5 affected / artificial
真实 zhen1 shi2 true / real
疯狂 feng1 kuang2 madness / extreme popularity
欢乐 huan1 le4 gaiety / gladness / glee / merriment / pleasure / happy / joyous / gay
指责 zhi3 ze2 criticize / find fault with
比喻 bi3 yu4 metaphor / analogy / figure of speech / figuratively
逻辑 luo2 ji5 logic
思考 si1 kao3 to reflect on / to ponder over
闲 xian2 to stay idle / to be unoccupied / not busy / leisure / enclosure
威胁 wei1 xie2 to threaten / to menace
精彩 jing1 cai3 brilliant / splendid
生动 sheng1 dong4 vivid
场景 chang3 jing3 scene / scenario / setting
现实 xian4 shi2 reality / actuality / real / actual

Posted on: Olympics and more...

Great looking Olympics site.

I looked at the Badminton vocabulary.

Kill is apparently 杀球使对方无力防守之球 in Chinese, and 'rally' is 为争夺一分的往返拍击，一个回合.  Flick is 发球时一方干扰对方!

The commentators must speak very quickly to get these mouthfulls out in a hurry!

Posted on: ...都 (dōu): The Bryan Adams pattern

patmetheny

In the meantime, you can copy and paste the text from the comments into your own word file for example.