User Comments - paulinurus

Posted on: Where is the Supermarket?

go_manly, thanks for sharing your work... great job!

Posted on: How many family members do you have?

I thought the person who read the English expansion sentences did a terrific job! 他的声音很好听，发音真清楚！tā de shēng yīn hěn hǎo tīng, fāyīn zhēn qīngchu! Connie and him would make a terrific team reading the expansion sentences.

Posted on: A Business Dinner with a Supplier

RJ, yes today is the first day that the server speed is back to normal. Unbelievable they let it drag on for so long!

Posted on: A Business Dinner with a Supplier

To some extent I agree with go_manly. The issue of "progressiveness" and "structure" in Cpod's lessons has always been an issue at Cpod. I sense this year there has been an attempt by Cpod to address this issue by making the Intermediate lessons easier. However, dumbing a level down does not necessarily result in progressive structured learning. Eventually there needs to be a re-thinking and planning of the total inventory of lessons and grouping them into progressive levels of difficulty so that students can move from one level to the next, challenged but not frustrated by repetitions or overly difficult text . The design should be like any well written foreign language text book (such as Integrated Chinese?) leading students to climb up the learning ladder step by step. Right now, the steps at Cpod are of different heights - at times too high and other times too low.

I think the steps at the Newbie and Elementary levels are now way too low. They are small itsy bitsy baby repetitive steps aimed at pacifying poddies rather than challenging them. Compare the Newbie and Elementary lessons of 2007 and 2008 to those of this year and you'll see what I mean. I think anyone of average intelligence willing to study 5 to 10 hours a week for a year using the Integrated Chinese textbooks and the audio files will discover they are at Intermediate level at Cpod (like I did). How many years are required on average at Cpod's Newbie/Ele level before one can tackle the Intermediate level? Of course, when studying out of text books, you won't know the chunks of street smart, cool lexicons used by the natives that are found in Cpod's lessons. But really, when in China I wouldn't want to talk ‘cool lexicons' and look like a fool when natives talk back ‘cool' to me and I can't comprehend what they are saying. Imagine a person from China learning cool English expressions then attempt to talk "hip" in New York. I would just want to talk straight laced and simple Chinese sentences in China and be real as a 老外。

I think the gap between Ele and Intermediate still exists simply because the Ele lessons now are way too simple. Also, the gap between Ele and Intermediate will remain since most poddies moving to this level will still not be able to comprehend Jenny's Chinese dialogue. At least John is now interpreting more of what Jenny is saying instead of laughing at her jokes or responding in conversation by assuming that listeners know what she said. After 8 months at Cpod and thanks to Tal's notes, I'm now at the point where I can understand most of Jenny's dialogue, although not at the stage when I can accurately interpret what she said.

However a more important feedback to Cpod at this time is for Cpod to get its computer system working as well as before. The past two weeks have been a frustrating time for me either not being able to get on the site due to "Error 500" server down message, or the server is so slow that it is impossible to listen to the expansion sentences or do the exercises or "click Community" to look at latest posts. I had no problems at all on the Chinese101 site. I don't know why Cpod allows its computer system to deteriorate during the moon cake and National day vacation period. Are you guys lighting up just one server to save electricity expense over the vacation period? And why are you keeping quiet and not responding speedily and adequately to the problem?   

Posted on: Love Tangle 4: Baby Plans

Hey CPod, Are you guys back at work? Your computer server is still very very slow. It takes a long time to access the site. And when I get to the site, it takes a long time to move from one tab to another. Your site has been slow for over a week now.  

Posted on: Love Tangle 3: One Night Stand

Bodawei,

I have no idea how you could come to those conclusions. But it doesn't matter.

Posted on: Love Tangle 3: One Night Stand

John,

Thanks for re-doing the audio review. I can understand how some feel they could learn Chinese better if the English sentences were spoken in personality voices, but I'm not one of them. It is difficult enough trying to think how to say the English sentences in Chinese without being distracted by the acting out voices.

I also appreciate that now every sentence in the Expansion section is read out in the Audio Review, instead of just a few as in the past. The Audio Review for me is the most important file in Cpod's program and the compelling reason to be a premium subscriber. It is where the tire meets the road - to test whether you can really speak Chinese what you want to say.

As for Che Guevra, Cuba is a favourite place for Canadians and Europeans to vacation in winter. Speak to them and you'll find many come back again and again to the un-crowded beaches and comfortable resorts of Cuba. However, stroll through Havana and you'll see the state of disrepair in the residential buildings and how deprived the people are on the simple pleasures in life. Vacationers customarily bring for the locals in the resorts clothing, candies, chocolates, Tylenol, feminine hygiene stuff, etc. and even guitar strings.

A Che Guevra in any organization leads to its eventual demise.

Posted on: Not Cooked Enough

I'll eat raw shrimps anytime than hear a man scream !!

Posted on: Two Tough Ladies

There is an error in the on-line text version of the lesson pdf file. It is not available. 

Posted on: The Final Show

Whatcha guys sayin' she's gone? I still see her pic on Cpod and hear her voice on QW!