Common Talk Weeklyshuang yu zhou kan

No return
By Zemei Picture by Zhu Lijun



John, my American friend, took a trip to Shanghai last year. He bought a digital camera in a famous local shopping mall. When he got back to the hotel, he took out the camera and tried it. He did not like the camera and decided to return it.

To John's surprise, his request was politely refused when he presented his receipt and explained what he wanted to do with the camera. "Sir," said the saleswoman, "if you buy something and you open it, it is yours. No return except if there is a quality problem. This is universally acknowledged in China."

"How can this be possible?" protested John."In America, many larger stores will let their customers return almost anything within a certain time period as long as they keep a receipt. In such a big shopping mall how can you say no..."

"I am very, very sorry, sir," interrupted the saleswoman courteously, "I would if I could. But this is China, you know, I'm afraid I cannot break the rules."

The circumstance in China is close to what the saleswoman said. Nowadays some foreign invested supermarkets in China occasionally allow returns on specific conditions apart from quality problems. They are taking this measure to gain a competitive advantage and attract more customers. It is proving to be an effective measure. So, should we continue to do this?

 

体育运动 风行厦门
By Suky

本周是运动周, 反对的举手～既然没人反对, 那我们开始啦!

Marathons 马拉松
Marathons are quite popular in America. Every year nearly 300 long-distance running events are held in various cities throughout the U.S.A. To entertain spectators along the route, some marathon runners put on funny hats, wear strange costumes or carry humorous signs.
马拉松赛跑在美国很流行. 每年在全美各城市大约会举行三百场长距离赛跑. 有些参赛者会选择有趣的帽子、奇装异服, 或是幽默好笑的牌子, 以此娱乐沿途加油的观众.
马拉松, 这项运动从遥远的古希腊英雄脚下一直跑到美丽的厦门, 也许通过这扇窗口, 我们会发现厦门正向世界绽放. 推荐指数:★★★★★

Boardsailing 驾风浪板
A surf board with a sail attached makes it into gear used for boardsailing. Popular in Europe for years and catching on around the world recently, boardsailing has now become an event in the Olympics.
风浪板即带帆的冲浪板, 在欧洲已盛行多年, 而今逐渐风靡全世界. 如今风浪板已成为奥运会的正式竞赛项目之一.
在厦门我们也可以试试哦. 推荐指数:★★★

Skateboarding 溜滑板
Invented in California in the late 1950s, the skateboard soon became popular all over America. Due to the accidents and injuries usually invovled with it, however, skateboarding was banned in several states around 1965. Today, with improved helmets, wheels and knee pads, it is now much safer and has regained its popularity.
滑板自从五十年代末期在加州发明后, 不久就风行全美国. 但是, 约在1965年时, 因为发生了许多意外及受伤事件, 很多州明令禁止这项运动. 而今配上改进后的滑轮、头盔和护膝, 滑板运动变得较为安全, 又再度流行起来.
溜滑板就是我们常在体育频道上看到的滑板运动. 他们好像什么都可以在上面溜的. 不过也很危险, 总是看到有人在水泥地板上摔成狗啃泥. 这种运动够炫, 最常见于校园内. 推荐指数:★★★★

16－inch softball 16英寸垒球
Originally developed as an indoor game, 16-inch softball first appeared in Chicago 1887. Players had to catch the ball bare-handed, without the protection of gloves. Although a 12-inch ball is now commonly used for the game, the 16-inch ball is still in play in Chicago.
16英寸垒球1887年诞生于芝加哥, 起初是室内活动, 参加者不戴手套而且要空手接球. 虽然现在通用12英寸的球, 但在芝加哥还是用16英寸的.
好像是机器猫和康夫经常玩的游戏哦. 推荐指数:★★★

 

Ask the Chef



Last week's assignment:
You have been working very hard for a long time without a vacation. Now you are thinking of taking a week off. Please write an email to your boss and politely ask for a week off.

Irene wrote:
Dear Boss,
(1) Firstly, I am glad to tell you that we have finished our project successfully as scheduled. After that, our work won't be busy temporarily. So by this chance, (2)could you give me in a favor of working off for a week from 17th March to 24th March? (3)Of course, I will do my private affair. However, please let me know whether you approve or not. I am looking forward (4) your reply, thanks in advance. (5)Irene Best regards, (6)

Chef's comments:
(1) 看了你的信的其他部分, 好像没有Secondly, Thirdly等等与之呼应, 所以我建议你用"to begin with". 这句话可以让你老板放心你的工作, 不错, 应该表扬!
(2) 稍微有点乱, 原因可能是你对以下的两个短语 "do me a favor", "ask for a week off"用得不够熟练.
(3) 有点多余, 假期里你当然不会去工作, 所以不用特别说明. 而且"do my private affair" 这句话怎么看都挺别扭, 试试"take care of some private business".
(4) 粗心!应该是"look forward TO your reply".
(5) "Best regards"先, 署名后.
(6) 你忘了告诉老板你已经很久没休假了.

Chef's revision:
Dear Boss,
To begin with, I am glad to tell you that our project has been successfully finished as scheduled, and that makes us temporarily less busy. Therefore, I am thinking of using this chance to take a week off from March 17th to March 24th if possible. Could you kindly consider this since it's been really a long time since my last vacation. Please reply at your earliest convenience. Thanks a lot.
Best regards, Irene

This week's assignment:
You are the IT of the company and recently you found out that many of your colleagues have been downloading information that could be dangerous in respect of virus penetration. Therefore, you are writing an email (less than 100 words) to politely suggest that your colleaguesstop downloading this information.

 

Bookshelf
新书上架
By 王鸽鹏

采果集



眼光锁定这本既是诗集又是画册的书时, 我如获至宝. 步入这个如诗如画的伊甸园, 字里行间洋溢着生命的感动, 那种热情而奔放的情感就像一首首无尽的咏叹, 透彻心扉. 我虔诚至极, 默默为生命中挂满枝头的累累硕果而祈祷.

美轮美奂的诗篇, 清雅如兰的画风, 圣洁至纯的情感, 静谧深邃的意境, 让我迷不知返. 我醉倒在这和平安详的天堂, 朦胧中闻到了生命之果的芳香与信念之果的甘醇. 我欣喜, 我痴狂, 我陶醉, 我迷恋, 尽在这穿越死亡和世俗的百果园中.

这就是我的感受. 如果你很久未体验过这种感动, 到市新华书店去采摘吧!