Don't get ripped off
By Kako (Japanese girl)

Recently, I had the horrible experience of being ripped off in Dongguan. I was walking along the street with my mobile phone in my hand. Suddenly, a man's arms wrapped around my neck from behind, and another man snatched my mobile. Then in a second, the two sprinted far away. At the moment in which I was assaulted, all I could think about was the RMB 100 in my pocket because I thought they wanted my money. My cell phone was the last thing I could have imagined that they wanted.

Considering the price, mobile phones are valuables in China. In my country, Japan, nobody steals other people's mobiles because it's simply no use. In Japan, you can get a high-quality mobile with more functions at a much cheaper price. (The one I was using was only worth RMB 200.) The value of the mobile is kind of out of the question. Besides, the registration && payment system is completely different from that here in China. In Japan, when you buy a phone, you sign a contract of registration. After completing the registration, the phone and the phone number belong only to you. Usually, the phone bill is charged directly to your bank account every month, and only a few people use the pre-paid type mobiles like the ones we use in China. It's much like a credit card. So, you can also stop the service by one call to the phone company when it's missing.

I definitely don't know about the situation in any other country but I figure it would be much like that of Japan. To avoid a terrible experience like the one I had, I want to warn other expatriates to watch their mobile phones. Xiamen is a relatively safe place in China, so you may not have to worry about being ripped-off. However, considering the difference between the value && systems of mobiles, we need to change our mindset towards them.

 

 

奥运之全垒打
By Suky

这一周最热门的话题绝对是奥运会.刚比完一场女子垒球赛,我们趁热打铁,谈谈垒球、棒球这些中国人相对陌生的运动.可能不久之后,有越来越多的时尚小孩会成为新一代的垒球爱好者呢.

1. Do you want to pitch that game?
你要主投这场比赛吗?
打棒球时大家不是都会争着要当投手吗?可是英文却不说,"I want to be the pitcher." (我要当投手.) 老美的习惯是用动词pitch. 例如"I want to pitch." (我想主投.) 像是这种小细节一定要多注意,英文才会地道.
同理可证,补手叫catcher.比较常听到的讲法是, "Who wants to catch?"

2. Are you a lefty?
你是左撇子吗?
因为棒球手套 (mitt) 有分左右手,去打棒球老美都会先问你 "Are you a lefty?" 来决定要给你什么手套.如果你是右撇子,则可以回答他,"No. I'm a righty." (不, 我是右撇子)

3. That was a hit.
那是一支安打.
Hit 在棒球术语中指的是安打. 由于讲这句话通常是在别人击出安打之后, 所以要用过去式, "That was a hit." 如果是全垒打的话则是 home run (或是简称 homer). 所以要是别人大棒一挥, 球就顺势飞出了全垒打墙, 这时你就可以说, "That was a home run in my eye."(在我看来这是一支全垒打.)

4. It's me.
这个由我来接.
在团体运动比赛中诸如棒球、排球都有这样的情况.有时两个人抢着去接一个球,为了避免撞在一起造成失误,就可以提醒对方, "It's me." (这个由我来接.)
看似平凡无奇,可是能正确讲出来的人不多.因为大家会习惯说成, "It's my ball."或是 "It's mine."

5. Run it out.
把它跑完.
当一个球被打出去时,一旁的队友会喊些什么呢？如果打出去的是一个滚地必死球,他们会喊"Run it out."意思就是说把它跑完,不要太早放弃.如果是打出一只一垒安打(single, one-bagger),喊的则是,"Hold at first."提醒跑者不要太贪心,停在一垒上就好了.要是这是一只二垒安打 (double, two-bagger),他们就会喊,"Second!" 来提醒跑者可以往二垒跑.如果听到他们兴奋地大喊"Home!" 意思就是场内全垒打,跑者可以直接奔回本垒取分了.

6. Heads up.
注意.
Heads up 顾名思义就是要别人抬起头来,即提醒别人小心.例如打者一棒挥出一个右外野的高飞球,可是右外野手还在那里迷迷糊糊,不知道天外飞球,这时身为队友就应提醒他,"Heads up."

7.You are their tenth player.
你是他们的第十个球员 (内奸) 喔!
一支棒球队九个球员, 所以如果说你是他们队的第十个球员,就是说你是不是他们派来我们这队卧底的啊?老是白白送分给对方.

 

 

Humble or not?

Chef's Profile: This chef is not just any chef, not only does he know everything there is to know about cooking, but also he is an absolute guru in Engish writing. Therefore, if you ever feel hungry or stuck in your English writing, you should go ask the Chef!

Dear Chef,
Thank you for reading my email. While recently looking for a job, I've been pondering on how to write an application letter these days. But I have no idea yet, could you please give me some advice?
At first I wrote a draft in a humble way, but I worry about if it would make an unsure impression on the employers. But in fact being modest is one of my main personal characteristics. I always believe that I'm not talented enough, so I need to keep learning and I'd like to.
I really do not know what the employers will think about this problem or which attitude I should show in my application letter.
A job seeker

Dear Job Seeker,
"Act confident! Quit being humble!" For years there has been this cliché about how Chinese people should act in this so-called modern society. But few really take a serious look into it.
It is true that some Chinese always start their conversation with "My English is poor." And it is also true that during interviews many Chinese interviewees tend to fix his or her eyes on the ceiling or the legs of the chairs, and all these actions are bad marks from the interviewer's point of view. However, for whatever reason, humbleness, one of the most beautiful virtues in Chinese culture has become the scapegoat of all these "crimes". As far as I am concerned, that's a serious misunderstanding of the words "humble" and "confidence". Being humble is just the opposite of arrogance and high pride; moreover, it can be further illustrated with "politeness", "elegance and grace". Therefore, I actually think one can never really be confident without being humble. As an old wise saying has it, "The more you know, the more you don't know." If I read a cover letter that seemed to show that one was too happy with what he had already learnt, most likely it would be locked in my drawer forever.
Anyhow, what I just said was in no way against a well-organized manifestation of your knowledge, your willingness and confidence in good performances in your future job, which are the key points of a good cover letter. Then for embellishments, you might want to write about your strong interests in knowing more, hence being a more capable employee. However, say it in a polite but not overacting or self-debating way.

Vocabulary
impression: 印象
scapegoat:替罪羊
be further illustrated: 进一步阐述为
elegance and grace:优雅
manifestation:体现
embellishment:修饰
overacting:做作的
self－debating:自我贬低的

 

 

Crossword Puzzle



Across
1. Short for photograph.
4. To show or feel amusement or good humor.
7. A source of enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure.
8. A regular activity performed in exchange for payment, especially as one's trade, occupation, or profession.

Down
2. A place in which business, clerical, or professional activities are conducted.
3. Concentration of the mental powers upon an object; a close or careful observing or listening.
5. A public sale in which property or items of merchandise are sold to the highest bidder.
6. Activities providing entertainment or amusement; a pastime, e.g. crossword.

The following people have won free movie tickets:曾朝明,颜明,潘瑞琼,赵海蓉,陈巧红,苏俊斌,李欣,朱艺璇,陈聪荣,马莉. Please go to the Jinying Cinema (世贸金鹰影院) in two weeks. 欲知上期答案,请登录www.common-talk.com.