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When you’re in China one of the most common questions asked of you by students is ‘How to improve my speaking English’[sic] and I always tell them that the only way is to speak. Then there is the old adage that If you don’t use it you lose it! So, here I am in the UK at the moment and I’m always on the lookout to practise, and therefore improve, my Chinese oral skills.
I was in the pub last night (more…)
成也萧何，败也萧何 is the Chinese equivalent of, ‘If you live by the sword…’ and it has taken some time but because one of my students is an out-and-out cheat I decided to really teach her a lesson.
Last year she sent a ringer in to sit her exam in her stead. (more…)
Chinese English students are taught to memorise everything, not really to think. An example: I was on a bus in Harbin and a girl started to talk to me. She asked me what I did and then she asked where I came from. Her ‘programmed’ mind was waiting for a pre-defined response from one of the following; Australia, america, Canada or England.
Winter has arrived. We had a powdering of snow two days ago but I felt the weather centre should have been taken to task by the Trades & Descriptions people. However, the same cannot be said of today’s snowfall. It started in earnest just before lunch and the flakes are now what I call ‘proper’ snow. (more…)
A student stood there holding the piece of card I had presented to her trying for all she is worth to pronounce the word written on the card.
The word in question was ‘DID’. It was written clearly and as we all know, a common enough word.
She was holding the card upside down!
December 15, 2007
We must stop exposing our unborn baby to Chinese martial arts films. The baby has started practising monkey leaping gorge roundhouse kicks and tiger-palm punches and so on, all of which are causing T some discomfort but which are giving me immense pleasure. I’ve suggested we start playing classic music instead. [...]
June 13, 2011
Recently, the Guangyuan International Community on Zhongyin Road in Guilin city erected a sculpture named “Helping the Elderly”, the sculpture being two “stark naked” women carrying a man, the inscription below reading “Wife on the left, daughter-in-law on the right, the moral is of family harmony, harmonious coexistence, supporting each [...]
