Do you prefer buying things from big companies or small businesses? It depends on what I purchase. When I procure home appliances like a washing machine, a fridge, or an oven, I head to a big brand shop. I also prefer household names when buying expensive items such as a laptop. For grocery shopping, however, I tend to visit local private shops and because of this, I’m acquainted with a lot of the owners of local businesses at the local wet market. * purchase 购买 * procure 购买 * home appliances 家电 * head to 去；前往 * big brand 大品牌 * household names 名牌；家喻户晓的名字 * acquainted with 熟悉 [Image] Do you know many small businesses? As I mentioned, I know quite a few of the local meat and vegetable market stall owners at the wet market that is opposite to where I live. I know quite a few because I frequent a number of vegetable stalls, meat stands, fruit shops, dry goods shops, and a fresh chicken outlet. I know them and they all know me and my preferences. The thing about small businesses is the human connection between the business owner and the customers, and once you find the right one, you can feel assured that their product is good. Also, downstairs from where I live, there are a number of neighborhood shops whose owners I’m familiar with. * market stall 市场摊位 * frequent 经常光顾 * a number of 几个 * outlet 专营店 * preferences 喜好 [Image] Have you ever thought about starting your own business? Not only have I considered it, I actually started doing a small online business a few years back. These days, if you have an idea, work hard, and get online, and don’t give up, if you do these things, then there’s a good chance you can have some success with it I think. [Image] Have you ever worked in small businesses? Yes, I work for my own small business and because of this, I know the ups and downs a small business can face. It demands a lot of time, attention to detail, patience, and the ability to handle pressure. I also worked at a large company before and things there were more organized and training sessions were constantly offered and I could always seek help from my supervisors. In comparison though, a small business owner needs to deal with everything, so you’re constantly learning but without the formal training sessions. * ups and downs 起伏 * attention to detail 注意细节 * patience 耐心 * handle pressure 处理压力 * training sessions 培训 * deal with 处理 [Image]

Where and how can we get to know people from different cultures? Off the top of my head, there are a few ways to meet people from other cultures, I think. I guess one of the most obvious ways would be, providing we have enough time and money, to travel. In this way, we can quickly gain first-hand experience in exploring a foreign area and the local inhabitants, their language, their traditions, and their unique lifestyle. Another way I guess is through social media platforms. People from all over the world are connected to some type of social media channel, and so by using such platforms, we can encounter and chat with those from different cultural backgrounds. This is much more affordable of course for most people. A third way is to attend cultural or language-related events, for instance, events organized by a local language exchange group. But there are, of course, other ways, such as going to where foreigners hang out, and also to work for a company that hires foreign employees. In fact, I’d say there are numerous ways. * gain first-hand experience 获得一手经历 * local inhabitants 当地居民 * unique 独特的 * social media platforms 社媒平台 * encounter 遇到 * affordable 负担得起的 * -related 与……相关的 * hang out 闲逛 [图片] What are the advantages and disadvantages of cultural diversity? Hmmm, let me see, well, I guess the advantage of this type of diversity is that it can help accelerate innovation and creativity, especially in the art and entertainment sectors. Compared with monoculture, a society peppered with a variety of ethnicities and cultures tends to be able to view challenges and solve problems, perhaps, from more perspectives. This diversity, however, can also be a recipe for conflict. Unlike its monoculture counterpart, where people speak the same language and share similar traditions, and have a universal understanding and even a collective mindset, cultural diversity is bound to, at some point, I think, to erupt into conflict, for instance, in religious beliefs and in social rights, or between local inhabitants and the different and perhaps radical views of foreigners. Diversity with limits can be positive I think, but unchecked, I think it’s a recipe for disaster. * accelerate innovation 加速创新 * creativity 创意 * monoculture 单一文化 * peperred with 充斥着 * a variety of 多种多样的 * enthnicities 民族 * counterpart 对应的事物 * have a universal understanding 普遍的/相似的理解 * a collective mindset 集体心理 * erupt into 爆发 * conflict 冲突 * radical views 激进的观点 * unchecked 放任；不加约束 * a recipe for 导致 * disaster 灾难 [图片] How can traditional cultures and other cultures co-exist? I’m not quite sure what ‘other cultures’ refer to here, but if you mean non-traditional cultures, then I’m not sure if in fact that they can co-exist except with a shaky understanding that without tolerance and compromise, things could become unstable. In many societies these days, I think traditional cultures are being elbowed out of the way to make way for some new way of thinking for new groups of people. I think it actually takes a top-down approach to ensure traditional culture continues to exist, for without that direction, traditional culture it seems doomed to extinction, at least that’s how I read it. * a shaky understanding 模棱两可的理解 * tolerance 容忍 * compromise 妥协 * unstable 不稳定 * elbowed out of the way 被挤走 * make way for 给……腾出空间 * top-down approach 从上至下的方式 * doomed to 注定 * extinction 灭绝 [图片] Which Chinese traditions are disappearing? Interesting question. Personally, I think festival-relevant traditions are gradually fading away. For instance, Spring Festival, the most important festival here in China, seems to me to be gradually lacking the atmosphere of the Chinese New Year I remember, and year by year something seems different. Some families and some of the younger generations don’t even bother to cook at home on the eve of the Chinese New Year, and instead celebrate it in a restaurant. Another phenomenon I’ve noticed is that local dialects are disappearing. Youngsters are taught in Mandarin and they communicate with their peers in Mandarin as well, and it doesn’t really matter where their parents are originally from. Consequently, I think it’s only a matter of time before some dialects disappear, and in doing so, will result in some traditions being lost. It's the price we pay I guess for ‘development’. * -relevant 和……相关的 * fading away 逐渐淡出 * don't even bother to 甚至懒得…… * phenomenon 现象 * local dialects 方言 [图片]

Do you like modern art or traditional art? Oh, I have to say, I’m not an art person, so I really have very little knowledge about this subject, but from what I know, for instance in China, traditional art is like watercolor painting that usually depicts trees, mountains, clouds, and also, horses, which symbolize success, so you know, I do like it but I wouldn’t go out and buy one. Also, calligraphy is a traditional art, where the object of the art is to make the characters as beautiful but as stylish as possible, I think. I did have a calligraphy class once and I did like it, but it was quite time-consuming, though I do like the art form. For modern art though, sometimes I have no idea what the point is, or the purpose, especially some pictures that I’ve seen from, for example, the Tate gallery in London. Some of the stuff is just bizarre, and doesn’t even appear to be art. So from what I know, I don’t like modern art. * art person 喜爱艺术的人 * watercolor painting 水彩画 * depicts 展现；描画 * symbolize 象征 * calligraphy 书法 * characters 汉字 * stylish 雅致的 * time-consuming 耗时的 * art form 艺术形式 * bizarre 怪诞的；古怪的 [Image] Do you want to be an artist? There was a brief period of time in my childhood when I enjoyed drawing the human face but that quickly came to an end with the ever-increasing load of Chinese and math homework that I had to do. These days, I adore reading more than anything else, so no, I’m not inclined to become an artist, but who knows, maybe one day I’ll write a book. * quickly came to an end 很快结束了 * ever-increasing 越来越多的 * adore 很喜欢 * inclined to 容易；倾向于 [Image] Do you like visiting art galleries? Again, no, I don’t. I might have a look around if I happen to bump into one. I mean, visiting art exhibitions and appreciating art pieces is simply not something I’m into. * bump into 遇见；撞上 * appreciate 欣赏 [Image] Do you like art? Half and half I suppose. I mean, art is a wide subject, like writing is an art, music is an art, and for that matter even dancing is an art. But if you mean things like painting or sculpting, well, when encountering an interesting piece of art, for instance, a painting, I might go online and find out more information about its origin, the background of the artist and the painting, and what it’s trying to convey, but generally, art is not something that I’d spend much time on unless you include books, which I also consider a type of art if it’s a novel. * a piece of art 一件艺术品 * sculpting 雕塑 * encounter 偶遇 * origin 来源 * background 背景 * convey 传达 * a novel 一部小说 [Image]

What does it feel like the next morning if you stay up late? It depends. If I burn the midnight oil, I’ll usually feel exhausted and kinda spaced out and find it extremely difficult to keep my eyes open in the morning, and my brain will have morning fog. But sometimes, strangely enough, I actually might feel even more energetic. I remember there were nights when I had to work until 3 in the morning and wake up around 7 because the next day was a global conference or something like that and still get through the day without yawning, but I find, to be honest, that these days I really need a nap if I go to bed past, say, 12:30. * burn the midnight oil 熬夜 * feel exhausted 感到筋疲力尽 * keep my eyes open 睁开眼睛 * morning fog 晨雾 * global conference 全球会议 * get through the day 度过一天 * yawning 打呵欠 * a nap 午觉 [图片] Did you stay up late when you were a kid? Rarely. I stayed up only on the eve of Chinese New Year, waiting for the arrival of the New Year together with my family. Other than that, I also stayed up during the last few nights of the summer vacation, trying to complete the insane amount of homework that I’d been procrastinating about since Day 1 of the vacation. But those are the only times I can remember when I stayed up late. * summer vacation 暑假 * insane amount of 不计其数的 * procrastinate 拖延 [图片] What do you usually do when you stay up late? Well, it’s funny, but I used to go to bed very early, but these days I’ve turned into a night owl, so I have developed a night routine: doing work, reading, and watching videos, and I guess that’s because I sort of discovered that I’m so much more efficient in the evenings. Sometimes I actually stay up too late, usually when I can’t put a book down. * a night owl 夜猫子 * can't put a book down 沉迷阅读 [图片] Do you often stay up late? Admittedly, yes. I know it’s a horrible habit, but I can’t help it. It’s usually around 1 o’clock by the time I’m in bed these days. I teach, write, and read in the evenings and before you know it, it’s like half-past midnight. However, I do have the luxury to sleep in these days, but still, I think it’s not good. I want to change this, and start doing morning exercise again, which I used to do. * a horrible habit 很糟糕的习惯 * can't help it 真没办法 * by the time 到……的时候 * before you know it 不知不觉 * have the luxury 可以……；有时间…… * sleep in 睡懒觉

What did you do last weekend? Last weekend? Actually, I was quite busy. Other than reading a book called Whispers of the Dead, teaching for a few hours on both Saturday and Sunday, and writing an article, I went grocery shopping and then I also cooked dinner on both days. Actually, that’s sort of a normal weekend for me. * cook dinner 做晚餐 * normal 正常的；常规的 [图片] Do you like weekends? Yeah, absolutely. For most people, the weekend is spent relaxing and sleeping in, and then perhaps going on an outing, or going shopping, but for me, it’s actually spent working, grocery shopping, reading, and writing. Sort of boring perhaps, but for me, it’s part of my routine. My weekdays are actually a little more flexible, so in that way, I’m kind of lucky. * spent relaxing 用来放松 * sleeping in 睡懒觉 * going on an outing 郊游 * grocery shopping 购买日常用品 * part of 是……的一部分 * routine 常规；惯例 * flexible 灵活的 [图片] Do you make plans for your weekends? Yeah, I do, but as I mentioned, I sort of have a standardized routine, but of course, there are always things to be done, so I make time for those things and plan times for certain things that need to be accomplished, rather than being willy-nilly and aimless. * standardized 标准化的 * make time for 留时间给…… * need to be accomplished 需要完成 * willy-nilly 拖延的；乱糟糟的 * aimless 没有目的 [图片] What do you usually do on weekends? Well, as mentioned before, my weekends usually entail reading, writing, teaching, cooking, and grocery shopping. In saying that, however, my favorite thing to do on weekends is reading beside my living room window on a sunny day. * entail 包含 * beside 在……旁边

Who should pay for the preservation of historic buildings? I think it’s primarily the government’s responsibility to fund the preservation of historic buildings because these buildings are considered state-owned properties and are managed by the local authorities, and conversely, if there’s any revenue generated from opening the place up for tourism, it goes to them as well, therefore, they should be the ones that pay for the maintenance of buildings of historical importance. * to fund 提供资金 * state-owned properties 国有资产 * managed by 由……管理 * local authorities 当地政府 * revenue generated from 产生营收 * the maintenance of 保养和维护 * historical importance 历史重要性 [图片] Who should be responsible for protecting historic buildings? In this sense, I think it is everybody’s responsibility as they are part of the cultural heritage, for which we all belong to, so, subsequently, the government, private entities, and regular citizens should all have some obligation to protect historic buildings, and I think this can even go as far as the public donating money to certain organizations that help with the upkeep of some of these buildings. So, from the government side, they can fund, manage, and maintain such spots, but for us regular folk, we can help by not damaging these buildings, for instance, by not defacing the walls or damaging any part of the structure. * cultural heritage 文化遗传 * private entities 私人机构 * regular citizens 普通公民 * donating money 捐款 * the upkeep of 保养 * regular folk 普通人 * defacing 损伤外貌 [图片] Is it difficult to protect and preserve historic buildings? I’m not quite sure, but I would have to imagine that they are, yes, as most of these buildings were constructed with stone and wood at least one hundred or even hundreds, or maybe even thousands of years ago, and even though they’ve survived throughout the ages, they are more vulnerable than modern concrete structures from the elements. Other than the buildings themselves, many historic drawings are found in some of these structures, making it even more challenging to protect and preserve them. As a result, preserving buildings of historic importance demands efforts in both monetary form and in expertise, so, come to think of it, I believe it’s probably quite a monumental task to fund, manage, preserve, maintain, and protect these historical sites. * constructed 建造 * stone and wood 石头和木料 * survived 存活 * throughout the ages 千秋万代；在过去的岁月里 * vulnerable 脆弱的 * modern 现代的 * concrete structures 混凝土结构 * historic drawings 历史图案 * challenging 挑战的 * in monetary form 钱财的形式 * expertise 专业知识/技能 * a monumental task 艰巨的任务 [图片] What are the differences between learning history from books and videos? Hmmm, that’s an interesting question, but I think the differences lie in two aspects in my opinion. One huge contrast is, of course, the degree of interest. Compared with books, videos are equipped with visual and sound effects, and therefore, for many people, make them more engaging. On the other hand, and especially if one actually has some sort of interest in history, then books are probably more fascinating as they can contain details that one probably won’t come across in a short video. So I would say those are two of the main differences, one is visual and perhaps ‘fun’, one can say, and the other is more detailed and allows one to have moments of clarity, or perhaps, realizations about the past. * degree of interest 感兴趣的程度 * equipped with 含有 * sound effects 音效 * engaging 吸引人的 * interest in 对……的兴趣 * fascinating 迷人的 * come across 遇到 * moments of clarity 清醒的时刻 * realizations 领会；领悟 [图片]

Is there anything you want to change about your school? Yes, and on the top of my list is changing the schedule. I wish we didn’t have to start school so early. I’m not an early riser, so getting to the classroom always feels like a slog for me. And the other is of course homework. I surely wish we had less of that! Hmm, thirdly would be having the ability to take some electives that are not part of my major or set curriculum, so like for instance, I would be interested in taking a psychology course, but it’s totally unconnected, so it’s next to impossible to get in, at least in my school. * an early riser 起得早的人 * feels like 就像 * a slog 一段时间的艰苦工作（或努力） * electives 选修课 * set curriculum 固定的课表 * psychology 心理学 [图片] What are the differences between your school and other schools? I think there are two main differences, one is equipment and the other, the teaching quality. In terms of the facilities, my school could have more decent dormitories, and in my opinion, lacks laboratory equipment, especially the latest tech. And when it comes to the ‘soft’ side, I mean staff-wise, a big difference is the lack of highly experienced instructors. So, comparing my current school with others, I’d say those are some of the main differences. * equipment 设备 * facilities 设施 * decent 像样的；不错的 * laboratory 实验室 * -wise ……方面 * the lack of 缺乏 * instructors 讲师 [图片] Do you like your current learning atmosphere? Yes, I do. Despite the deficiencies, I still think it’s pretty good. Currently, I learn by myself, as I’m sort of taking a sabbatical from school, and so I can set my own learning goals, schedule, and learn at my own pace. Along with my textbooks, I do research online and I actually enjoy reading and checking out information online when necessary and once in a while, I’ll stretch my legs or gaze at the trees outside. Anyway, I’m pretty fortunate at the moment, but in saying that, and despite what I just said, even at my school I enjoy it, the learning environment, because most of my classmates are pretty good and luckily, my teachers are also not too bad, overall. * deficiencies 缺陷 * taking a sabbatical 休假 * learn at my own pace 按自己的进度学习 * textbooks 教材 * do research online 在网上进行研究 * checking out 找到 * stretch my legs 伸伸腿 * gaze at 凝望；注视 [图片] Do you go to a good school? Not bad, I guess. I live in a tier 2 city, and my school is one of the best ones in the city, so even though it may also be a tier 2 type of school, overall, I can’t grumble. Is it perfect? Not by a long shot, but I enjoy my time there. * a tier 2 city 一个二线城市 * I can't grumble. 不能发牢骚 * by a long shot 在很大程度上

How do people in your country usually respond to noises? Haha, well, I think the word I would use is ‘indifferent’. But maybe that’s the wrong word. Perhaps the way people respond to noise here is one of tolerance. A high threshold for noise; people don't seem to notice the noise around them, be it construction noise, crying kids, or traffic noise. And even if people do, they opt for ignoring it. For instance, the passengers on a coach won’t do anything or say anything towards the parent of a kid crying his head off. The reason behind this is something in our culture I think – minding your own business is saving yourself the trouble. Anyway, I would say for the most part, indifference is how most people react to the cacophony of noises in my country. * indifferent 漠不关心的 * tolerance 忍耐；容忍 * a high threshold for 高阈值 * opt for 选择 * ignore 忽视 * mind your own business 不管闲事 * save yourself the trouble 不惹麻烦 * the cacophony of noises 嘈杂的噪音 [Image] Which is exposed to more noise, the city or the countryside? I think urban areas get much more noise because there’s always a lot going on in cities – construction, traffic, home decorations, kids, babies crying, and so on. The countryside, on the other hand, is much more peaceful. Instead of all types of noises from all types of machines and traffic, one hears the sounds of nature, birds, frogs, and the like. Once in a while, some guy will start up a machine or whatnot, but generally, in the countryside, life is slower and the only real noise is the conversations emanating from the elders gathering. * urban areas 城镇地区 * the sounds of nature 大自然的声音 * and the like 等等 * whatnot （由于拿不准而不指名）某种东西 * emanating from 来源于 [Image] What kinds of noises are there in your life? In my daily life, hmmm, number one has to be the traffic out front of the apartment. I really notice it when there’s like a national holiday festival, like Spring Festival, when the road falls silent. Then you notice how peaceful everything is. Also, since the second half of last year, I’ve been forced to listen to the heart-wrenching noise from a home decoration project in my building – noises ranging from knocking down the walls, and all types of drilling, to hammering. It usually starts at 9 in the morning and doesn’t stop until 12:30, then starts again at 2 and goes on till 6-ish. I remember there was one period when the noise was too much to bear, I had to go for a walk every day for about 40 minutes. I couldn’t do anything at all if I stayed home! But lately it’s gotten much better. Downstairs in the evening, another noise is from the kids playing. I don’t mind that so much, the sound of laughter isn’t a bad thing. * falls silent 安静下来 * heart-wrenching 揪心揪肺的 * home decoration 装修 * drilling 钻孔声 * hammering 敲击声 * 6-ish 6点左右 * the sound of laughter 笑声 [Image] Do you think it’s good for children to make noise? I think it’s natural for kids to make noise when they’re playing and enjoying themselves. However, children should be taught to be quiet in enclosed public places such as a library, a train, or a museum because noise can affect others in such shared spaces. To keep quiet is a form of respecting each other, but as I just mentioned about the kids where I live, outside they can be loud, but that’s what kids do. It would be weird if there weren’t any sounds from children. * enclosed 封闭的 * public places 公共场所 * shared spaces 共享空间 * that's what kids do 小孩就是那样的 * weird 奇怪 [Image]

Is being a professional actor or actress a good career? I'm not sure but it's definitely a unique career. If an individual is into acting, then he or she will find this profession captivating of course. In terms of the entertainment industry and profession though, I think it really takes an incredible amount of hard work, not to mention a stroke of luck, to be successful. I mean, it's not a field where hard work alone will pay off. Effort, physical qualities, and luck, meaning knowing the right people, all combined will push somebody to the A-list. And once there, financial rewards and fame may come rolling in, but in saying that, it also means losing some degree of one’s private life, and the more fame you enjoy, the less privacy you have. I think it’s a case of the higher you climb, the harder you fall, or, as the case may be, getting burnt by the sun, so, I think a career in acting that causes one to become famous requires that person to have a certain amount of self-control, but nevertheless, as to whether it’s a good career really depends on the person choosing it, but as for me, I wouldn’t want to be an actor. * a unique career 独特的事业 * the entertainment industry 娱乐业 * a stroke of luck 机缘；新运 * where hard work alone will pay off 只是努力就会有回报 * the A-list 一线 * financial rewards and fame 名利 * come rolling in 滚滚而来 * losing some degree of 失去某种程度的 * the higher you climb, the harder you fall 爬得越高就摔得越重 * a certain amount of self-control 一定的自控 Why? Well, because I’m not built like that…I’m not one to be extroverted and big and larger-than-life type of character, not that type of personality, so, I would probably make a terrible actor, though I do like impersonating my husband! * built like that 那样的 * extroverted 外向的 * larger-than-life type of character 极具传奇色彩的人 * personality 性格 [图片] Are actors or actresses very interested in their work? Well, it’s a little bit of a strange question, but I guess so. It’s like most jobs, some people are really into it, and some aren’t. I’m sure there are garbage collectors that are really into collecting garbage, and so by the same token, I’m sure many performers are into their work too. Most of them are I’m sure. Overall though, I’d have to say that one won't stick around too long in this line of work if he or she is not interested in it. * garbage collectors 捡垃圾的人 * performers 表演者 [图片] What are the differences between acting in the theatre and in films? Hmm. it's a difficult question to answer because I've never actually sat in a theatre to watch any type of performance. But from what I know, the main difference is probably the number of options presented. Acting in theaters seems to have limited access to performance types. I feel they are always acting the classics over and over again, for instance, Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables and Shakespeare’s stories. Movies, on the other hand, have a lot more genres, action movies, thrillers, romance, comedy, and science fiction, which, for the performer, may mean more fun and perhaps more demanding work. In saying that though, I have seen many movie actors in interviews who relish their previous time as an actor in the theater. They seem to feel more real, more, how should I put it, more tangible and engaging with their audience. It’s in real time, no second chances as in movies, so I guess perhaps that’s the biggest difference between the two. * performance 表演 * limited access to 有限的 * the classics 经典 * genres 流派 * action movies 动作片 * thrillers 惊悚片 * romance 爱情片 * comedy 喜剧片 * science fiction 科幻片 * demanding 要求高的；苛刻的 * interviews 采访 * relish 渴望；享受 * tangible 切实的；真实的 * engaging 迷人的 * audience 观众 * in real time 实时 * no second chances 没有第二次机会 [图片] What are the differences between actors or actresses who earn a lot and those who earn little? The differences between celebrities or famous people and just sort of run-of-the-mill small-time actor? Actually, I have no idea. I have heard guys, though not famous, like Hollywood famous, are well-known within their sort of acting clique, and word travels fast, and from what I hear, some actors that we will never know, for example in commercials, supporting actors in movies or TV shows, or productions like this, earn really good money, so for those who earn little, I guess they must either have little ambition or are simply outperformed by better actors. But to be honest, I really have no idea. * celebrities 名人 * famous people 名人 * run-of-the-mill 普通的；平凡的 * small-time 不太重要的；无足轻重的 * clique 小圈子 * word travels fast 消息传得很快 * commercials 广告 * supporting actors 配角 * ambition 野心 * outperformed by 被……超过/胜过 [图片]

Do you often wear jewelry? No, these days I don’t, but back in my office days I used to wear earrings sometimes. One pair I bought in India stands out in my mind and that I especially like. And also, at one time I used to wear a jade bracelet, but not anymore. These days, I can say I’m pretty much jewelry-free, as I only stay at home for the most part. That will probably change later, though I’m sure and that I might start wearing again. Kinda depends on the situation. * back in my office days 上班的时候 * stands out in my mind 从我脑海里脱颖而出 * jade bracelet 玉镯子 * jewelry-free 不戴首饰 [图片] Do you usually buy jewelry? I used to yes, especially earrings. I’d always stop at earring stalls whenever I encountered them, and even now if I’m out and about, and see a shop, I’ll stop and have a browse. I like looking at all the different materials and designs. And I think earrings are something that displays a person’s personality and mood, but not in a flamboyant way usually; they don’t have the dazzle of necklaces for example. But whenever I travel, I’ll always end up buying at least a pair of earrings from that place. For instance, a few years ago, I was in south India for a week and that’s where I bought a pair of peacock-shaped earrings and a set of bangles from a roadside stall, and they act as a reminder that I should visit there again at some point. * stop at 停留 * encounter 遇见 * out and about 出门 * have a browse 看一看 * mood 心情 * flamboyant 绚丽的；炫耀的 * dazzle 让人眼花缭乱的 * necklace 项链 * end up 最终 * a pair of earrings 一对耳环 * ___-shaped ……形状的 * a set of bangles 一套手环 * roadside stall 路边摊 * act as 作为 * a reminder 题型 * at some point 某天 [图片] [图片] What type of jewelry do you like to buy? As I just mentioned, I enjoy looking at and buying earrings and sometimes bracelets. As a result, I’m always tempted to stop at an accessory store or a simple roadside stall and buy a few pieces. I have a box full of jewelry keepsakes and once in a while I’ll take them out and enjoy the designs and colors. In fact, it gives me a lot of pleasure by just sitting back and appreciating them. * tempted to 忍不住 * accessory 饰品 * keepsake 小纪念品 * a lot of pleasure 很多乐趣 [图片] Why do you think some people wear a piece of jewelry for a long time? Hmm, well, I think there are probably a few reasons. One is that some pieces of jewelry are a family heirloom, for example, a ring a mother passes down to her daughter and the daughter is supposed to always wear it, or it’s a reminder of some important occasion, for instance, a wedding ring, so I guess you can call that sentimentality. And of course, the other reason is that jewelry can make a person look more attractive. It can add a touch of mystery, or allure, or class, or for that matter, make people seem a little more sophisticated. Oh, another reason that comes to mind, is that jewelry can be a sort of status symbol. You know, look at me, I’m wearing Cartier sort of thing. So those are at least three reasons for why some will regularly wear a jewelry piece for an extended period of time, I think. * family heirloom 传家宝 * pass down to 传给 * sentimentality 感伤；多愁善感 * attractive 好看的；吸引人的 * a touch of mystery 神秘感 * allure 魅力 * class 阶级；品味 * sophisticated 老练的；见多识广的 * an extended period of time 一段时间 [图片]

Do Chinese kids often go to the library? From my observations, yes, at least city kids do. Whenever I pop into a library, the place is filled with readers, especially on weekends, and most are younger kids. Some are so captivated by what they are reading that they sit on the floor cross-legged, leaning against a bookshelf. By contrast though, I think country kids are much less inclined to go to the library, and rather, they’ll hang out with their peers out in a field somewhere. I believe a lot of ‘em read too, but it’s difficult to find a proper library in rural areas, and so they’re unable to visit the library; it’s just not practical, and might instead form part of an excursion to ‘the big city’. * pop into 走进 * is filled with 充满了 * captivated by 着迷 * cross-legged 盘腿 * much less inclined to 不太可能 * hang out with 和……一起玩 * proper 真正的 * unable to 不能 * excursion 短途旅行 * 'the big city' 大城市 [图片] Did you go to a library when you were a kid? No, I didn’t, and for the same reason that I just mentioned; there just wasn’t a library in my neck of the woods for miles around. And because of that, books other than textbooks were a ‘hard currency’ among us school kids. The books went around so many hands that the pages quickly became tattered and torn, and dog-eared. By the time I entered junior high, a so-called ‘library’ was set up by the school authority, but in fact, it was only the size of one regular classroom and there weren’t many options, and as a result, I never even stepped into this make-shift library. * hard currency 硬通货 * tattered and torn 破烂的 * dog-eared 卷角的；翻旧了的 * options 选择 * stepped into 踏进 * make-shift 临时凑用的 [图片] Do you often go to the library? No, these days I don’t. In fact, I hardly ever go to a library now. It’s not that I don’t enjoy reading, it’s just that I like to own my books rather than borrow them. I’m one of those that takes notes and jots them down in the book. Reading is one of the very few long-term habits that I have. I do, however, once in a while, go to a large bookstore in town, and on the weekends, the children’s section, which is pretty big, is absolutely choc-o-bloc full of rug-rats, all sitting and splayed out all over the place. I find it quite incredible. The only time I consistently went to the library was back in my uni-days, and was pretty much the only place I hung out on weekends, reading from dawn till dusk. * borrow 借 * jots down 记下 * long-term habits 长期习惯 * choc-o-block 拥挤 * rug-rats 小孩子 * splayed out 随意坐着 * consistently 一贯；经常 * uni-days 大学时光 * hung out 闲荡 * from dawn till dusk 从早到晚 [图片] What do you usually do in a library? There’s a lot to do in a library such as researching, reading, or just thinking. But for myself, I only read in the library. I remember those days spent in my university library, I was devouring books on any themes and topics I had an interest in. I even had my favorite corner! * devouring 如饥似渴地读 * themes 主题 * topics 话题 * had an interest in 对……有兴趣 [图片]

What benefits can people get if they are self-centered? I think self-centered people, those who are preoccupied with themselves, are more likely to get what they want, at least in the short term because they know what they want in the first place and they tend to do anything in their power to attain it. For instance, they receive the attention they desire from their peers. However, such people, except for some special, and perhaps one can say joyful types, tend to share one trait, which is either ignoring the feelings of those around them or perhaps lacking empathy, and so in the long term, overly self-centered egotistical individuals may find it hard to build friendships, unless though, that person becomes really successful, then I’m sure they’ll carry with them an entourage of companions, partners, and friends. * preoccupied with 关注 * in the first place 首先 * do anything in their power 尽力 * attain 获得 * joyful 欢乐的 * trait 特点 * ignoring the feelings of 忽略……的感受 * lacking empathy 缺乏同理心 * egotistical 自傲的 * find it hard to 发现……很困难 * build friendship 建立友谊 * entourage 随从 [图片] Do you think people are more selfish or self-centered now than in the past? I think generally people have become less selfish over the years. In the past, people seemed more selfish as a result of limited resources. When you don’t have much at your disposal, you are more concerned about your own affairs. These days, however, as everyone is more affluent and has access to more resources, they’ve become more aware of others and are more likely to give a helping hand when they can, for example, by donating money to a family struck by severe illness. * limited resources 有限的资源 * at your disposal 由你支配 * concerned about 关心 * affluent 富裕的 * has access to 能接触到 * give a helping hand 伸出援手 * donating money 捐钱 * struck by severe illness 被重病击倒 [图片] Are there benefits when one person is interested in another person? That’s a tricky question because it really depends on which way one person is interested in another, but no matter what, there is one prime benefit – one creates a relationship with the other person -- because showing interest in someone is the start of any relationship, whether it’s friendship or love. * but no matter what 但无论怎样 * prime benefit 主要优点 * showing interest in 对……展示出兴趣 [图片] Is it easy for young people and old people to make friends with each other? Not really. Young people tend to develop friendships with their peers and so do seniors. Youngsters are more interested in trendy topics, games, traveling, reading, all types of sports, fashion, and the like, whereas the old, at least here in China, prefer playing cards with neighbors or friends, simple exercise in the park, cooking, and looking after their grandchildren. This disparity of preferences and interests means that it’s not easy for these two groups to form friendships. * youngsters 年轻人 * and the like 等等 * looking after 照看 * disparity 区别；差异 * form friendships 建立友谊