第十一课 去农家院 Lesson Eleven: Visiting the Farmyard(2)

(Wide shot of farmyard)

Andrea: The best time to visit a 农家院 is during the summer or early autumn before it gets cold and all the fruit is in season. But, if you happen to come in the winter, this bed is a great amenity. It’s a traditional Chinese “Kang” - bed stove. The bed itself is made of brick. Obviously with a small mattress on top of it you can sleep somewhere comfortably. 

(Sitting on bed)

Andrea: Now the English word is just the same as the Chinese word, but make sure you use the sharp tone when saying it in Chinese, “Kang”.

(Walks out of room outside rows of rooms and talks to host of farmyard)

Andrea: Well, we’ve seen the bedrooms, let’s check out the bathrooms.

Andrea: 你好,她是你的孙女儿吗?
Host of farmyard: 是。
Andrea: 她几岁了? 
Host of farmyard: 两岁。
Andrea: 很可爱!她叫什么名字?
Host of farmyard: 张米山。
Andrea: 你好,张米山。

Andrea: China has a one-child policy in urban areas. But couples in rural areas are allowed to have two children if the first one is girl.

Andrea: 请问,洗手间在哪?
Host of farmyard: 在那儿。
Andrea: 好,谢谢。

(Walks to bathroom)

Andrea: The bathrooms are detached from the rooms and shared with the other guests. But, they’re generally clean and check this out.

(Steps to flush)
(At the farm)

Andrea: Many farms offer fruit picking. So depending on the season and the area, you can pick everything from apricots, cherries and vegetables. The Huairou District where we are today is well-known for its chestnuts. It’s too late in the season for picking strawberries, but now in the summer, it’s the perfect time for picking cherries. 我们去摘樱桃吧!

GRAPHIC FLASH: 我们去摘樱桃吧!Let’s pick some cherries! 我们 means we, 去 means to go, 摘 means to pick or gather, 樱桃 the first tone and the light tone, means cherry, 吧 is the imperative or command word. Now the whole sentence, 我们去摘樱桃吧!In English, let’s go to pick some cherries!

(Andrea standing next to tree with host of farmyard in area growing cherries)

Andrea: 请问,什么水果最受欢迎?
Host of farmyard: 大甜樱桃。
Andrea: 什么时候对游客开放?
Host of farmyard: 五月底。
Andrea: 有很多老外来玩儿吗?
Host of farmyard: 是,很多。
Andrea: 除了摘樱桃,还能做什么?
Host of farmyard: 爬山、划船、钓鱼。
Andrea: 谢谢。 
Host of farmyard: 不客气。

(Andrea picking cherries and eating)

Andrea: The red ones are the best. Well, now that we‘ve got enough cherries. Let’s go fishing.

(Andrea sitting by a fish pond with fishing pole in the water)

Andrea: Fishing here gives you a feeling of authenticity, without the frustration of waiting for hours without a bite. They have outfitted this part of the river with a fish farm to make sure that every visitor gets a satisfying fishing experience. Hey! They have caught one! I got it!

Andrea: And for those who aren’t patient enough to wait, check out the farmer’s technique of electrocuting the fish. 

(Farmer catches a fish.)