Oh, no you DIDN"T!!

A local Taiwanese woman from BanQiao gets her WonderWoman-thing on and shows a thief it's not that easy to swipe her fake Gucci...

This excerpt is from Taiwan's Liberty Times, 01 July 2008. (http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2008/new/jul/1/today-so3.htm)

別以為女人好欺負！板橋市吳姓姊妹當街碰到小貨車搶匪1，姊姊皮包被搶跌倒2受傷，妹妹見狀3勇敢攀上4小貨車車門，腳踩貨車保險桿，與開車的搶匪拉扯5，纏鬥6近1公里被貨車甩下7，全身傷痕累累8，勇氣連警方也折服，隔天就循線9逮捕搶匪，還被搶姊妹公道.

海山警分局江翠派出所所長翁耀奎說，上月28日早上11點，吳姓姊妹徒步經過板橋市懷德街、民治街口附近，被一輛藍色小貨車鎖定，搶嫌10高國峻將手伸出右車窗，喝令車旁吳姓姊妹中的姊姊不准動，強將皮包扯走，害得姊姊跌倒在地多處擦傷，內有1萬多元的皮包被搶走.

1 qiang3fei2 (noun): thief
2 die1dao3 (verb): fall
3 jian4zhuang4 (verbal phrase): see/size up the situation
4 pan1shang4 (verb+complement): climb up
5 la1che3 (verb): pull and tear at
6 chan3dou4 (verb): to tangle/fight with
7 shuai3xia4 (verb+complement): to fling away
8 shang4hen3lei3lei3 (phrase): scraped from head to food/injured all over
9 xun2xian4 (verbal phrase): follow a lead (said of police)
10 qiang3xian2 (noun): suspect (of theft)

Playing Nice

The US is changing its tune with regards to N. Korea. Axis of Eeevil no more. What's up?

Excerpt from ChinaNews, 27 June 2008
(http://www.china.com.cn/news/txt/2008-06/27/content_15894569.htm)

经过各方共同努力，六方会谈1落实2共同声明3第二阶段行动取得积极进展4。

根据１０·３共同文件精神，朝方(N.Korea) 将于２６日向六方会谈主席国提交核申报5清单，美方将于同日履行6其将朝从“支恐”名单中除名和中止7对朝适用《敌国贸易8法》的承诺。

六方同意有关申报有待于验证9，已就建立验证机制的指导原则达成共识。

六方同意建立监督机制，以监督各方履行各自在六方会谈中作出的包括不扩散10和经济与能源援助在内的有关承诺。

六方重申９·１９共同声明以可核查方式实现朝鲜半岛无核化的目标。

我们相信，上述进展有利于全面均衡落实第二阶段行动，有利于最终实现９·１９共同声明确定的各项目标。

1 hui4tan2 (noun): discussions
2 luo4shi2 (verb): implement
3 sheng1ming2 (noun): declaration (to the public)
4 jin4zhan1 (noun): progress
5 shen1bao4 (noun): declaration (of items)
6 lu3xing2 (verb): carry out/implement
7 zhong1zhi3 (verb): suspend
8 mao4yi1 (adjective): trade (sanctions, business, etc.)
9 yan4zheng4 (verb): verify/confirm
10 kuo4san1 (verb): proliferate

Are They Still Alive?

Beneath the rubble in 北川, they're still hearing voices...

From the Peoples' News on 24 June 2008 (http://pic.people.com.cn/GB/7416547.html)

昨天，多名回北川县城1取东西的群众发现，在老城区的华新超市废墟2下有青烟冒出，很多人随即3集中在废墟附近，向里叫喊“有没有人”，有群众称好像听见废墟里有动静。由于县城内手机信号较弱，当即有群众出城打电话报警，称怀疑仍然有幸存者4。

　　
北川警方和特警迅速赶到了华新超市废墟，这座7层楼已经粉碎性坍塌5。警方在废墟各处向里喊话，同时紧急向消防和军队求援6. 不久之后，搜救人员7携带生命探测8仪等器材9赶到现场，在废墟的多处地点展开生命探测，但均未发现生命迹象。在探测同时，有搜救人员在底层掏出10几个洞口喊话，也未有回应。搜救人员随后进入这些洞内探测，同样没有取得进展。

　　
1 xian4cheng2 (noun): city
2 fei4xu1 (noun): rubble/ruins
3 sui2ji2 (adverb): immediately
4 xing4cun2zhe (noun): lucky survivors

5 tan1ta1 (verb): collapse (of buildings)

6 qiu2yuan2 (verb): plead/ask for aid

7 sou1jiu4ren2yuan2 (noun): search and rescue workers

8 tan4ce4 (verb): probe

9 qi4cai2 (noun): equipment

10 tao1chu1 (verb): fish out (s.t. from s.w.)

Oh,...the Cultural Wonders of Brussels!

Belgium, home of the Grand Palace, the European Union, the Rue de Bouchers...and the dancing mannequins? The things a place can become famous for overnight. A Taiwanese correspondent in Belgium found the following event to be particularly noteworthy (?).


23 June 2008. From the Liberty Times (http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2008/new/jun/23/today-travel2.htm)

就在一條不醒目的巷子內，我欣賞了一場既有特色又精采的表演。他和她，在佛朗明哥節奏下輕快起舞。他，矯健地踩踏出俐落紮實的聲響；她，在一旁默默地跟隨著他的腳步，他們搭配得天衣無縫。你看出來了嗎？那個女孩是一個布偶呢！如此富有娛樂性及藝術氣息的表演，絕對是來一趟比利時之旅所不能錯過的。

1 xin1shang3 (verb): appreciate/enjoy
2 ji4you3...you4 (grammatical structure): both/not only (s.t.) and (s.t.)
3 jie2zou4 (noun)
4 cai1ta4 (verb): step
5 mo4mo4de (adverb): silently
6 da1pei4 (verb): matched/paired up
7 tian1yi3wu2feng4 (adverb): seamless
8 bu4ou3 (noun): mannequin
9 fu4you3 (verb): full of
10 bi3li4shi2 (proper noun): Belgium

Study Abroad

Chinese students still dReAM of studying in the *States*. Here's a section from an article about the history of exchanges with US Schools and the challenges Chinese students face acclimating to the US.

Copied from the Chinese Youth Daily News, 19 June 208 (http://interedu.cyol.com/static/usams/).

二战后，美国国会有鉴于1欧洲重建，允许国际学生入读美国公立中学学习与体验2优质生活，加强相互了解与沟通，把美国教育的优点及社区观念的价值带给国际学生，特别通过国会立法，提供交换学生方案3。由4政府监督5，交换学生持J—1签证，赴美就读一年。每年有数万名额6。　　

留学美国是许多中国高中生的强烈心愿。作为人生的一个重大转折7，留学生活所带来的种种挑战又使学生及父母产生一丝担忧8：学生不仅要适应与中国教育体制迥然9不同的西方教育体制，同时要应付文化差异10，独立生活，语言障碍等许多压力势必在较长一段时间内影响学习，使得中国学生在与外国学生共同学习生活中一开始就处于落后位置。

1 you3jian4yu2 (verb): turn to
2 ti3yan4 (verb): experience firsthand
3 fang1an4 (noun): project/plan (business/official)
4 you2 (grammatical particle): (something done) by (a certain person or party)
5 jian1du4 (verb): oversee/survey
6 ming2e4 (noun): quota (# of people/things)
7 zhuan3zhe2 (verb): turning point
8 dan1you1 (noun): worry
9 jiong3ran2 (adjective): very different/distant
10 cha1yi4 (noun): discrepency/difference

Bikini Finals Week in Taiwan

What Taiwanese Coeds do during Finals Week--OooLala!

This snippet is from the Liberty Times, 18 June 2008
(http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2008/new/jun/18/today-south12.htm)

〔記者黃明堂／台東報導〕青春不留白，錯過會心痛！台東大學五位女學生在食客面前著比基尼泳裝演1出時尚秀，準老師們大方展露2身材及身段3，只為青春留下難忘回憶。

台東市娜路彎大酒店前晚起一連五天舉辦4時尚泳裝秀，由五位女大學生代言新款泳裝，伸展5台就在中庭餐廳，讓用餐的消費者吃美食看秀色6。

這五位女生是包括音樂學系徐容賢、邱姵嘉、盧仁惠，語文教育學系尤莉雯、陳慧玲。此時正值期末考，白天7考試、晚上8作秀，兩者兼顧9，力求完美，其中邱姵嘉的成績在班上向來名列前茅10。

1 bi3ji1ni2 yong3zhuang1yan2 (noun): bikini show
2 zhan3lu4 (verb): display/reveal
3 shen1duan4 (noun): womanly figure
4 ju3ban4 (verb): hold (an event)
5 shen1zhan3 (verb): extended (stage)
6 xiu1se4 (noun): ravishing beauty
7 bai2tian1 (adverb): by day
8 wan3shang4 (adverb): by night
9 jian1gu4 (verb): handle both/do both
10 ming2lie4qian2mao2 (chengyu): come out on top

成龙 SINGS FOR 四川

Apparently JACKIE CHAN can also serenade you while kicking your trash. Seriously, though, Master Chan is doing a great things by these victims of the 四川 earthquakes. Leave your thoughts and questions in the comments box.

The following snippet is copied from the People's Online Paper，17 June 2008.
(人民网：http://tv.people.com.cn/GB/79889/7386145.html)

13号晚上，匆匆1从杭州赶来的成龙，立刻躲进2了上海的一家录音棚3。这次他低调4前来，就是 为了录制两首公益5歌曲，献给6灾后重建的四川同胞7。当晚成龙要录制《少年强》和《相信自己》两首公益歌曲。《少年强》是一首专门送给灾区孩子的作品。歌词8简 练，琅琅上口9，曲调听来积极10向上，却不失中国特色。

1 cong1cong1de (adverb): hurriedly
2 duo3jin4 (verb): duck/stop into (a locale)
3 peng2 (noun): shed/house/studio
4 di1diao4 (adverb): low-profile like
5 gong1yi4 (adjective): charity/public good
6 xian4gei3 (verb): contribute/give to (a cause/charity)
7 tong2bao1 (noun): fellow countrymen
8 ge1ci2 (noun): lyrics (to a song)
9 lang2lang2xhang4kou3 (adverb): sing/speak smoothly and fluidly
10 ji1ji2 (adjective): active/vigorous