APR. 01, 2023 | $8.24
THE MIMIR
EASY-TO-READ MANDARIN CHINESE
IT'S MY TREAT
我请客
WHY CAN CATS ALWAYS LAND ON THEIR FEET?
为什么猫总是能用脚落地？
ARE YOU A NETIZEN? “ ”
你是不是 吃瓜群众 ？
Editor's Note In this issue you will find a variety of topics to help you understand the rich Chinese culture better. Food plays a vital role in Chinese culture, and it is often seen as a way to bring people together. Whether it is a family gathering, a business meeting, or a casual lunch with friends, food is an integral part of any social occasion. You can make yourself hungry by focusing on articles one, two, and four. Focused on your health? Articles two and six offer some insights into popular sports and even offer advice as to how you can fall asleep faster. Or maybe you just really like cats! Cats are often seen as symbols of good luck and prosperity. Many people find it fascinating that cats have the ability to land on their feet, even when falling from great heights. This is due to the cat's ability to adjust its body position in mid-air, which allows it to land safely. You can read more about this in article seven. In recent years, new Chinese slang terms have emerged, which are becoming increasingly popular among young people. These terms are often used in social media and messaging apps, and they reflect the changing attitudes and values of Chinese society. Learn a new slang term in article five. Being a student from China in the United States can be challenging. It can be difficult to adapt to a new culture, and many students struggle to find their place in American society. Read about Lin Feng’s story in article eight. No matter your interests, you will find an article that will speak to you and help you learn something valuable to apply to your life! Happy reading.
Abigail Hansen Abigail Hansen English Editor of TMM Apr. 01, 2023
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t e e Mditors E
Our E
Abigail was raised a small town girl in Wyoming. She loves being outside which makes her current home in Utah the perfect place for her to camp, hike, and kayak in the Summer and hit the ski slopes in the Winter. She loves her family more than anything and spends as much time with her husband and son as she can. Writing has come naturally to Abigail since she was young and she enjoys writing about a variety of topics such as language learning, parenting, personal finance, and business.
She
graduated
from
university
in
communications with an emphasis in public relations and a minor in business. Learning is a passion of hers and is one of the biggest reasons she loves writing because it always pushes her to learn more about many different things.
Hello everyone, I am Teacher Jingjing. I hope we can learn Mandarin together happily. I was born in China and graduated from the best law university in China. After that, I came to Australia to engage in Chinese education, and also taught law and economics to Australian university students. My students come from all over the world, including doctors, lawyers, and also children from different culture background. I enjoy communicating with them and learning from each other. I hope I can show you the wonderful world of Mandarin and Chinese culture.
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content TRENDS
FOOD IS EVERYTHING
Are You a Netizen? “ ”
你是不是 吃瓜群众 ？
14
This Foreign Student is a Little Different
这个留学生有点儿不一样
18
Potato Slices with Green Pepper
33
青椒土豆片
？ 10
How Much Do You Know About Steamed Buns
你对小笼包知道多少？ ASIAN CULTURE
LIFE & SCIENCE
It's My Treat
我请客
6
Popular Sports
流行的运动
29
Try This If You Cannot Fall Asleep
睡不着的时候这样做
39
Why Can Cats Always Land on Their Feet?
25
为什么猫总是能用脚落地？
Click here to listen to the audio recording of this issue.
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DARE TO BE
CRAZY The Mimir Magazine
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friends 莉莉
艾米 Amy is a high school exchange student from the U.S. She likes traveling and is curious about ancient cultures. She thinks Dada is very knowledgeable.
Lily is a student in the same high school as Amy. Her mom is Chinese and her Dad is from Ireland. Like her mom, Lily enjoys reading and cooking.
达达
凯文 Kevin is an exchange student from Australia. He likes sports and cars. He thinks Amy is the cutest girl ever.
Dada is a high school straight-A student from China. He loves science, the universe, and everything about aliens.
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ASIAN CULTURE
It's My Treat Beginner Level
4Mins Food is central to many cultures with Chinese culture being no exception. Chinese people love to “treat their guests” and an invitation to dinner could mean someone is asking a friend for help, showing gratitude, building a friendship, or celebrating a special occasion such as a birthday. Regardless of the purpose, being invited to share a meal with a Chinese person means you are special to that person.
：
Editor Abigail
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ASIAN CULTURE
中国人很喜欢吃东西，也很喜欢请别人吃东西，这叫“请客”。为什么中国人爱请客？ 中国人觉得，吃饭是非常重要的事情，他请你吃饭，就是在说你对他非常重要。 请客还有很多不一样的意思。一个中国人请你吃饭，可能是因为他有事情想让你帮 忙；可能是你上次帮了他，他想请你吃饭谢谢你；可能是因为他想和你做朋友；也可 能是因为那天是他的生日，他想让你跟他一起过生日；还可能是因为他只是想你了， 所以请你一起吃个饭、说说话。 但是，我的外国朋友不明白一件事：为什么是过生日的人请朋友们吃饭，不是朋友们 请过生日的人吃饭呢？ 因为，朋友们来给他过生日，在他看来是一种付出，他请大家吃饭也是一种付出。 最后，如果有中国朋友请你吃饭，你要怎么做呢？如果 他是想让你帮忙，你帮助他就可以了。如果是给他过生 日，你给他一份礼物就可以了。如果都不是，你就这次 好好地去吃饭，以后你再请他吃一次饭就可以了。 你学会了吗？ 作者：豆子
：请客有哪些不一样的意思？ ：为什么过生日的人要请别人吃饭？
Q1 Q2
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VOCAB!
请客 qǐng kè to give a dinner party / to entertain guests
TEACHER'S NOTE
这篇文章帮助我们很好地理解了中 国的“请客”文化。如果你有中国的 朋友要请你吃饭，说明他很想要和 你交朋友。有的时候朋友帮助了我 们，我们也会请朋友吃饭。 在读文章的时候多注意“如果”的用 法，如果你有喜欢的朋友或者朋友 过生日，那么就请他吃饭吧！ This article helps us understand the culture of "treating guests" well in China. If you have a Chinese friend who wants to treat you to dinner, it means that he wants to make friends with you. Sometimes friends help us, and we will invite you friends for dinner. Pay more attention to the use of " ... ..." when reading articles. If you have a friend you like or a friend has a coming birthday, then it’s a good chance to treat your lovely friend!
如果 就
/ to invite to dinner
东西
dōng xi thing / stuff / person
重要
zhòng yào important / significant / major
付出
fù chū to pay / to invest (energy or time in a friendship etc)
如果
rú guǒ if / in case / in the event that
礼物
lǐ wù gift / present
以后
after / later / afterwards / following / later on / in the future
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r e m m gra ew br 语法：如果...就...
如果 就 如果 就
是一个连词组合，意思是
“ …… ……” if… then… “ …… ……”is a group of conjuction words which means if… then…
：
Structure + words/phrase/sentences + + words/phrase/sentences the clause following is a hypothesis and the clause after is the result of the hypotjesis
如果
如果
就
就
： 如果你饿了，我们就出去吃饭。 如果我八点还没回来，你就先去睡觉。
Example a. If you're hungry, we can go out to eat. b. If I'm not back by eight o'clock, you can go to bed first.
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Editor Jingjing
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FOOD IS EVERYTHING
How Much Do You Know About Steamed Buns
？
Intermediate level 6 Mins Amy learns about the history of Steamed Buns or “Xiaolongbao” from Lily. They begin their conversation when Lily offers Amy a steamed bun. Amy is impressed by the soft bread and the savory filling of delicious meatballs. She had seen them when she first came to China but hadn’t tried one until now. Lily explains that the bun is made in a steamer that is made from bamboo and wood chips. Steamers are typically small, measuring around 18 cm to 25 cm. Additionally, Xiaolongbao is sometimes referred to as ‘dragon bread’ due to the fact that dragons are well-liked in Chinese culture. Amy again expresses her newfound love for “Chinese dragon bread” and Lily shares with her that she can find plenty of it on the side of the road as people are selling it.
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Editor Abigail
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