The Mimir Magazine_ September 01, 2023_Learn Chinese & Beyond

EASY-TO-READ MANDARIN CHINESE

SEPT.01,2023 | $8.24

The Mimir Magazine

世界上最贵的土竟然要90亿美元

日本人和豆腐

沙漠中的卢浮宫—敦煌莫高窟

$9 BILLION: The Most Expensive Dirt | 25

Japanese and Tofu | 29

The Louvre in the Desert: Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes |6

Editor's Note In this issue you’ll meet a fantastic collection of stories, some short, some long, and all of them just as entertaining as the last. For an easy start, I recommend reading the piece about Mars first, and I recommend that you finish with the poem last, as it’s such a sweet send off.

In this issue, you’ll learn about the Mogao Caves, Japanese Tofu, friendship, fate and love, and so much more. You’ll even learn how to cook an amazing bowl of chicken noodle soup! I recommend reading the noodle soup and the tofu pieces before you’re due to eat, as you may find yourself craving some chicken noodle soup or some tofu afterwards.

This issue is a wonderful collection, with stories that both challenge and entertain. There is a story for every level, from easy to moderately difficult.

Students of all levels should be able to get through this issue, even if some pieces may take some extra time and practice. Every story is well worth the read, and we hope that you enjoy them as much as we’ve enjoyed them.

My personal favorites are the poem and the story about the Moon Man. Discuss which pieces are your favorite among your friends. What would you like to read about next? We love hearing from you!

Ted Wilson English Editor of TMM Sept.01, 2023 TMM | 01

t e e Mditors E

Our E

Hello everyone, my name is Bo Zai, a Chinese teacher who has taught in the UK, China, Spain, and the United States. I have been working as a teacher for eight years, and my students come from all over the world, aging from 7 – 21 years old. I have taught courses such as HSK, Basic Chinese, and AP Chinese.

Ted Wilson is a writer, marketing specialist, and squirrel feeder with over 14 years of experience. When he’s not working or writing, he enjoys playing tennis, creating art, working out, and looking at raccoons. He currently lives in Michigan with his fiancée, two spiders, and a fish. He hopes to relocate to Washington State soon. He is a language lover, currently speaking English, German, some Polish, and is also learning Chinese.

TMM | 02

When I'm in my spare time, I love reading, hiking, traveling, learning new languages, and learning about various histories and cultures. I tell myself everyday that I should still keep the curiosity about the world and love of life, remain true to my original aspiration, keep sincere and work earnestly.

CONTENT TRENDS People I met in America (2)

我在美国遇到的那些人（二）

33

FOOD IS EVERYTHING

怎么做鸡汤面？

How to Make Chicken Noodle Soup?

Japanese and Tofu

日本人和豆腐

15 29

ASIAN CULTURE The Louvre in the Desert: Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes

6

沙漠中的卢浮宫—敦煌莫高窟 Chinese Cupid：The Story of Matchmaker 中国的丘比特——月老的故事

20

LIFE & SCIENCE $9 BILLION: The Most Expensive Dirt

25

世界上最贵的土竟然要90亿美元 Knowing This, No More Insomnia

11

知道这些，不再失眠 SHORT STORY What I Learn

我学习

38

Click here to listen to audio recordings of this issue on YouTube

TMM | 03

，

Learn Chinese from Pinyin So easy

豆腐

！

dòu fu

Tofu

www.eventbrite.com/e/learning-mandarinchinese-beginner-tickets-690588537907? aff=oddtdtcreator TMM | 04

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

Dada is a high school straight-A student from China. He loves science, the universe, and everything about aliens.

Kevin is an exchange student from Australia. He likes sports and cars. He thinks Amy is the cutest girl ever.

TMM | 05

ASIAN CULTURE

THE LOUVRE IN THE DESERT: DUNHUANG MOGAO GROTTOES

沙漠中的卢浮宫 — 敦煌莫高窟 Intermediate level 6 Mins

TMM | 06

This piece is an excellent introduction to the Mogao Caves. Did you know that these are also often referred to as The Thousand

Buddha

Grottoes?

Or

sometimes even the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas? Studying Buddhism in my teens, this location is special to me, even if I’m not quite Buddhist as an adult.

I do believe that everyone should spend some time understanding Buddhism and visiting the caves if they can. These are outstanding structures given their age, and they truly are a marvel of China. This piece is entertaining, but does feature a few

challenges

linguistically.

I

recommend that you wait to read this one until you’ve warmed up for the day.

Discuss the caves with your friends and see what they think about these ancient wonders, then read this piece together, practcining your Chinese as you do!

-Ted

TMM | 07

为什么很多人说敦煌的莫高窟就是中国的卢浮宫？ Q2: 敦煌的莫高窟有多久的历史？ Q1:

在中国，有这样一个民间故事。 很久以前，有一个和尚。他为了找到一个能修行的地方，一直向西走。有一天，他走到了敦煌 的一座山下。这里附近都是沙石，时间也不早了，没有东西吃，也没有地方睡觉。 太阳慢慢下山，和尚正在低着头走路。他突然抬头，发现前面的山上出现了金色的光。在金色 的光下，好像有千万个佛。和尚看到这些，觉得太神奇了！ 他想，这应该是佛祖给他的提示。 于是，他停了下来，准备在金光出现的地方开凿佛窟。 后来，中国的历史上，出现了很多信佛的皇帝。他们找了很多人来开凿佛窟。但是，也有很多 时候，佛窟的开凿是停了的。就这样，开了又停，停了又开。过了一千年，这个佛窟终于完成 了。这里，就是莫高窟。 莫高窟跟卢浮宫一样，都保存了很多非常重要的文化遗产。卢浮宫主要保存的是西方的文化遗 产，而莫高窟主要保存的是东方的文化遗产。所以，很多人说，敦煌莫高窟就是中国的卢浮 宫。它其实已经有1600多年的历史了，比卢浮宫早很多年，是世界上最大的佛教圣地。 莫高窟在中国西北的沙漠中，它里面有很多漂亮的壁画和佛像。壁画中的人和动物，就像是真 的一样。每一个画都有自己的故事，每一个佛像也是。 很多去过莫高窟的人，都能感觉到心里非常平静。很多人看到很多佛像以后，都会突然哭起 来。他们好像能看到以前人们的想法，能感觉到他们想的东西。很多人去过一次，都还想再去 一次。 如果你有机会来中国西北，一定要到莫高窟看看！ 作者：鱼柒

TMM | 08

VOCAB!

沙漠 shā

mò desert

地方

dì fang area / place / space / room / territory

历史

lì shǐ history

保存

bǎo cún to conserve / to preserve / to keep

文化

wén huà culture / civilization / cultural

遗产

yí chǎn heritage / legacy

世界

shì jiè world

突然

tū rán sudden; abrupt; unexpected

平静

píng jìng tranquil / undisturbed / serene

以前

yǐ qián before / formerly

TMM | 09

r e m m gra ew br 语法： “突然……” 突然…”在中文里，表示“在短促的时 间里发生的事情，通常有出乎意料的 结果。” “突然” in English means “suddenly” “

“abruptly”. You can use this word in

the beginning of a sentence or in the middle of a sentence to express something suddenly happens.

Structure: Somebody/ something

如果你热爱旅行或是宗教文化，中国敦煌的莫高窟 一定值得一去。文章从一个中国民间的小故事引 入，介绍了莫高窟建成的过程。然后，作者将法国 的卢浮宫与中国的莫高窟进行对比， 老师们在教学 中也可以将其对比，或是与其他国家代表宗教文化 的景点做对比(如柬埔寨吴哥窟， 古埃及神庙等)。 文章的最后，描写了去莫高窟参观过的人的内心感 受。如果有时间和条件，可以跟朋友一起买一个开 凿探宝小玩具，一起亲身体验开凿的乐趣。 If you love traveling or religious culture, the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, China must be worth visiting.

Beginning with a Chinese folk story, this article introduces the construction of Mogao Caves. Then, the author compares the Louvre Museum in France

＋突然＋ verb

Example:

他正在跑步，（天）突然下起雨来。 He was running, suddenly it started to rain.

我突然想起来我的钱包落在了哪里。 Suddenly I remembered where I had left my wallet.

Teacher’s note:

with the Mogao Caves in China, and teachers can also compare them while teaching, or compare with other the scenic spots representing religious culture in other countries, such as Ankor Wat in Cambodia and ziggurats in Ancient Egypt. At the end of the article, it describes the inner feelings of people who have visited the Mogao Caves. If you have the time and conditions, you can buy a digging treasure exploration toy with a friend and experience the fun of digging together.

Editor:

TMM | 10

博仔

LIFE & SCIENCE

Knowing This, No More Insomnia This is a somewhat more difficult read, but it’s a worthwhile one. I think that every one of us has struggled to sleep at some point in our lives, I know I have!

This piece gives some helpful tips on how to beat insomnia without the use of any harmful drugs. I find that exercising, and taking a hot shower before bed do wonders. The water really helps calm me down and makes me feel clean before getting in my clean bed at night. I also recommend getting out of bed if you’re lying there struggling to sleep. Studies have shown that sometimes the best way to get to sleep is to let yourself get out of bed for 20 minutes. Walk around, read a book, listen to the radio, or write. If you allow yourself to focus on something else for a half hour, you may find that once you return to bed, you’re better able to fall asleep. We all need rest, and these tips are a great place to start. What do you do to fall asleep? Formulate your responses in Chinese to help further your studies.

-Ted TMM | 11

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL 5 MINS

知道这些，不再失眠

LIFE & SCIENCE

一个人每天睡多少个小时才有精力去工 作和学习？ Q1:

你觉得文章里提到的哪个或者哪些小方 法有助于解决失眠问题？ Q2:

第一，多运动。 我们可以在白天踢足球、跑步或打篮球。人的身体在运动 后会发出需要休息的信息，这对睡觉是有很大帮助的。 第二，晚上快要睡觉的时候，别玩手机哦。 我们应该在睡觉前的一个小时就不看手机了。可以听一些 安静的音乐，也可以看书。睡觉以前不能有太大的心情变 化。 睡觉是让我们的身体得到休息的事情。我们每 人一天要睡6-10个小时，才能有精力去工作和 学习。 但是，有时候我们不睡觉，不是因为不想睡 觉，那是因为失眠。 我以前也会失眠，失眠后，每天都很累。这也 让我很担心自己的身体，所以我去看了医生。 她给了我很多帮助。 医生告诉了我一些解决失眠的方法，希望它们 对你也有帮助。

第三，冥想也是一个很好的方法。 有时候我们失眠，不是因为我们不累，而是因为我们想着 其他的东西。这时候，冥想让我们放下脑中的东西，帮助 我们进到睡觉的状态。 第四，吃的东西也会影响睡眠。 医生说，下午以后不要喝咖啡，睡觉以前也不要吃东西。 因为这些会给我们更多的精力，晚上我们就没有想睡觉的 感觉。 这些就是我解决失眠的办法，如果你也在失眠，希望我能 帮助到你！ 作者：依依 TMM | 12

LIFE & SCIENCE

VOCAB! 休息

Teacher’s note:

xiū xi rest / to rest

现今的社会，由于人们生活节 奏快，工作压力大，很容易造 成失眠。其实失眠并不可怕， 使用好的方法可以有效的防止 失眠，提高我们的睡眠质量。 文章作者分别提出了四个预防 失眠的好方法。如果你也有失 眠的困扰，不防试试哦！

失眠

shī mián to suffer from insomnia

解决

jiě jué to solve; to resolve

安静

ān jìng quiet / peaceful / calm

音乐

In today's society, due to the

yīn yuè

fast pace of life and high work

music

pressure, it is easy to cause

心情

insomnia. In fact, insomnia is

xīn qíng

not scary. Using good methods

mood; frame of mind

can

担心

effectively

prevent

insomnia and improve our

dān xīn

sleep

anxious / worried

proposes four good methods

办法

quality.

The

author

for preventing insomnia in the

bàn fǎ

article.

means / method / way (of

insomnia, try it out!

doing sth)

TMM | 13

If

you

also

have

LIFE & SCIENCE

语法： “应该…”

r e m m a gr ew br

应该” 在中文中可以用在建议做某种事情的句子, 或者表示理所当然 要做的事情。“应该”的英文可以是“should”。 “

Structure: Subject+

应该+ verb phrase

Examples:

外面下雪了，你应该多穿点衣服出去。 It is snowing outside. You should wear more clothes outside. 要考试了，我应该每天复习一个单元。 The test is coming. I should review one unit each day.

Editor:

TMM | 14

博仔

FOOD IS EVERYTHING

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN

NOODLE SOUP? Intermediate level 6 Mins

This recipe is easy to read and easy to follow. This is a great piece to read before lunch or dinner, because it’s bound to make you hungry! As someone who ejoys cooking, I recommend trying out this recipe, but modifying it to fit your tastes. For instance, use shiritaki noodles instead of normal noodles if you’re gluten intolerant. You can also try to sub the noodles for rice noodles, which have an excellent texture and taste. Consider adding extras to your

TMM | 15

soup, and even eating the soup with a side of fresh bread. Sesame seeds make a great addition to your dish, and even have some health benefits! This piece is fun to read and fun to cook.

Try this recipe on your own or with your friends. Take turns reading the piece outloud to eachother for extra practice.

-Ted

FOOD IS EVERYTHING

做鸡汤面需要的原材料有哪些／需要准 备什么？ Q2: 为什么凯文生日的时候，饭馆送给了他 一碗鸡汤面？ Q1:

昨天是凯文的生日，他请我一起去饭馆吃 饭。我们正在吃的时候，服务员送给凯文一碗 鸡汤面，说这是饭馆送给他的生日礼物。我告 诉凯文这是一个很好的礼物。生日的时候吃一 碗面，你就可以长寿。 凯文非常高兴。他也觉得鸡汤面非常好 吃，他想知道鸡汤面是怎么做的。 今天，我就把鸡汤面的做法也告诉你，一 起来试试吧！ 准备什么？ 份超市买的鸡汤 - chicken

1

broth

克面条 - 100g noodles 2克盐 - 2g salt 50克西蓝花 - 50g broccoli 50克香菇 - 50g shii-take 100

mushrooms

TMM | 16

怎 么 做 鸡 汤 面 ？

怎么做？ 1.

拿出一个锅，放一些水，把火打开。

水开了以后，煮一些你喜欢吃的菜。这次我们煮西蓝 花和香菇。西蓝花和香菇需要先清洗，再切一下。 2.

香菇煮的时间要长一点，5-10分钟。西蓝花煮一分钟 就可以。你也可以煮一些其他菜，把菜煮熟就可以。 3.

把锅里煮好的菜拿出来，放在一个盘子里，水倒掉。 把在超市买的鸡汤放进锅里，开小火煮2分钟。 4.

在鸡汤里加100毫升冷水，把面条放进鸡汤里面，中 火煮3-5分钟。把面条煮熟就可以了。 5.

把煮好的菜放进去，再把2克盐放进去，搅拌一下， 一碗好吃的鸡汤面就做好了。 6.

你也可以在鸡汤面里放一个鸡蛋，这样会很 好吃哦！如果你喜欢吃辣的话，也可以放一 点辣椒油！ 在冷冷的冬天，一碗鸡汤面能让你的 胃和身体都热热的。所以天气冷的时 候，或者下次你朋友过生日的时候， 你也试着给他们做一碗好吃的鸡汤面 吧！ TMM | 17

作者：Victoria

VOCAB! 礼物

lǐ wù gift / present

面条

miàn tiáo noodles

碗

wǎn bowl

汤

tāng soup / hot or boiling water

试

shì to test / to try

盐

yán salt

煮

zhǔ to cook / to boil

辣

là hot (spicy)

TMM | 18

r e m m gra ew br 语法： “也”的用法 也 在中文的语法中表示“还有”的意思。 也可以说两个人都做了同样的事情，也可以说不同的两个主 语做了一样的事情。 “也”in English means “also, too, either…” “ …”

Structure: Somebody 1 + verb phrase, somebody 2 +

也＋ verb phrase.

也＋verb phrase 2.

Somebody +verb phrase 1+ Example:

李娜是老师，安雅也是老师。

Lina is a teacher, Anya is also a teacher.

李明去过中国，也去过英国。

Liming has been to China , and (he) has also been to the U.K.

Teacher’s note:

吃长寿面是中国人过生日的习俗之一。 在中国， 长长的面条寓意“长命百岁”， 这就是为什么服务员送给了凯文 面条作为生日礼物。 如果条件允许的话， 老师们可以把一些中国的生日习俗作为知识拓展的内容分享给同学们。 老师们也可以带着 学生们一起按照文章中提到的步骤， 试着做一做美味的鸡汤面，同时帮助学生们练习按照步骤描述做一件事情, 并使用一下关键词（首先， 然后， 接着， 最后…）。 Eating longevity noodles is one of the Chinese birthday traditions. In China, long noodles symbolize "longevity", which is why the waiter gave Kevin noodles as a birthday gift in the article.

If conditions permit, teachers can share some Chinese birthday customs as knowledge expansion content with students. Teachers can also lead students to try to make delicious chicken soup noodles according to the steps mentioned in the article, and encourage students to practice express doing something by following the steps (using the key words, to begin with, then, later, finally…)

TMM | 19

Editor:

博仔

ASIAN CULTURE

：

CHINESE CUPID THE STORY OF MATCHMAKER Intermediate level 5 Mins great story to share with someone special, This story is not only a

maybe after dinner, or

fantastic read, but it

even

also

offers

just

over

the

Discuss

the

a

great

phone.

to

your

matter of fate with your

Chinese studies for the

loved ones, and practice

day. This story should

your Chinese by reading

be read first, allowing

the story outloud. Do

your mind to warm up

you believe that you’re

with an easily paced

tied to anyone by fate?

story

of

Do you believe that you

words

could break fate? If you

and phrases. This story

could be tied to anyone

isn’t just easier to read,

in the world, who would

but it’s also fun to read

you choose? Have fun

as well, leaving the

and

reader with lofty and

possibilities with friend,

whimsical images. For

maybe

the romantics in the

chicken noodle soup, as

crowd, this would be a

you’ll read about in the

beginning

full

recognizable

discuss over

next piece!

-Ted

TMM | 20

the some

ASIAN CULTURE

中国的丘比特——月老的故事

Q1: Q2:

这时候，老人看到一个眼睛看不到的女人抱着一 个三岁的小孩子说：“这个小孩子以后会是你的妻 子。”男人不相信，觉得老人在开他玩笑。所以他 很生气，就让仆人去把小孩子杀了，看她还怎么 当自己的妻子。但是仆人不想杀人，刺了小孩子 一下就走了。 十四年以后，男人找到了喜欢的人。她很漂亮， 但是脸上有一个小疤痕。他问： “ 这是哪里来 的？”她说：“在十四年前的一个晚上，被人刺了一 下。”男人听了很惊讶，就问她：“抱你的那个女人 是不是眼睛看不到？ ” 她说： “ 是的，你怎么知 道？” 男人很惊讶，告诉她十四年前的那件事情。后来 他们觉得这就是两个人的命运，所以两人也更爱 对方，在一起的每一天都很高兴。 因为这个故事，大家相信：男女在一起就是因为 月下老人系上了红绳，所以大家就把他叫做“月下 老人”，简称“月老”。 作者：Victoria

中国的“丘比特”是谁？ 你觉得月老的故事是真的吗？为什么？

我们都知道，在一些国家，让两个人之间有了爱情的是丘比 特。你知道在中国，谁帮助人们找到他们爱的那个人吗？这 个人就是月老。 月老是谁？今天我们来看看他的故事吧！ 以前，有一个男人出去旅游。一天晚上，他在路上走着走 着，看到月光下有一个老人在路边坐着。老人正在看一本 书，旁边还有一个很大的袋子。男人想知道他在看什么，就 走过去看了看，发现自己看不懂书里的字。 他就问老人：“请问您在看什么书？”老人说：“这书里写着每 个男人和女人的爱情。”男人又问:“那这一袋子红绳是做什么 的呢？”老人说：“只要我用它系上一个男人和一个女人的 脚，他们就会成为丈夫和妻子了。” TMM | 21

ASIAN CULTURE

VOCAB!

Teacher’s note:

文章给我讲述了一个爱情发生背后的 故事。四大文明古国之一的中国原来 也有自己“爱情的神”,那便是一位月下 老人。

国家

guó jiā country; nation; state

爱情

教汉语中级的老师在讲解这个有趣的 故事后,可以让学生们做角色表演,演 出这个故事。

ài qíng romance; love

旅游

lǚ yóu

The article told me a story behind

trip / journey / tourism / travel

the occurrence of love. China, one of

开玩笑

the

kāi wán xiào

Four

Great

Ancient

Civilizations, also had its own "god

to play a joke / to make fun of / to joke

of love", which is a Yue Lao.

系 jì

After explaining this interesting

to tie / to fasten / to button up

story of intermediate level, Chinese

抱

teachers

bào

can

ask

students

to

perform role-plays acting out the

to hold

story.

惊讶

jīng yà amazed / astonished / to surprise / amazing

相信

xiāng xìn to be convinced (that sth is true); to believe; to accept sth as true

命运

mìng yùn fate / destiny TMM | 22

ASIAN CULTURE

r e m m gra ew br 语法：“只要…就…” 只要…就…” 在中文中是条件状语从句，表示一个条件发生的前提下，就会导致另一个事情的发生， 但是满足结果发生的条件可以有很多。 “只要…就…”的英文意思是“as long as … then…”。如果你想表达一个事情满足一种条件就会发生，你可 以使用这个句型。 “

Structure:

只要)+a necessary condition (sentence1),then(就)+the desired result(sentence B).

A as long as(

Example:

只要我们有时间，就去旅行。

As long as we have time, (we) will go to travelling.

只要明天不下雨，我就开车去北京。

As long as it does not rain tomorrow, I will drive to Beijing.

Editor:

TMM | 23

博仔

If you don't know how to start learning Chinese, let me help you!

http://www.themandarinweekly/kickstart

TMM | 24

$9 BILLION: The Most Expensive This story is short and easy to

Intermediate level 5 Mins

Dirt

read, and therefore should be read first in this issue. This is a great warmup read, and it offers some amusing yet informational stuff.

Do you believe that there was once life on Mars? What do you think the life on Mars looks like?

Take turns reading and discussing this with your friends, you just may learn something new!

-Ted

TMM | 25

世界上最贵的土是从哪里来的？ Q2: 为什么这些土这么贵？ Q1:

你猜世界上最贵的土是从哪里来的呢？ 很多人都觉得月亮上的土一定是最贵 的，因为一点土就要花四百二十万美 元。但其实，世界上最贵的土是火星上 的，它要 90 亿美元才能买到。它这么 贵，是因为把它带回来是一件非常难的 事情，一共要三次太空任务。 在2020年7月30日，美国第一次发射了 用十年时间做成的毅力号火星车，它飞 了七个月才到火星。2021年2月18日， 火星车终于到火星了。因为它里面还有shadow 照相机，所以人们可以看到火星是什么 样的。 然后，火星车要在地上拿一些土，放到 准备好的小管子里面，再把小管子放回 地上。因为这里面可能会有一些我们不 知道的细菌，所以直接带回来很危险， 要等到十年以后再来拿走。 十年以后，我们要再做一辆火星车，可 能又要花几十亿美元才能完成。它用七 个月的时间到火星以后，再把那些小管 TMM | 26

世界上最贵的土 竟然要90亿美元 子带回来，所以这些土是世界上最 贵的土。 人们还发现火星车去过的地方有水 的痕迹，这告诉我们，火星上以前 可能是有水的。而水是每个生命都 需要的，所以火星上很可能有生 命。 现在，只有火星车可以去火星，但 几十年以后，人类可能也有机会去 火星。到时候，你会想去火星看看 吗？ 作者：Victoria

VOCAB! 贵

Teacher’s note:

guì

文章先以一个引人入胜的问题引入“ 你 猜世界上最贵的土是从哪里来的呢？”然 后，作者说明了最贵的土来自哪里，并 且解释了为什么它是最贵的土。 目前，只有火星车可以去火星，但是十 几年，甚至上百年后你觉得可能有人类 可以登上火星吗？

expensive

难

nán difficult (to...)

任务

rèn wu mission; assignment; task

终于

zhōng yú

The article first proposes an intriguing

at last / in the end / finally / eventually

question, “Have a guess: where the

照相机

most expensive soil in the world comes

zhào xiàng jī

from?” Then, the author explains

camera

where the most expensive soil comes

危险

from and why it is the most expensive

wēi xiǎn

soil.

danger / dangerous

At present, only Mars rover can go to

生命

Mars, but do you think there may be

shēng mìng

humans who can go to Mars several

life (as the characteristic of living

decades later, or even a hundred years

beings) / living being / creature

later in the future?

需要

xū yào to need / to want / to demand / to require / requirement / need

TMM | 27

r e m m gra ew br 语法： “因为…，所以…” 因为 … ，所以 …” 在中文里表示因果关系。 “ 因为 ” 的后面说原因， “ 所以 ” 的后面说结 果。“因为”在主语前后都可以。 “ 因为 … ，所以 …” 在英文中的意思是 ”because …so ／ as a result…” 。注意：虽然在英文中 because 和so 不可以在同一个句子里面同时使用， 但是在中文中是可以的。 “

Structure:

因为＋ sentence 1（reasoning）， 所以+ sentence 2 (the result)。 ：

Examples

因为下大雪了，所以我们可以去外面堆雪人了。

Because it is snowing heavily, we can go outside to make a snowman.

因为明天是星期天，所以我不用去上学。

Because tomorrow is Sunday, I do not need to go to school.

Editor:

博仔

TMM | 28

FOOD IS EVERYTHING

Intermediate level 5 Mins

Japanese and Tofu

日本人和豆腐

There are so many great tofu recipes out there, as it’s such a versatile food! I personally enjoy seasoning and frying tofu in a tablespoon of oil. I then add it to my sides, such as noodles, rice, or even other vegetables. Tofu is a great source of light protein, and it takes on flavor very easily. One of the best things about it is that it will take on any flavor your put on it, making it easy to season, and easy to eat. This piece is a great intro to Japanese tofu, and I never heard of those restaurants, have you? Read this piece before dinner, or when you’re up for a little bit of a challenge. This piece is moderately difficult, and may take a few reads before you get it right. However, it’s worth the challenge, because you’ll learn some pretty cool things by reading it.

TMM | 29

-Ted

FOOD IS EVERYTHING

为什么开始的时候只有皇家和寺庙的人才能吃到豆腐？ Q2: 日本的豆腐有几种？ 分别是什么味道的？ Q1:

如果你去日本，有什么事情 是一定要做的？除了去看樱 花、穿和服[1]，很多爱吃的 人还会告诉你：去日本一定 要吃那里的豆腐！ 一千多年以前，中国人给日 本人带去了豆腐。从那时开 始，日本人就爱上了豆腐。 开始的时候，因为会做豆腐 的人很少，所以只有皇家和 寺庙的人才能吃到豆腐。后 来，会做豆腐的人多了，人 们才都可以吃到豆腐。

日本人很喜欢吃清淡的东 西。豆腐只有淡淡的黄豆 香味，而且对身体好，所 以人们非常喜欢。1782 年，一个日本人写了一本 书：《豆腐百珍》。在这 本书里，他写了100多个 用豆腐做菜的方法！ 日本的豆腐有两种，木棉 豆腐[2]和绢豆腐。和木棉 豆腐比，绢豆腐吃起来更 像布丁，有很香的豆子的 味道，很多日本人也更喜

欢吃绢豆腐。 日本人吃豆腐的方法很简 单。如果你去日本，经常会 看到一个盘子里就只有2-3 块豆腐。在豆腐上放一些酱 油和芝麻，再有一碗青菜和 一碗米饭，就可以吃了。有 时候，你会看到一个碗里有 一些“水”，“水”里有4块豆 腐。其实，这个水是有一些 味道的，里面的豆腐和这 个“水”的味道在一起，能让 你更好地吃出豆腐的香味。 如果想吃到好吃的绢豆腐， 就要去京都。因为那里的水 很好，所以做出来的豆腐很 好吃。给你推荐两个豆腐做 得很好吃的饭馆：南禅寺顺 正院内的“顺正书院”，和南 禅寺附近的奥丹、豆水楼。 如果你去日本，也可以去尝 尝呀！ 作者：豆子

[1]

和服：Japanese traditional dress.

TMM | 30

VOCAB! 豆腐

盘子

tofu

tray / plate / dish

方法

味道

method / way / means

flavor / smell / hint of

寺庙

如果

temple / monastery / shrine

if / in case

简单

尝

simple / not complicated

to taste

dòu fu

fāng fǎ

sì miào

jiǎn dān

pán zi

wèi dao

rú guǒ

cháng

Teacher’s note:

文章给我们介绍了日本豆腐的由来，种类和做法，同时对比的木棉豆腐和绢豆腐。作者还推荐了两个 在京都吃到美味的日本豆腐的好地方，去日本旅行的话，可以试一试。 作者运用了“除了…还…”，“和…比…”，“如果…就…” 以及“因为…所以…”等句型，介绍和对比了日本的豆 腐。 中文学习者可以在自己的写作中多多运用此类句型，丰富句子结构的同时，也丰富了表达。 The article introduces us to the origin, types, and cooking methods of Japanese tofu, as well as comparing kapok tofu and silk tofu. It also recommended two good places to eat delicious Japanese tofu in Kyoto. If you are traveling to Japan, you can give it a try.

The author uses the sentence structures such as "besides...", "compared to...", "if... then...", and "because... so..." to introduce and compare Japanese tofu. Chinese learners can use these sentence structures more often in their writing, enriching sentence structures and expression.

TMM | 31

r e m m gra ew br 语法；“…以前…” 以前”在中文中表示一段时间之前。以前的前面可以加时间点（比如2010年，下午3点）, 也 可以加时间段（比如，三个月，五年）。“以前”的前面也可以加一个动词短语／句子，表示动 作之前的时间，比如“（我）去中国以前，我不知道什么是中国的麻将。”In English,“以 前”means “… before/ago…”。 “

Structure: Time/ Time period +

以前, + somebody/ something + verb.

Examples:

在2010年以前，我去过6个国家旅行。

Before 2010, I had travelled to six countries.

三天以前，他给我打过电话。 Three days ago, he called me.

Editor:

TMM | 32

博仔

TRENDS

PEOPLE I MET IN AMERICA (2)

This story is a beautiful read, and should be read when you need a little boost to your mood. This is a tale of a lovely friendship,

with

some

challenges in the wording and

the

sentence

structure. I recommend that you read this one a few times over, to really absorb the language. Do you have a friend like John? Call up your friend and read them this story, try to do so in Chinese

ADVANCED LEVEL 8 MINS

for extra learning bonus points. I think we all should have a friend like John in our lives.

-Ted

TMM | 33

TRENDS

文章中的 “ 我 ” 是怎么 认识约翰这个朋友的？ Q2: 为什么 “ 我 ” 觉得拥有 约翰这个朋友很幸运？ Q1:

我

打开邮箱，看到了 一封邮件：是我的 朋友约翰的请帖，他要结婚 了。照片里，他的脸红红 的，笑地还是那么开心。 约翰是我认识的美国人里， 最容易开心的一个人。我们 是高中同学，我的记忆里他 每天都会因为非常多的事情 开心。我很喜欢跟他做朋 友，在他旁边你就能感觉到 开心，这是一件非常神奇的 事情。 现在想想，约翰这个朋友还 是我自己争取来的。物理课 的时候，跟我一个组的男生 一直在嘲笑我说话的声音。 我跟老师说我要换座位、跟 女生坐一起，老师没有同 意。我只好换到其他人旁 边，这个其他人就是约翰。

我在美国遇到的 那些人（二） 约翰上课的时候还挺安静 的。为了不尴尬，我就主 动跟他说话。我记得我姑 姑跟我说过，在美国要想 交朋友，我需要主动跟别 人说话。我感觉我也是来 美国以后，开始变得更爱 说话了，因为我真的很想 认识更多的朋友。那天我 就不停地问约翰问题。开 始他不怎么跟我说话，但

TMM | 34

当我跟他聊我喜欢的乐队 以后，他的眼睛亮了。后 来下课了他又主动跑过来 跟我聊天，我们就这样变 成了非常好的朋友。 慢慢地，我发现约翰真的 是一个非常容易开心，也 非常容易让别人感觉到开 心的人。

我经常看到他一个人就在 那里笑，我过去问他在笑 什么，他会给我看好笑的 视频、或者好笑的图片。 他也很能发现很多有意思 的事情。他经常给我讲他 邻居的故事、他其他朋友 的故事。不知道为什么， 有的故事别人讲我不觉得 有趣，但他讲完我们两个 就能笑很久。 有他在，我真的开心了很 多，也自信了很多。我的 西班牙语和法语不太好， 但他每次都会说出我做的 好的地方。比如，他会 说：“你的西班牙语写得真 好看，我就写不出这么好 看的字！ ” 他还会说： “ 法 语跟中文很像的，你中文 那么好，法语肯定会学 好！而且数学那么难的事 情你都觉得简单，只能说 明你现在不是很想学法 语。”每次我给他朗读完课

文，他都会很夸张地 说： “ 你读的比上次好太 多了，你是怎么做到 的！ ” 那个时候他还会叫 我“未来的法语天才”，他 想让我知道我的法语肯定 会学地非常好。 这就是约翰，他是我非常 重要的一个朋友。有这么 一个朋友，真的让我觉得 很幸运。 作者：暖暖

“不 知 道 为 什 么 ， 有 的 故 事 别 人 讲

我不觉得有趣，但他讲完我们两 个 就 能 笑 很 久 。” TMM | 35

邮件

yóu jiàn

VOCAB!

mail / post / email

结婚

jié hūn to marry / to get married

容易

róng yì easy; straightforward / likely; liable to; apt to

开心

kāi xīn to feel happy

记忆 jì yì

to remember / to recall

事情

shì qing affair / matter / thing

同意

tóng yì to agree

尴尬

gān gà awkward / embarrassed

邻居

lín jū neighbor / next door

有趣

yǒu qù interesting / fascinating / amusing

自信

zì xìn to have confidence in oneself

朗读

lǎng dú to read aloud

未来

wèi lái future / tomorrow

幸运 TMM | 36

xìng yùn fortunate / lucky / fortune / luck

语法：“比如…”

r e m m gra ew br

比如…” 在中文中有“列举，举例子”的意思，表示下面要举例子。“比如”的后面加需要举例的东西。 “比如”在英文中的意思可以理解为 “for example, such as”。 “

Structure: Sentence +

比如，+ exampe1, + example 2…

Examples:

超市里有很多水果，比如香蕉，苹果，桃子………

There are many different kinds of fruits in the supermarket, for example, bananas, apples, and peaches…

我去过中国的很多城市，比如北京，桂林，沈阳，西安……

I have been to many cities in China, such as Beijing, Guilin, Shenyang, and Xi’an …

：

Teacher’s note

我想每个人都希望有一个像约翰一样会鼓励人，令人开心的朋友吧！读约翰的故事，让我不禁想到自己 的好闺蜜。每个朋友都性格迥异，但是正是因为有着相同的爱好，志趣相投， 才成为了挚友。 老师们在带领学生们阅读理解文章后，可以鼓励学生们描写一个自己的好朋友：怎么相识的， 因为什么 成为了挚友，朋友间发生了什么趣事，等等。相信学生们一定有很多话想说。 I guess almost everyone wants to have a friend who would always like to inspire others and make people happy like John! Reading the story of John reminds me of my close friends. Each friend of mine has very different personalities, but it is because we share the same hobbies and interests, that we became close friends.

After leading students to read and understand the article, teachers can encourage them to describe a close friend of their own: how they met, why they became close friends, what interesting things happened between friends, and so on. I believe students must have a lot to say.

Editor: TMM | 37

博仔

我学习 WHAT I LEARN

This is such a simple yet beautiful poem. I recommend reading this last, just because it’s something you’ll wan to savor. It’s easy to read, and flows so well. You may wish to read this before bed, or early in the morning. This poem is easy like morning, and it goes down without any issues. You’ll find no problem with this one.

-Ted

Beginner Level 2 Mins

TMM | 38

我学习一朵花， 今天是红色， 明天是黄色； 我学习一个杯子， 我学习天气， 今天是牛奶， 今天是阴天， 明天是咖啡； 明天是下雨； 你说你想学习我， 我笑着说， 没有问题。 作者：豆子

TMM | 39

VOCAB! 杯子

阴天

天气

问题

bēi zi cup / glass

tiān qì weather

yīn tiān cloudy day; overcast sky

wèn tí question / problem

TEACHER'S NOTE

这是一首可爱的小诗。作者围绕学习，告诉了我们每天都会学习新的 东西，每个所学习的东西也都是在变化的。如果你仔细观察就会发 现，前三小节的句子结构都是一样的，而第四节可以作为一个结尾。 老师们在课上，可以先带领着学生们理解，朗读这首诗，然后建议学 生们模仿这首诗的结构， 自己创作。主题可以也是学习，也可以是其 他的主题，比如运动，艺术，周末生活，等等。 This is a cute little poem. The author talks about learning and tells us that we learn new things every day. Actually, every topic we learn is also constantly changing. If you observe carefully, you will find that the sentence structures of the first three sections are the same, while the fourth section can serve as an ending.

In class, teachers can first lead students to understand and read this poem aloud, then it is suggested that students imitate the structure of this poem and create their own. The theme can be learning or other topics, such as sports, art, weekend life, etc.

TMM | 40

r e m m a gr ew br 语法：“是…” “是”在中文中表示说明某个东西，链接一个句子中的主 语和宾语。在英文中，“是” 可以理解为“is”。“是”的否定 形式为“不是”，它的疑问形式为“是….吗？”或者“…是不 是…?”

Structure:

主语＋ 是＋宾语 Subject+是+ object Examples:

明天是星期天。 Tomorrow is Sunday. 李白是一位唐朝的诗人。

Li Bai is a poet in Tang Dynasty.

Editor:

TMM | 41

博仔

Free live Chinese lessons every 2 weeks

Look what I found !

TMM | 42

The end ...

This issue of magazine has 1 beginner leve article, 1 adanced- level article and 6 intermediate - level article. I suggrest that you could read one or two articles for detailed information and learning new words and grammars, and other articles for scanning for your interest.

If you are a big science fan, I would suggest to begin with reading from the article “ $9 billion, the most expensive dirt”. Meanwhile you can also learn very widelyused grammar “because...so” from this article. If you would like to know more about culture and history, I highly recommend you to start your reading journey from knowing about the story about “Yuelao” and the culture about Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes in China.

What’s more if you are interested in food and its culture, please have a browse of the articles “Japanese and Tofu” and “How to make chicken noodle soup”. In addition, for story funs, the advnace article about the story about meetin people in the U.S. would be fun to read, with the new grammar “for example” to learn and reivew.

Hope you find these articles interesting and you can learn or review some knowlege or thoughs from each.

：博仔

Editor

TMM | 43

1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

ài qíng

romance; love

ān jìng

quiet / peaceful / calm

bàn fǎ

means / method / way (of doing sth)

bǎo cún

to conserve / to preserve / to keep

bào

to hold

bēi zi

cup / glass

cháng

to taste

dān xīn

anxious / worried

dì fang

area / place / space / room / territory

dòu fu

tofu

fāng fǎ

method / way / means

gān gà

awkward / embarrassed

guì

expensive

guó jiā

country; nation; state

jì yì

to remember / to recall

jiǎn dān

simple / not complicated

jié hūn

to marry / to get married

jiě jué

to solve; to resolve

jīng yà

amazed / astonished / to surprise / amazing

kāi wán xiào

to play a joke / to make fun of / to joke

kāi xīn

to feel happy

là

hot (spicy)

lǎng dú

to read aloud

lǐ wù

gift / present

lì shǐ

history

lín jū

neighbor / next door

lǚ yóu

trip / journey / tourism / travel

miàn tiáo

noodles

mìng yùn

fate / destiny

nán

difficult (to...)

pán zi

tray / plate / dish

píng jìng

tranquil / undisturbed / serene

rèn wu

mission; assignment; task

róng yì

easy; straightforward / likely; liable to; apt to

TMM | 44

Glossary

2

爱情 安静 办法 保存 抱 杯子 尝 担心 地方 豆腐 方法 尴尬 贵 国家 记忆 简单 结婚 解决 惊讶 开玩笑 开心 辣 朗读 礼物 历史 邻居 旅游 面条 命运 难 盘子 平静 任务 容易

35

37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69

rú guǒ

if / in case

shā mò

desert

shēng mìng

life (as the characteristic of living beings) / living being / creature

shī mián

to suffer from insomnia

shì jiè

world

shì qing

affair / matter / thing

shì

to test / to try

sì miào

temple / monastery / shrine

tāng

soup / hot or boiling water

tiān qì

weather

tóng yì

to agree

tū rán

sudden; abrupt; unexpected

wǎn

bowl

wēi xiǎn

danger / dangerous

wèi lái

future / tomorrow

wèi dao

flavor / smell / hint of

wén huà

culture / civilization / cultural

wèn tí

question / problem

jì

to tie / to fasten / to button up

xiāng xìn

to be convinced (that sth is true); to believe; to accept sth as true

xīn qíng

mood; frame of mind

xìng yùn

fortunate / lucky / fortune / luck

xiū xi

rest / to rest

xū yào

to need / to want / to demand / to require / requirement / need

yán

salt

yí chǎn

heritage / legacy

yǐ qián

before / formerly

yīn tiān

cloudy day; overcast sky

yīn yuè

music

yóu jiàn

mail / post / email

yǒu qù

interesting / fascinating / amusing

zhào xiàng jī

camera

zhōng yú

at last / in the end / finally / eventually

zhǔ

to cook / to boil

zì xìn

to have confidence in oneself TMM | 45

Glossary

36

如果 沙漠 生命 失眠 世界 事情 试 寺庙 汤 天气 同意 突然 碗 危险 未来 味道 文化 问题 系 相信 心情 幸运 休息 需要 盐 遗产 以前 阴天 音乐 邮件 有趣 照相机 终于 煮 自信

Coming Next In the next issue, the following questions will be answered: 1. Do you know why there is only one sun in the sky right now?

2. What does the most beautiful park in Nepal look like?

3. Have you ever eaten fried lotus root?

4. In China, what do people like to drink in autumn?

5. What is the relationship between walking and planting trees?

6. Why is hypersensitivity a gift?

7. Can plants survive without soil?

The Mimir Magazine Published by Contemporary Education and Technology Yi Chou Hsu Contemporary Education and Technology Chair Mengting Hou Executive Editor Mengjia Xu Managing Editor

ISSN 2835-5970

LEARN & BE CURIOUS www.themimir.com