VIP Class Notes (Nick)

Write about why you would rather live in Berlin instead of Paris.

Vocabulary

Policy vs. Politics – policy is something used to guide activity; who has power and what they do with it
e.g. The Chinese government has a new two-child policy.
e.g. Politics in the US are a dangerous topic now.

Stereotype – something that everything thinks is common in a certain situation or for certain people; sometimes offensive
e.g. Racial stereotypes are usually offensive.
e.g. A stereotypical non-offensive conversation topic is the weather.

Race – Asian, African (black), European (white), Middle Eastern, Arabic, etc.

Orchestra – a large music group, with lots of strings, some brass, some woodwinds, and some percussion

Rival – someone you compete with over a long period of time
e.g. France and England have long been rivals, so the French don’t like when they have to speak English.

Mandarin Chinese – 普通话

Tandem Bike – a bike for two people to ride

Leisurely – relaxing, not too fast
e.g. We wanted a leisurely bike ride on the Xi’an City Wall, but we ended up racing around like delivery drivers.

Grammar

I can talk everything a little – I can talk about anything

I want to go around New York – I just want to travel around (in) New York

Go out of house – go out

They always don’t know – They never know
All of our team members didn’t stop – None of our team members stopped

I just stayed at the hotel – I just stayed in the hotel
— “Stay at” means where you sleep during a trip
— “Stay in” means that you never left the hotel

Pronunciation

Atmosphere – at – mus – fear

D vs. T – voice/no voice

W vs. V – “w” is opening your lips; “v” is putting your top teeth on your bottom lip and using your voice (like Chinese f, but using your voice at the same time)