VIP Class Notes (Nick)

Talk about social media.

Define “identical and fraternal twin”

Vocabulary

Go blank – when you have to perform and you get nervous and forget everything
e.g. Though he had practiced the speech many times, when he began he went blank for a few seconds.

Bare Minimum – the very smallest amount of something that is necessary
e.g. HSK 1 is only the very bare minimum of words required to live in China.

Cover Charge – money you pay to get into a bar or club, usually so that the bar can pay musicians or comedians who have been hired
e.g. To get into the JZ club you have to pay 100 RMB.

Seedy – not in good condition, dirty, shady
e.g. Found 158, before it was rebuilt, it was a seedy place known as Da Tong Mill.

Renovate – To make something new again, to update something, to make an old thing look nice again
e.g. Lots of old places in Shanghai have been renovated so that you can’t even recognize them anymore.

Superstitious – when you don’t believe in reasons for something, but think that spirits or ghosts or bad luck are going to cause bad things to happen
e.g. When the door suddenly closed I said it must have been the wind, but since my friend is superstitious, he got scared and started talking about ghosts.

Pillar – a large, usually stone column standing by itself

Taoism / Daoism – 道教

Cork – the kind of wood used to close a wine bottle

Wax – 蜡
Crayon – 蜡笔
Brush – 毛笔
Quill – 羽毛笔

Grain Alcohol / White liquor – 白酒 “liquor” is something with about 20% or more of alcohol (usually I just say “baijiu”)

Grammar

The power of the Buddha come back – came

North China people – Northern Chinese