VIP Class Notes (Tibo)

YouYun – April 17

Before I seldom had the chance to talk to foreigners

I think vocabulary is important but I have been trying to learn new words. -> I think vocabulary is important and therefore I have been trying to learn new words. (But introduces a contradiction only)
I can remember new words but I don’t know how to use them.

Nanjing has more history / it is more old fashioned / you have an architecture of hundreds of years / dating back hundred of years / you have ancient architecture

Suzhou is very strong in economy. / suzhou is strong economically / suzhou has a strong economy

There are a lot of clothing factories.

it is famous for the steel industry  / heavy metal industry

Then I started to learn something about high frequency trading.
It is funny and compared to other companies in which you have to work 996 -> it is fun and you have a better work life balance than in other more traditional / than in local companies working 996

I studied and tried to design and build low latency systems.

That is the first challenging -> that was the first challenge / the first thing I found challenging

I don’t know how to express specific things / I am unable to express very detailed or specific thoughts.

I want to talk to others fluently but when I think of this I couldn’t think of the proper words to use -> I can’t find the proper words / I am limited by my vocabulary

I found it difficult to understand people from India.
they have an accent / their accent is thick and it is a little hard to follow them

When I heard a colleague the first thing I did was to recognize/identity the language they were speaking when I heard colleagues I directly tried to recognize the language they were speaking / I wasn’t able to directly identity the language my colleagues were speaking at the office

One hour one time  / I do one hour every time / I exercise for one hour 3 times a week

It is the persistance that is hard / it is hard to be consistent  / consistency is the hardest part

I like playing basketball. I have played basketball for more than 10 years

Usually we will play 2 times a month / twice a month

They just stay there but don’t do anything / they just pretend to work

Maybe I will go there in the next half of the year.

When I had the appointment I still can book the appointment the next day -> when I made the appointment / when I asked for the appointment they offered me a slot the next day / they directly gave me a time slot for the following day.

To apply the visa -> to apply for a visa

There are some info I am not sure whether the answer … the contact in the US
-> There were some info I didn’t have readily available / there was some information that required me to do some extra research

When you make an appointment you need to pay just for the interview. / you need to pay before you even get an interview date / you need to pay to unlock the calendar and then book and interview.

Before I paid I asked some friends and they said it was September  / they said it was fully booked until September so I chose another city.

Vocabulary

thick accent (adj): strong accent that is hard to understand
His thick accent made it difficult for me to understand him at first.

To persist (v) to continue doing something even when facing hardship
We couldn’t find the root cause of the issue but we will persist
Despite the setbacks, she persisted in her efforts to learn the language.

Persistence (adj): the act of continuing to do something despite difficulties or obstacles.
Her persistence paid off when she finally mastered the skill.

Consistent (adj) being reliable and giving the same results again and again
The strategy is very consistent.
Her consistent performance earned her a promotion at work.

Wizardry (n) magic / something done by a wizard  / exceptional skill or ability in a particular area.
it might appear like wizardry to people who aren’t in this field.
The chef’s culinary wizardry impressed everyone at the dinner party.

Wizard (n) someone doing magic /  a person who is very skilled in a particular subject or activity.
I play a wizard in the game
She’s a wizard when it comes to solving complex math problems.

Subject + wizard : someone really good at something
Tom is a math wizard

Yes or no questions: questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”.
Do you like ice cream?

Multiple choice questions: questions that offer several possible answers, with only one being correct.
Which of the following is the capital of France? A) London B) Berlin C) Paris D) Rome

Challenge (n)
I like to face a challenge
The new project presents a significant challenge for our team.

Challenging (adj)
Working in high frequency trading is challenging

Fun (adj) enjoyable
We had a fun trip to Beijing
Tom is really fun to work with

Funny (adj) making one laugh / a bit strange
Tom is funny
Tom gave me a funny look this morning, I am not sure what happened

Embassy (n) place where you ask for visa / …
I will go to the US embassy in Beijing

Consulate (n)  a place where a consul and their staff work, providing assistance and services to their citizens and sometimes handling visa applications.
The British consulate helped him replace his lost passport while traveling.

Rear (n) the back
We will post guards at the rear of the group
The car’s rear window was broken during the storm.

Carbohydrates / carbs (n)  type of nutrients, found in foods like bread, pasta, and potatoes.
I try to avoid carbs
Many athletes consume a diet high in carbohydrates for energy.

skyscrapers (n) very tall buildings
There are many skyscrapers in Shanghai

Pronunciation

Initially