Making a Phone Call

Grammar

Conjunction 要是⋯就⋯:The subordinate clause proposes an assumed condition, and the main clause tells the corresponding result.

For example:

要是他明天有时间,我就去办公室找他｡

Yàoshì tā míngtiān yǒu shíjiān, wǒ jiùqù bàngōngshì zhǎo tā.

If he has time tomorrow, I'm going to meet him in his office.

Exercise: rewrite the following sentences with 要是⋯就⋯

For example:

明天不下雨｡我们去游泳｡

Míngtiān bú xiàyǔ. Wǒmen qù yóuyǒng.

It is not going to rain tomorrow. We will go swimming.

要是明天不下雨,我们就去游泳｡

Yàoshì míngtiān bú xiàyǔ, wǒmen jiù qù yóuyǒng.

If it is not going to rain tomorrow, we will go swimming.

1. 距离不远｡我们骑车去｡

Jùlí bù yuǎn. Wǒmen qíchē qù.

Not far. We will go by bike.

2. 没有和平｡社会不能发展｡

Méiyǒu hépíng. Shèhuì bùnéng fāzhǎn.

There is no peace. The society cannot develop.

1.蚁族

yǐzú

Ant tribe refers to young migrants with diplomas who scramble to big cities in the hope of leading better lives, but often end up with low-paid jobs and poor living conditions.

蚁族､农民工以及下岗工人都属于城市中的弱势群体｡

Yǐzú､nóngmíngōng yǐjí xiàgǎng gōngrén dōu shǔyú chéngshì zhōng de ruòshì qúntǐ.

Ant tribe, along with rural migrant workers and laid-off employees, are disadvantaged groups in cities.

2. 户籍改革

hùjí gǎigé

reform of the household registration system

户籍改革是当前人们关注的热点之一｡

Hùjí gǎigé shì dāngqián rénmen guānzhù de rèdiǎn zhīyī.

Reform of the household registration system is one of the hottest topics being discussed among the public.

3.蜗居

wōjū

Dwelling in a narrow space, depicting the lives of modern-day young people struggling to make ends meet with high housing prices.

由于城市房价过高,许多人不得不蜗居于狭小的陋室｡

Yóuyú chéngshì fángjià guògāo, xǔduō rén bùdébù wōjū yú xiáxiǎo de lòushì.

Many people have no choice but to dwell in narrow and simple rooms due to sky-high housing prices in cities.

4. 豆腐渣工程

dòufuzhā gōngchéng

jerry-built projects

在这次地震中倒塌的建筑大都是豆腐渣工程｡

Zài zhècì dìzhèn zhōng dǎotā de jiànzhù dà dōu shì dòufuzhā gōngchéng.

Most of the constructions that collapsed in the earthquake are jerry-built projects.

5.减员增效

jiǎnyuán zēngxiào

to increase efficiency by downsizing staff

减员增效是企业深化改革的措施之一｡

Jiǎnyuán zēngxiào shì qǐyè shēnhuà gǎigé de cuòshī zhīyī.

Increasing efficiency by downsizing staff is one of the measures for enterprises to deepen reforms.