Spoken Grammar Mandarin IIB

Question 1

an interjection at the beginning of a sentence that indicates a slight surprise.

Answer 1

喲; yo1

Question 2

an interjection at the beginning of a sentence that expresses disappointment,grief, pity or sympathy.

Answer 2

咳; hai4

Question 3

an interjection at the beginning of a sentence that expresses confusion or bewilderment.

Answer 3

啊; a2

Question 4

indicate the speaker’s slight surprise towards something unexpected.

Answer 4

還。。。（呢）;hai2…ne

Question 5

it cannot be helped that…

Answer 5

誰叫。。。呢

誰讓。。。呢

Question 6

make no distinction between X and Y

- X and Y should be opposites and monosyllabic

Answer 6

X Y 不分

Question 7

don’t get me started!

- at the start of a sentence

Answer 7

別提了；bie2ti2le

Question 8

really, surely

- serves to emphasize the following expression

Answer 8

可。。。了

可。。。啦； la

Question 9

that’s exactly it； you are so right

Answer 9

可不是嗎

abr. 可不

Question 10

take advantage of X

use the opportunity X

Answer 10

趁 X
趁 X 的機會
趁 X 的時候

Question 11

sounds

Answer 11

聽上去

聽起來

Question 12

speaking of X

- serves to introduce a topic

Answer 12

説起 X（啊）

Question 13

not to mention X, (even) Y…

- indicating a more compelling case to reinforce the effect of the argument

Answer 13

別説（是）X,（就）連 Y 也都…

Question 14

after much trouble

Answer 14

好不容易（才）

Question 15

that is to say, in other words

• used to elaborate on or paraphrase the preceding talk
• the first one is colloquial and the second is in writing

Answer 15

也就是説

換言之

Question 16

as far as X is concerned, as for X

- introduces the topic on which the speaker makes a judgement or evaluation

Answer 16

對 X 來説

Question 17

either X or Y

- whether X or Y is chosen, the result/outcome remains the unchanged

Answer 17

X 也好，Y 也好，（都）。。。

Question 18

an utterance final particle that shows the speakers concern towards the issue in question in the conversation

Answer 18

啊

Question 19

it can’t be helped

- implies that the speaker can do nothing about the issue in question

Answer 19

有什麽辦法

Question 20

frankly speaking

- utterance final

Answer 20

説實在的

説實在話

Question 21

of course, needless to say

-indicates that what the other speaker said is self-evident

Answer 21

那還用説

Question 22

it’s a deal then, it’s agreed then

Answer 22

就這麽定了

一言為定

Question 23

already

- indicates that the speaker thinks the time is late, that something is taking a long time, or that the amount is large

Answer 23

都（已經）

Question 24

similar to X, just like X

- first one indicates a distance in time or subject from the speaker

Answer 24

像 X 那樣
像 X 這樣
像 X 一樣

Question 25

to be classified as X, into X types

- introduces further categorizations

Answer 25

分 X 種類型

Question 26

in X opinion, from X point of view

- utterance final and introduces a person’s opinion

Answer 26

在 X 看來