Perhaps a rabbit made for an unorthodox pet, but considering the size of their apartment, it was a practical choice at least. Which was why Susan had relented at her son's insistence on adopting one. Fiver was the runt of the litter and had been practically apoplectic when picked out from the back of the cage, but the small beast was hastily quieted by an enthusiastic feeding of lettuce and carrots, and had fallen quite soundly asleep by the time they arrived home.

Learning Chinese but having a rough time of it? No more. In this Chinese lesson, Brendan and Echo will teach you an easy way to put sentences into the future tense, while also reviewing a lot of vocabulary you'll use when... or... perhaps we'll just let you find out for yourself.
 said on
May 31, 2010
This is wildy topical to me personally. I know someone who when younger has had her pet rabbits prepared and served for dinner (unbeknownst to her until meal time). Actually, my father also kept rabbits as a child, until my great grandmother, I am told, prepped and cooked them. Based on these first hand accounts it seems as if standard policy is to inform the children that "it's just like chicken".

 said on
June 1, 2010
Have never eaten rabbit, but frog is mostly the same. It tastes mostly like chicken, perhaps a bit greasier. Not really a very good dish - I'm not sure why it is so popular in China.
 said on
June 1, 2010
Poor little rabbits! My mother had a miserable story too: There were some dog numbers control policies in China many years ago. A dog my mother had for years was killed and cooked by her relatives.

--Echo

echo@popupchinese.com
 said on
January 24, 2011
Watership Down, Part II

I wonder, where is "Part I"? Could not find it ...
 said on
January 24, 2011
@alextret,

It's the book!

--david
 said on
January 25, 2011
@alextret

Nuh-uh, David: http://popupchinese.com/lessons/absolute-beginners/watership-down
 said on
January 25, 2011
@palafx,

You're right! I wonder why a search didn't pull that up for me right away.

--dave
 said on
January 25, 2011
@David

I almost missed it because it lacks "Part I" in the title. But of course it does.
 said on
January 25, 2011
@palafx,

Yeah... maybe I searched for part I myself. That said, we should definitely start putting sequels to the absolute beginner lessons up in our advanced series. "Where is Apple, Part II" with the exciting denouement told in rapid-fire Sichuanese dialect.

The English commentary can be reduced to something along the lines of "I would never have expected that," or "Simply amazing...." Sort of an inducement to keep working things through....

--dave
 said on
June 8, 2012
7'48" What does Echo say here? shao e?
 said on
June 8, 2012
@murrayjames,

烧鹅, it's a dish name. Poor goose...

--Amber

amber@popupchinese.com