As the fall semester faded, a strange energy seized the student body. When freed for lunch or recess, the boys would spring from their seats and rush to the far quarter of the playground, where they would cluster in small circles and barter excitedly. And somehow at the center of it all, Xiao Luo began to exude a quiet confidence far beyond his years....

Our intermediate lesson for today has a longer dialogue and some of the best voice acting we've done to date. It is probably also the only Chinese lesson in the world that teaches inhalant-related vocabulary, along with language you can use when disciplining your child. Not that we recommend using these in daily conversation, but you never know when you'll end up facing down an unruly mob of Chinese youth.
 said on
January 28, 2010
I think you guys will like this one. Some new voice actors on this one too. Let us know what you think.
 said on
January 28, 2010
I like the picture on the right very much. Perfect for the lesson.
 said on
January 28, 2010
@ Lanzi

Yea that kid definitely looks like he just got finished huffing some model airplane glue.

Couldn't have been better timing for this lesson to come out. Hot off the ChinaSmack presses

http://www.chinasmack.com/stories/little-chinese-girl-making-money-at-school-reactions/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+chinaSMACK+%28chinaSMACK%29

8 year old girl charging for pencil sharpenings. Supply meets Demand.
 said on
January 28, 2010
@paglino9

She's got economic talent.
 said on
January 28, 2010
I like this dialogue, especially the acting by the school principal or teacher. It's nice to have a much longer dialogue at this level as well. Definitely longer than average.

 said on
January 28, 2010
@ Lanzi

It's Capitalism with Elementary School Characteristics.

 said on
January 29, 2010
@LanZi,

how many different drugs are you familiar with?
 said on
January 29, 2010
I believe that in Chengdu, there is a statue of Adam Smith outside the business college. Adam Smith is to capitalism as Karl Marx is to communism. Perhaps said industrious little girl read "I, Pencil" by Leonard E. Read. :-)
 said on
January 29, 2010
@orbital

我们的对话“没有最长,只有更长”。

我们的演员“没有最好,只有更好”。

@paglino9

Capitalism, 从娃娃抓起。(from the slogan "普通话,从娃娃抓起")

@Gail

大麻、白面儿、白粉、摇头丸、k粉...
 said on
January 29, 2010
@LanZi,

小心身体啊!
 said on
January 29, 2010
@Lanzi,

你这么说,我想知道,”白面儿“的词源是什么?

 said on
January 29, 2010
@toneandcolor

“白面”指的是一般食用的面粉,“白面儿”指的是白粉。

我推测是因为“白面儿”长得像面粉,都是白白的粉末,但吸毒的人每次用量都不大,所以用“儿化”来表示,于是就有了“白面儿”。

@Gail

我是毒霸!
 said on
January 29, 2010
@toneandcolor,

“白面儿”就是 heroin呀。海洛因!
 said on
June 13, 2012
shouldn't 挺刺激 be followed by 的 ?
 said on
June 13, 2012
@etbaccata,

挺刺激 can be used without 的, because 刺激 is an adjective here. And adjective can be used without 的. For example, 挺聪明(quite smart), 挺漂亮(quite beautiful) and 挺好(quite good).

But when there is a 是 in front of an adjective, it should be followed by 的.

--Amber

amber@popupchinese.com
 said on
June 13, 2012
@etbaccata & amber,

Yes, 的 can be omitted in 挺...的 structure, but only when it's really colloquial. The standard way is still 挺...的.

--Echo

echo@popupchinese.com
 said on
February 28, 2013
"Enervating" is actually an antonym for "stimulating." The same mistake was made in the Comrades in Space episode.
 said on
April 15, 2017
In relation to the sentence: 我们学校现在操场可是多了好些孩子在赌, which is translated as "These days our schoolyard is filled with children gambling", why is 可是 used?
 said on
April 25, 2017
The sentence doesn't have 可是. The 可 is providing emotional emphasis. Is an advanced usage common in colloquial speech but rarely taught.