Any rooms available?

WHAT do you do when you get tired of the campus dorm and want a room all by yourself? Well, if that happens, here's some English you'll need to get that apartment.

Do you have any apartments for rent right now? 你们现在有没有公寓要出租啊？

You can ask the leasing agent (房屋中介) or landlord or landlady (房东) this if you phone them. Or you can say, "Do you have any apartment available right now?" or, "Do you still have a/that vacancy?"

I'm looking for a studio because I don't have much money. 因为钱不多，我想租一个零居室的房子。

A "studio" is the simplest apartment, with the bedroom and kitchen in the same room (零居室公寓). Other choices are "one-bedroom" or "two-bedroom apartment". You can get these if you want an affordable way of renting by "sharing" (合租) with a roommate.

How much is the rent? 租金是多少？

Or, "What's the rent on that?" And don't forget to ask, "How much is the deposit?" (押金是多 少？) You also need to check on whether the rent includes utilities (水电费). You can ask, "Are utilities included"? or, "What else am I responsible for"? There can be other fees like heating (取暖费), property management (物业费), cable TV (有线电视费), Internet connection service (上网费), or garbage.

Is the apartment furnished? 房子带家具吗？

An apartment may be "completely furnished" (家具齐备), "partially furnished" (带部分家具), or "not furnished" (不带家具). If you want to know how it feels, you might ask, "Does the apartment get much natural light?"or, "Does the room get much sunlight?"(房间的光线好吗？)

THE weather's getting hotter and you're looking for ways to stay out of the heat. But can you describe really unbearable weather? Try these:

I'm not going to that party. It's hot as blazes outside. 我不去那个舞会了。外面热的像着了大火一样。

hot as blazes: colloquial. A "blaze" is a large fire (大火，烈火).

I wouldn't go out. You could fry an egg on the sidewalk. 我不想出去，天气热得连人行道上都可以煎蛋了。

When we describe something as very hot, we can say "热(烫)的都可以把鸡蛋煮熟了". Here, the English equivalent for the phrase is "you could fry an eggs on it" .

I'm sweltering. Let's just stay home. 我热得难受！我们还是呆在家里吧。

swelter: 热得难受，热得喘不过气来. Also: "It's sweltering".

Let's cancel the appointment this evening; it's a scorcher outside! 我们取消晚上的约会吧，外面太热了。

scorcher: colloquial (大热天). A similar expression is "It's roasting" (天太热了).

Hey, I'm melting. Would you please turn on the air conditioner right now? 我热得快化了，赶快把空调打开吧。

melt：熔化.

I'm sweating like a pig, and I can't concentrate on my homework. 我热得汗流浃背，没法集中精力做作业。

sweat like a pig: colloquial (大汗淋漓，汗流浃背). Also: "It is sweating" or "I am sweating".

It's hot as hell. I hope it rains this evening. 这里热得跟地狱一样，希望晚上能下场雨。

hot as hell: Everyone knows that, down where the devil lives, there are fires roaring.

NO question about it, you're a hardworking student. But no matter how serious you are, you have to skip some lectures when you don't feel well. So this week we give you: words related to "请假".

1. John, hi, can you please tell the professor that I have to ask for leave tomorrow morning? I'm feeling sick and can't concentrate.

"Leave" (准假，休假) is a noun here. Ask for leave: 请假. Here, "ask for leave tomorrow morning" means "明天上午请半天假". Other examples include "ask for a 48-hour leave" : 请假48小时 or "ask for one week of leave": 请假一周.

2. Mr Smith, my dad's here visiting me and I'd like to take two days off to show him around the city.

"Take off" (请假，休假) is another common expression for "ask for leave". Another phrase with the word "off" is "to be off sick": 因病缺勤. For example:

Poor Sophie! She's been off sick for two days with a high fever. I hope she's getting better now.

3. I'm afraid I'm gonna have to pull a sickie today, Helen, but I really do have a bit of the flu.

"Pull a sickie" (请假) is slang; "sickie" is slang word for "病假" and often refers to a day off. It is used in the case of genuine illness but often has a sense of avoiding work.

4. I don't feel well this morning. Perhaps I ought to call in sick.

Call in sick: 打电话请病假. You could say "call the secretary/boss/department head to tell her I'm sick" when you ask for leave. And you may need "a doctor's note" (病假条) to prove your illness.

THIS week we'll continue our discussion of credit cards and their use. In the previous issue, we talked about annual fees (年费), credit limits (信用额度) and late payment (未按时还款). So, let's move on to other topics.

1. Asking about a cash advance (询问预借现金)

Customer: If I need to get some cash with my credit card, what is the limit?

Clerk: That depends on your credit limit. Generally, you get 50 percent of your credit limit.

Customer: Oh, that's not bad. Is there a charge for that?

Clerk: Yes. There's a 3 percent service charge.

Cash advance: 取现 (从信用卡提取现金)，预借现金. Service charge: 手续费; also, "service fee".

2. Renewing a card (补办新卡)

Customer: What's the charge for a replacement if I lose my card?

Clerk: There's a 15-yuan charge for a replacement due to loss or damage.

Customer: What about when my card expires?

Clerk: We replace it for free.

Renew a credit card: 补办新信用卡. The noun form is "card renewal". Expire: 满期，中止. Expiry date: 信用卡的有效期.

3. Paying in dollars (美金支付)

Customer: I need to pay my application fee for an American university. Can I use this card?

Clerk: Yes, you can. It is a dual-currency card and allows you to pay in both US dollars and RMB.

Customer: But do I have to pay that off with dollars?

Clerk: Not really. You can pay it back in RMB or dollars. The exchange rate depends on the date of payment.

Application fee: (大学的)申请费. Dual-currency card: 双币卡，可以使用美元或人民币支付的信用卡. Exchange rate: 汇率.

THE sky's blue, the sun's shining and the flowers are in full bloom. You're in the classroom, but a number of your classmates have mysteriously disappeared. What happened? Where'd they go? Here's how we describe that disappearing act:

1. He must have a late case of spring fever, he's been skiving off class for a week.

To many, "playing truant" might be the most familiar translation for "逃学". In fact, "play truant" is somewhat British and formal. To "skive off" (偷懒逃学、逃课) is more colloquial.

2. Boy, there was hardly a soul around this afternoon. Many students cut class for an outing.

"To cut class" (逃课，翘课) is a very common expression. It has both a formal and informal sound. "To skip class" is interchangeable with "cut class". For example: Wow, I managed to get an interview tomorrow, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to skip class to get to it.

3. I saw her with her boyfriend on my way to class. They looked like they were having fun, but they were obviously playing hooky.

"To play hooky" (逃学) is another expression. "Hooky" is also spelt "hookey" and has two meanings: "逃学" or "逃学者".

4. I just couldn't take it anymore. The day was so beautiful that I just had to duck out of class to experience some of this weather.

The verb "to duck" means to avoid or evade (often, something that could cause injury). The "out" is added when it refers to the classroom (or work or some other responsibility): 偷偷跑出教室.

CREDIT cards aren't a novelty to university students today. In fact, banks go looking for students, and some may have more than one card. So, we've found some useful expressions when you ask about a credit card.

1. Asking about an annual fee (询问年费)

Customer: Is there an annual fee from the bank or the credit card company?

Clerk: Yes, there's a 100-yuan annual fee. If you have at least six transactions, the fee is waived.

This is different from a debit card (借记卡). An annual service fee/charge (年费) can come from the issuing bank (发卡银行) or the credit card company. Transaction (交易) is a formal bank word for "usage". Waive: 免除，取消. For example,

The school has decided to waive his tuition because of his high grades last year.

2. Asking about credit limit (询问信用额度)

Customer: What's the credit limit on a student card?

Clerk: It's usually 3,000 yuan a month. But it depends on your credit rating. If your credit's good, we can raise the limit.

Customer: What if I want to make a big purchase?

Customer: We can raise the limit temporarily. Give us a phone call ahead of time.

Credit limit: 信用额度. The bank can "temporarily raise the credit limit" (临时调高信用额度) if the person wants to make a big purchase.

3. Asking about late payments (询问没有按时还款的后果)

Customer: If I'm late in paying my credit card bill, what will happen?

Clerk: In the first instance, we lower your credit limit as a warning. If it happens three months in a row, we may stop the card.

Customer: But what if I simply forget to pay on time?

Clerk: I'm afraid that's not a good excuse. We'll remind you of the due date by e-mail, text message or phone. Then you shouldn't forget.

In a row: 连续地. For example: It has been raining for three days in a row (雨已经连续下了三天了). Due date: 还款日期。

DINING out with friends is a great way to socialize. So, study these sentences and they'll help you relax the next time you're in a restaurant.

1. May I have the menu, please? 请给我看下菜单。

Obviously, looking at the menu is the first step at a restaurant. Often, the waiter has already brought it. If not, this is the polite way to get one. Other common ways to ask are:

I'd like to see the menu, please.

Could you get me a menu please?

2. We'd like to order now, please. / I believe we're ready to order. 我想点菜。

Next, you have to order. Sometimes, the waiter will ask,"Can I take your order now?"(现在可以点菜了吗？). If you're ready, simply answer "Yes, please." If you are not ready, say "Not quite. Could we have a few more minutes?"

3. What's the specialty of the house? 你们店有什么招牌菜？

Or, you may also ask:

Do you have any specials today? 今天有什么特价菜/特别的菜品吗？

What would you recommend? I want something light. 有什么推荐的吗？我想吃点清淡的。

4. May I/we have the bill/check, please. 请拿账单来。

Then, it's time to pay for your enjoyment. Another way to say this:

Could you bring me the check, please?

I'd like the check, please.

THE whole country is still recovering from the Chinese lunar new year. We may still be feeling a bit lazy, so, how about practising some tongue twisters? These can help loosen up your tongue and your mind. See how long it takes you to move from apprentice level to master.

Apprentice:

A laurel-crowned clown. 　　

A noisy noise annoys an oyster. 　

Flip flops fly off your feet for fun.

Professional:

A tidy tiger tied a tie tighter to tidy her tiny tail.

A flea and a fly flew up a flue. Said the flea, "Let us fly!" Said the fly, "Let us flee!" So they flew through a flaw in the flue. 　　

A snow-white swan swam swiftly to catch a slowly swimming snake in a lake.

Expert:

All I want is a proper cup of coffee made in a proper copper (铜的) coffee pot, you can believe it or not, but I just want a cup of coffee in a proper coffee pot. Tin coffee pots or iron coffee pots are of no use to me. If I can't have a proper cup of coffee in a proper copper coffee pot, I'll have a cup of tea!

Master:

A tree toad (树蛙) loved a she-toad who lived up in a tree. He was a two-toed tree toad but a three-toed toad was she. The two-toed tree toad tried to win the three-toed she-toad's heart, for the two-toed tree toad loved the ground that the three-toed tree toad trod (踩) on. But the two-toed tree toad tried in vain. With her three-toed power the she-toad vetoed (否决) him.

SPRING Festival is approaching. You'd better hold on to your wallet tightly, or you could go bankrupt in the holiday shopping madness. But, you'd also better be prepared to face people's jokes or mockery about your being mean.

If you choose not to spend, here's how criticism can sound ? from the mildest to the harshest:

1. She's such a penny-pincher. 她真是个守财奴。

This sounds almost literal, but, for some reason, is somewhat light-hearted. To pinch: 节省，捏紧.

2. He's really tight-fisted. 他很吝啬。

This is also literal sounding. It's also obviously similar to the Chinese expression "手很紧".

3. He's such a stingy person. 他是个很小气的人。

This one can have a slightly angrier tone to it. Stingy: 吝啬的，小气的.

4. What a miser! 真是个吝啬鬼！

Also, like sentence 3, a fairly offensive comment.

5. He's such a tightwad. 他真是个小气鬼。

This one carries a bit of an angry tone. Tightwad: 吝啬鬼，守财奴.

6. Money means everything to her. 她视钱如命。

This one is even stronger criticism.

7. He's a real scrooge. 他是个不折不扣的守财奴。

This term, from the character in British writer Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, may be old, but it's still fresh and harsh. Scrooge: 吝啬鬼.

8. She'd sell her twin sister (if she had one) for a few pennies. 为了几个小钱，要她卖了她双胞胎姐妹她都愿意。

This one may sound funny, but it's often really offensive. It also has variations: e.g. He'd sell his own mother just for some extra cash. 21ST

AS the end of the year, or another semester, approaches, we need to pay attention to the time. To help you out, we give some terms from deadlines and schedules.

1. The report is due on Friday/ this coming Friday. 这个报告这个周五要交。

Note: If you're talking about the end of the current week on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, "on Friday" is OK. But, If you're referring to Friday on a Saturday or Sunday, "this coming Friday" is clearer than "next Friday".

2. We have a research paper due every other week. 我们每两周就要交篇论文。

Note: We also have "every other day" (每隔一天).

I have to see my dentist every three days. (我每隔三天就要去看一次牙医。)

However, "every single day" means every day. "Single" simply strengthen the repetitive sense.

Mom, why should I have to brush my teeth every single day? (妈妈，为什么我每一天都得刷牙啊？)

3. We are out of time. 我们时间不够了。

Note: You're sweating on the final test, and suddenly the teacher announces, "We're running out of time. Be sure to sign your tests." (时间快到了，请确定考卷填好了姓名) So, you try to write down as many words as possible in the final minutes until he announces, "Time's up".

4. How much longer do you need to get all this stuff done? 你还要多久才能把事情做完？

Note: "How much longer" puts emphasis on the length of the time (sometimes with an air of annoyance or impatience), while "How long" is a neutral expression simply asking for the numerical figure.

5. Don't put things off until the last minute next time.下次不要再临阵磨枪了。

Note: You can also put something off until the "last second", depending on how disorganized you are. For those who do, there's another expression: "I'm cramming for the test." (我正在临时抱佛脚，准备考试。)

LAST week we talked about some expressions related to test preparation. But, it's almost mid-January now, so maybe some students have had several tests, or have even got the results. In any case, what do you say when being asked about your test score?

1. Professor Li returned the philosophy tests today. 李教授今天把哲学考卷发下来了

Note: There's no "test sheet" or "exam sheet" in English. Instead, it's just "test" (考卷) or "answer sheet" (答卷).

2. The TA is going to explain the test tomorrow. 助教明天会来讲解考题

Note: TA is short for "teaching assistant", which is usually a graduate student who is paid to help the professor. It's a popular way for grad students to make some extra money (though usually not much). People also say "go over the test" for discussing the results.

3. I bombed on the test. 我考砸了

Note: "Bomb" is similar to "fail" and "screw up" (It's as if a bomb had been dropped). You could say, "I bombed on that date. She'll never want to see me again."

4. I believe I can ace it next time. 我相信我下次一定能把它考好

Note: An "ace", is the card in a deck of cards that can represent anything. It's also a fighter pilot who's a hero (王牌驾驶员). Here it's used as a verb. Of course, we can also say "score high on the test", but it's not as catchy.

5. There's nothing to talk about. 没什么好说的

Note: You failed the math exam and got depressed. A girl classmate, who doesn't recognize your depression, comes up and asks, "What's your score?" You don't want to answer, so you say, "Well, there's nothing to talk about." Or, you can be even cooler with, "No comment".

YES, it's a time for students to sweat, again! Exams are upon us. To add some spice to this miserable period of time and get our minds in a different space, let's discuss some exam-related talk.

1. exam, test, quiz (测验), pop quiz (随堂小测验)

Note: The above expressions are listed in the order of size and importance, from most serious to least serious, but with "exam" and "test" often used interchangeably.

2. What's going to be covered on the test? / What's the test going to cover? 考试的范围是什么?

Note: The most common way to ask about the content of the exam and the range of questions. Another expression is as follows: "Are you ready for the math test tomorrow?" "No. I'm not even sure of what'll be on it."

3. The mid-term/final will be a comprehensive exam. 这次期末考/期中考是没有范围的

Note: This is definitely the last thing you want to hear ? a comprehensive (test) may cover everything in your textbook, or even outside it.

4. Where'd you get the old exam? 你从哪里拿到的以前的题?

Note: A universally recognized way to get ready in the quickest possible time: an old exam (or "previous" or "past exam") can be really helpful.

5. I have to prepare for tomorrow's test. 我得准备明天的考试

Note: Don't forget to add the word "for". If you say "I have to prepare the test," it means you're the person responsible for making it -- the professor.

6. The philosophy test will be open book. 哲学考试是开卷考试

Note: There are different types of tests: open book (开卷—可以看书), or open note (开卷—可以看笔记). All are designed to test how well-prepared you are, but in a different way.

HOW do you show your concern for a friend who seems to be in trouble? It's better for you to take a polite and less direct way to ask about the problem. Last week, we showed you five expressions. The following are five other options.

1. Is something on your mind? / Do you have something on your mind? /What's on your mind? 你担心什么呢?

Note: This has a milder, easier tone but can still apply to serious problems such as job dissatisfaction or even job loss or marital problems. Be on a person's mind: 有什么挂心的事

2. Why are you so glum? 你怎么看起来闷闷不乐的？

Note: Spoken in a mild tone, it sounds friendly and caring. Often used when someone is feeling blue or mildly depressed.

3. Why the long face? 你怎么看起来这么疲惫？

Note: Meaning "Why do you seem so unhappy?" The complete sentence would be "Why do you have such a long face?" (But, no one would ever say that.)

4. You're not yourself today. / You don't seem to be yourself today. 你今天有点心神不宁。

Note: Mild way of saying "you don't seem to be in such a good mood today" or "you don't seem to be feeling so well today". People also say "Sorry, I'm just not myself today" (对不起，我也不知道今天我是怎么了), as an excuse after not performing well on the job.

5. Who are you irritated with? 谁惹你生气了？

Note: This is used only in a very specific situation where someone is having a problem with another person. Be irritated with?: 为……而急躁，为……而发怒.

DO you sometimes see friends who aren't getting on well? Want to show your concern for them by asking about the problem? The following expressions can help you out if there's an uneasy silence.

1. What's the matter? / What's the problem? 你怎么了?

Note: Commonly used to ask about any problems, physical, marital or financial. Do not confuse it with another expression "What's your problem?" (你什么毛病啊？)which is an aggressive way of saying "What IS wrong with you?" or "Why are you such a mess?"

What's the matter? You look tired/sad/uneasy/a bit sick/troubled. (你怎么了?看起来有点累/伤心/不安/生病了/有烦心事。)

2. What's wrong? / Is anything wrong? 出什么事了？

I kept calling you last night, but you didn't answer the phone. What's wrong/Is anything wrong? (我昨晚一直给你打电话但你都没接，出什么事了？)

3. Is something bothering / troubling you? 你有什么烦心事吗？/你没事吧？

Is something bothering you? You don't seem to be able to concentrate. (你没事吧？你好像没法集中注意力。)

4. Are you OK / all right? 你还好吧？

Is everything OK / all right? 你没什么事吧？

Note: Often used when people sense that something is wrong.

5. What's going on? 出什么事了？

What happened? / What's happening? 你有什么心事吗?

Note: Because the first one has the broader use meaning "What are you doing/What have you been doing lately" (你最近怎么样？), it's not quite so serious. The second and the third are often used when there has been some physical problem ? something broken or destroyed, some marital dispute, some accident.

SINCE early December, netizens (网民) have been proposing that we call the Chinese dragon the "loong", so as to improve China's image.

They argue that, since ancient times, the Chinese dragon has been seen as a symbol of China and was the emblem (徽章) of royal family. But in the West, dragons are large monsters that breathe fire and eat people. "Dragon", they say, is not a suitable name for the Chinese creature that stands for good luck.

So, what does the word "dragon" represent in the West? What makes it evil? The following will help give you a clue.

The Bible

The history of the dragon as an evil monster in the West starts with the Bible. A search for the word "dragon" in the Bible produces 34 matches. The word is most directly translated as "sea or land monster" in the Old Testament (《旧约全书》).

There is also a Biblical description of Satan where he's described as a red dragon, with seven heads and 10 horns (角), which is ready to eat a new-born child.

Common speech

Expressions using "dragon" are often negative.

A dragon lady refers to a powerful, domineering (作威作福的) or dangerous woman.

They call her the dragon lady because she is always yelling at children. (他们把她叫做母夜叉，因为她总是对着孩子大吼大叫。)

People use "chase the dragon" to refer to smoking.

Joan's marriage broke up after she began chasing the dragon. (沉迷于"吞云吐雾"之后，琼的婚姻破裂了。)

Another humorous but still negative usage appeared in recent years. A mouthwash ad in the US used the term "dragon breath". It refers to a man in the morning who hadn't brushed his teeth and who could knock a person over with his fierce breath.