2008

Expansion

三天两头

我们三天两头吵架，还不如分开一段时间冷静冷静。
We fight almost every day. It would be better if we split up for a while to cool our heads.
你赶紧换个工作吧，三天两头出差，你累不累？
You should hurry up and change jobs. Isn't going on business trips almost every day tiring?
交女朋友三天两头就要出去吃饭和玩，太费钱了。
Having a girlfriend means you have to go out to eat and hang out almost every day. It's such a
waste of money.

没收

我上课玩手机，被老师没收了，怎么办啊，我手机里面好多照片。
I was playing with my phone in class when the teacher confiscated it. What am I going to do? I
have a lot of pictures on my phone.
出国好像不能带榨菜和方便面，会被海关没收的。
Apparently you can't bring pickled vegetables and instant noodles when you go abroad because
they'll get confiscated by customs.
我想带一些盗版碟片，可惜安检的时候都被没收了。
I wanted to bring back some pirated DVD's, but unfortunately they were confiscated at the
security checkpoint.

小道消息

你哪来的这么多小道消息？我们怎么不知道？
Where do you hear so much gossip? Why don't we know any of it?
小道消息不可信，我们还是等官方通知吧。
Rumors aren't reliable. Let's wait for the official notification.
有些人闲得没事干，就喜欢传播小道消息。
Some people have nothing better to do than spread gossip and rumors.

应该没有人愿意通宵加班吧，都是被逼的。
There's probably nobody that's willing to work overtime all night. Everyone who does is forced
to do so.
他赌博借了高利贷，经常有人上门来逼他还钱。
He borrowed some high interest loans to pay for his gambling. He often has people coming to his
door forcing him to pay them back.
孩子要是不感兴趣，你一天到晚逼他学，他也学不好。
If your child's not interested in his studies, he won't be a good student even if you make him
study all day and night.

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同盟

两个行业巨头结成同盟，想通过炒作吸引消费者。
The magnates of the two companies formed an alliance with the goal of attracting consumers
through speculation.
那两个国家是同盟，攻打其中一个，另一个肯定会出兵帮它。
Those two countries are allies. If one is attacked, the other will definitely send its troops to help
them.
中国号召不结盟，我们不会跟任何国家建立军事同盟。
China calls for no alliances. We will not form a military alliance with any other country.

Grammar

- 而且(érqiě)

而且(érqiě) expresses a further elaboration on an idea's meaning. It can be used next to

adjectives, verbs, adverbs and phrases. A common pattern is: "不但/不仅(bùdàn/bùjǐn)...而且
(érqiě)…". Characters commonly used after 而且 are: "还(hái)、也(yě)、又(yòu)、更(gèng)”.

Sample Sentences

绿茶不仅便宜，而且还很好喝。
Green tea is not only cheap but also delicious.

这里不仅漂亮而且干净。
This place is not only pretty, but also clean.

坐地铁上班不仅快而且省钱。
Riding the subway to work is not only fast, but also saves money.

他是班上数一数二的好学生，不但成绩好，而且还经常帮助其他同学。
He's a good student at the top of his class. Not only are his achievements impressive, he also often helps
out the other students.

他不仅聪明，而且也很善良。
He's not only intelligent but also kind.

- 不如 (bùrú)

A verb used for comparisons, it means "to not be as good as" or "to be unable to compare with."
不如 (bùrú) is sometimes used to make a suggestion.

Sample Sentences

哎，真是一代不如一代。
Agh, things aren't as a good as they used to be.
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谁说女孩子不如男孩子？
Who says girls aren't as good as boys?

一个人快乐不如大家一起快乐。
It isn't as good for one person to be happy as for everyone to be happy together.

睡懒觉不如去锻炼身体。
Sleeping in late isn't as good as working out.

我去不如你去合适。
It's more suitable for you to go than for me.

- 出来 (chūlái)

Used by itself, 出来 (chūlái) simply means that something has "come out," whether it's from
inside the house to outside on the street, or from inside the publishing company to out in the
book stores.

When coming after a verb, 出来 (chūlái) indicates that in action proceeds in an outward direction,
or from a hidden to an exposed state. The pattern is:

V 出来 (chūlái)

This usage of 出来 (chūlái) is often referred to as a directional complement.

Sample Sentences

太阳终于出来了！
The sun has finally come out!

化验结果出来了吗？
Have the test results come out yet?

我的心都要跳出来了！
My heart is going to jump out of my body [in surprise, fear, etc.]

你这么忙，可别累出病来！
You're so busy. Don't get so exhausted that you get sick!

这两天我实在抽不出时间来。
These last two days I just haven't been able to make time.

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- 进去 (jìnqù)

Used by itself, 进去 (jìnqù) simply means "to go in." Following a verb, it means that the action is
happening inward (often from outside to inside), away from the speaker. The basic pattern is:

Verb 进去 (jìnqù)

“V 进去”，表示人或事物随动作从外面到里面（动作方向背离说话人所在地）。

Sample Sentences

从窗外望进去，里面一个人也没有。
Looking in the window from outside, there's no one inside.

人太多了，我挤不进去。
There are too many people. I can't squeeze in!

他踢进去两个球了。
He kicked two balls in.

东西都放进箱子里去了。
The things have all been put into the box.

一只蚂蚁从门缝里爬进去了。
An ant climbed in through the crack between the door and the frame.

Choose the best answer from the choices given.

1. 你哪来的这么多_____？我们怎么不知道？

A. 中转

C. 强制

B. 乱七八糟

D. 小道消息

2. 交女朋友_____就要出去吃饭和玩，太费钱了。

A. 创业

C. 三天两头

B. 奢侈品

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 D. 让步

3. 我们_____吵架，还不如分开一段时间冷静冷静。

A. 运输

C. 中转

B. 强制

D. 三天两头

4. 出国好像不能带榨菜和方便面，会被海关_____的。

A. 没收

C. 假设

B. 创业

D. 机率

5. 他赌博借了高利贷，经常有人上门来_____他还钱。

A. 逼

C. 运输

B. 渠道

D. 非官方

6. 应该没有人愿意通宵加班吧，都是被_____的。

A. 心意

C. 假设

B. 交税

D. 逼

7. 那两个国家是_____，攻打其中一个，另一个肯定会出兵帮它。

A. 创业

C. 中转

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 B. 运输

D. 同盟

8. 孩子要是不感兴趣，你一天到晚_____他学，他也学不好。

A. 逼

C. 被

B. 转运

D. 强

9. 我上课玩手机，被老师_____了，怎么办啊，我手机里面好多照片。

A. 没收

C. 强制

B. 创业

D. 交税

10. 我想带一些盗版碟片，可惜安检的时候都被_____了。

A. 直邮

C. 没收

B. 创业

D. 心意