ChinaPulse.com

Note: The spoken Chinese Mandarin language has 4 spoken tones. We have attempted to re-create those below where after each syllable we tell you (1), (2), (3), or (4) as they correspond to each of the 4 tones. We encourage you to complement your Xianzai.com Emergency Chinese newsletter with a good offline study program.

Buying Books: mai(3) shu(1)

NEW WORDS:
Hardback: ying(4) pi(2)
Soft-cover: ruan(3) pi(2)
Fiction: xiao(3) shuo(1)
Discount: da(3) zhe(2)

LESSON:

• Do you have new hardback books?
  ni(3) men(2) you(3) xin(1) de ying(4) pi(2) shu(1) ma?
  
• Is the soft-cover cheaper?
  zhe(4) ge(4) ruan(3) pi(2) ban(3) shi(4) bu(2) shi(4) pian(2) yi(4) dian(3)?
  
• Where are your fiction books?
  ni(3) de xiao(3) shuo(1) zai(4) na(3) er?
  
• Can I get a discount if I buy 20 books?
  ru(2) guo(3) wo(3) mai(3) er(4) shi(2) ben(3), neng(2) da(3) zhe(2) ma?

* Tip: A well known travel writer says that one of the best aspects of travel, is the amount of time you have to catch up on your reading. China's vastness would certainly provide you with years of reading time, if only you could tear your eyes away from the train or plane window long enough.

Buying English language books in China used to be a real hassle. Few titles were available and what was accessible was expensive. That has changed to some extent and will change even further now that China is a member of the World Trade Organization.

Want to read some Chinese classics but don't read Chinese? Don't fret! Many of the best of China's literary history have been translated. Try these to begin with:

Dream of the Red Mansions
The Peony Pavilion
The Scholars
The Red Dream
The True Story of Ah Q