新的开始：我的生活
Chapter Overview and Learning Objectives
Welcome to Volume II. This chapter does not introduce a new grammar system. Instead, it resets and expands everything you built in Volume I — identity, family, routine, location, ability, and simple reasons — into longer, more connected paragraphs about your life right now. You will practice linking short sentences into a single flowing account using words you already know, and you will begin reading and writing slightly longer character-only passages without heavy Pinyin support.
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Describe your current life situation — where you live, study, or work — in a connected paragraph.
- Link several related sentences into one topic chain using 我、也、还, and reference words instead of repeating nouns.
- Recycle 是, 有, 在, and basic questions to build a fuller self-introduction than in Volume I.
- Read a short character-only paragraph about someone's daily life with minimal Pinyin support.
- Write a short connected paragraph describing your life now, using appropriate Chinese punctuation.
Communication Scenario
安娜 has just started a new semester and joins an online exchange group for Mandarin learners around the world. Everyone is asked to post a short update called "我的生活" (My Life) describing where they are now, what has changed, and what a typical day looks like.
- You will read 安娜's post about her new semester.
- You will listen to a short recording of a classmate introducing their current life.
- You will write your own connected "我的生活" post for the group.
- You will speak with a partner about what is new in your life this semester.
Core Vocabulary
This chapter reviews high-frequency Volume I vocabulary and adds a small set of new words for describing your current life situation. All new items are productive and will recur throughout Volume II.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Part/Function | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 生活 | shēnghuó | noun/verb | life; to live | 我的生活很忙。My life is busy. |
| 现在 | xiànzài | time word | now | 我现在住在学校附近。I live near school now. |
| 以前 | yǐqián | time word | before; previously | 以前我不喜欢喝茶，现在我喜欢。Before I didn't like tea; now I do. |
| 大学 | dàxué | noun | university | 我在大学学习中文。I study Chinese at university. |
| 专业 | zhuānyè | noun | major (field of study) | 我的专业是历史。My major is history. |
| 宿舍 | sùshè | noun | dormitory | 我住在宿舍。I live in a dorm. |
| 同屋 | tóngwū | noun | roommate | 我的同屋很友好。My roommate is very friendly. |
| 变化 | biànhuà | noun/verb | change | 我的生活有一点儿变化。My life has a little change. |
| 忙 | máng | adjective | busy | 我这个学期很忙。I'm very busy this semester. |
| 轻松 | qīngsōng | adjective | relaxed; easygoing | 周末比较轻松。Weekends are more relaxed. |
Recycled Volume I vocabulary — 我、你、他/她、是、姓、叫、学生、家人、每天、都、学习、喜欢、在、哪儿、有 — is used throughout this chapter and is not retaught in full.
Pronunciation Review
This chapter introduces no new sounds. Use the checklist below to confirm control of Volume I pronunciation systems before moving into longer connected speech.
- The four lexical tones and neutral tone in new words such as 生活 (shēnghuó) and 专业 (zhuānyè).
- Third-tone sandhi in 很轻松 (hěn qīngsōng), pronounced hén qīngsōng.
- The retroflex versus alveolar contrast in 生活 versus 三.
- Neutral tone in familiar words such as 朋友 and 同屋.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns: Building a Topic Chain
No new grammar system is introduced in this chapter. Instead, you will practice a connected-discourse skill: linking several sentences about the same topic into one paragraph, instead of producing isolated sentences. This is called a topic chain — once a topic is established, later sentences can omit the subject or refer back to it with 我、他/她, or simply nothing at all.
Isolated sentences (Volume I style)
我是学生。我住在宿舍。我的专业是历史。 Wǒ shì xuésheng. Wǒ zhù zài sùshè. Wǒ de zhuānyè shì lìshǐ. I am a student. I live in a dorm. My major is history.
Connected topic chain (Volume II style)
我是大学生，现在住在宿舍，专业是历史。 Wǒ shì dàxuéshēng, xiànzài zhù zài sùshè, zhuānyè shì lìshǐ. I'm a university student; I currently live in a dorm, and my major is history.
Contrast with 以前 and 现在
以前我住在家里，现在我住在宿舍，也有一个同屋。 Yǐqián wǒ zhù zài jiā li, xiànzài wǒ zhù zài sùshè, yě yǒu yí ge tóngwū. Before I lived at home; now I live in a dorm, and I also have a roommate.
Notice that the subject 我 is stated once and then omitted or replaced with connectors such as 也 and 还. This is more natural Mandarin discourse than restating 我 in every sentence. No new particle or structure is required — only a new way of organizing familiar sentences.
Model Dialogue
安娜和大卫 — Anna and David:
安娜：大卫，你的生活现在怎么样？
大卫：还不错。我现在住在宿舍，有一个同屋，他很友好。
安娜：你的专业是什么？
大卫：我的专业是经济。以前我不太喜欢数学，现在我觉得还可以。
安娜：你这个学期忙不忙？
大卫：有点儿忙，但是周末比较轻松。你呢？你的生活有什么变化？
安娜：我现在也住在宿舍，也在学习中文。生活很不一样，但是我很喜欢。
This dialogue links several sentences about each speaker's life into one topic chain, recycling 是、有、在、比较, and 现在/以前, all already active from Volume I.
Guided Practice
练习一 — Exercise 1: Combine each pair of short sentences into one connected sentence, omitting the repeated subject.
- 我是大学生。我住在宿舍。
- 我的专业是历史。我也学习中文。
- 以前我住在家里。现在我住在宿舍。
练习二 — Exercise 2: Fill in the blank with 现在, 以前, 也, or 还.
- 我＿住在家里，＿住在宿舍。 (Before I lived at home, now I live in a dorm.)
- 我有一个同屋，他＿是学生。 (I have a roommate; he is also a student.)
练习三 — Exercise 3: Answer with a complete sentence about your own life.
- 你现在住在哪儿？
- 你的专业是什么？
Listening Practice
Ask a partner, instructor, or fluent speaker to read the passage below aloud twice at a natural pace before answering.
If no speaker is available, this is a Listening Script for Independent Use. Read it aloud yourself, slowly at first, then at a natural pace. Any spoken model should be verified by a fluent Mandarin speaker before being treated as a pronunciation standard.
王老师采访大卫 — Teacher Wang Interviews David:
王老师：大卫，你的生活现在有什么变化？
大卫：变化不小。以前我住在家里，现在我住在大学的宿舍，也有一个同屋。
王老师：你的专业是什么？
大卫：我的专业是经济，这个学期比较忙，但是我也喜欢学习中文。
王老师：周末呢？
大卫：周末比较轻松，我常常和同屋一起吃饭、聊天儿。
听力任务 — Listening task:
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 大卫以前住在哪儿？现在住在哪儿？ (Where did David live before? Where does he live now?) | ______ |
| 大卫的专业是什么？ (What is David's major?) | ______ |
| 大卫周末做什么？ (What does David do on weekends?) | ______ |
Speaking Practice
控制性练习 — Controlled practice: guided interview
With a partner, take turns asking and answering: 你现在住在哪儿？你的专业是什么？你这个学期忙不忙？你的生活有什么变化？
交际任务 — Communicative task: 我的生活 update
With a partner, take turns describing your current life in three or four connected sentences, using 现在, 以前, 也, and 还 where natural. Ask at least one follow-up question about what has changed.
独立练习 — Solo alternative
Record yourself giving a one-minute connected description of your life now, including where you live, what you study, and one thing that has changed since before.
Reading Practice
Read the short passage below, then answer the comprehension questions. Pinyin support is reduced compared to Volume I; rely on familiar characters and context.
理解问题 — Comprehension questions:
- 安娜以前住在哪儿？现在住在哪儿？
- 安娜的专业是什么？
- 安娜周末做什么？
- 安娜喜欢不喜欢她现在的生活？
Writing Workshop
Write a connected paragraph of five to seven sentences titled 我的生活, describing your life now.
写作任务 — Writing task: Type your paragraph with Pinyin input if possible, or handwrite the characters you have already been assigned for handwriting. Your paragraph must include:
- An opening sentence stating who you are, using 是.
- A statement of where you live now, using 现在 and 在.
- A contrast with before, using 以前.
- At least one connected sentence that omits a repeated subject, forming a topic chain.
- A statement about your major or studies, using 专业 or 学习.
- A closing sentence about how you feel about your current life.
修改清单 — Editing checklist:
- All six required elements are present and connected, not a disconnected list of sentences.
- At least one sentence omits the subject after it has already been established.
- 现在 and 以前 are used accurately and are not confused with each other.
- Only vocabulary and characters already taught in Volume I or this chapter are used.
- A Chinese period (。) ends each sentence, and commas (，) separate connected clauses.
Culture and Communication
Among many university students in Mainland China, dormitory life with assigned roommates is common, and conversations about one's 专业 (major) and daily schedule are a natural way to get to know someone new. Describing a busy week followed by a more relaxed weekend, as in this chapter's dialogue, is a familiar pattern in many student conversations, though individual schedules and living situations vary widely.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Repeating the subject in every sentence: once 我 is established, later sentences in the same topic chain may omit it or use 也/还 instead of restating it.
- Confusing 现在 and 以前: 现在 marks the present situation; 以前 marks an earlier situation being contrasted with it.
- Writing isolated sentences instead of a connected paragraph: use commas to link related clauses into one flowing sentence where natural, rather than a period after every short idea.
- Overusing Pinyin as a crutch: try reading the character-only passage above before checking the gloss, rather than relying on a word-by-word Pinyin transcription.
Chapter Summary
This chapter reset and expanded your Volume I foundations into connected paragraphs about your current life. You reviewed 是, 有, 在, and basic descriptive patterns, added vocabulary for university life and change, practiced linking sentences into topic chains, and read and wrote a short character-only paragraph with reduced Pinyin support. No new grammar system was introduced.
Chapter Review
部分 A — 语法复习 (Grammar Review)
1. Choose the more natural connected sentence:
- 我是大学生。我住在宿舍。我的专业是历史。 / 我是大学生，住在宿舍，专业是历史。
2. Fill in the blank with 现在 or 以前:
- ＿我住在家里，＿我住在宿舍。
部分 B — 阅读 (Reading)
1. Return to 安娜's reading passage above and answer:
- 安娜的同屋怎么样？
部分 C — 写作 (Writing)
1. Write your five-to-seven-sentence "我的生活" paragraph, following the Writing Workshop steps above.
部分 D — 口语 (Speaking)
1. Complete the guided interview and the "我的生活" update task with a partner or recording.
Recognition Check
Say each of the following aloud and confirm accurate tones and connected phrasing: 我现在住在宿舍, 我的专业是历史, 以前我住在家里，现在我住在宿舍, 我这个学期很忙，但是周末比较轻松. If any of these feel uncertain, review this chapter before continuing to Chapter 2.
Practical Performance Task
Chapter 1 Performance Task
我的生活 — My Life Now
Complete the following four connected tasks in order.
- Listen to Teacher Wang's interview with David and complete the listening table above.
- Read 安娜's paragraph and answer the comprehension questions.
- Write your own five-to-seven-sentence "我的生活" paragraph, following the Writing Workshop steps and editing checklist.
- Speak through the guided interview and the "我的生活" update task with a partner, recording, or instructor.
Answer Key
Guided Practice — Exercise 1
- 我是大学生，住在宿舍。
- 我的专业是历史，也学习中文。
- 以前我住在家里，现在我住在宿舍。
Guided Practice — Exercise 2
- 以前 / 现在
- 也
Guided Practice — Exercise 3
- 我现在住在宿舍。 (Sample answer; other accurate answers are acceptable.)
- 我的专业是中文。 (Sample answer; other accurate answers are acceptable.)
Listening
- David used to live at home; now he lives in a university dorm with a roommate.
- David's major is economics.
- On weekends, David often eats and chats with his roommate.
Reading — Comprehension
- Anna used to live at home; now she lives in a dorm.
- Anna's major is Chinese; she is also studying history this semester.
- On weekends, Anna often cooks and chats with her roommate.
- Yes, Anna likes her current life.
Chapter Review — 部分 A
- 我是大学生，住在宿舍，专业是历史。 is the more natural connected sentence.
- 以前 / 现在
Chapter Review — 部分 B
Anna's roommate is very friendly.
Looking Ahead
现在你会做什么 — What you can do now
You can describe your current life situation in a connected paragraph, contrast it with how things were before, link related sentences into a topic chain, and read and write a short character-only passage with reduced Pinyin support.