Ningxia: a Chinese conversation with pinyin and English

The conversation

Speakers: Xiaoyu and Bater.

1. Xiaoyu

   这(zhè)儿(r)满(mǎn)眼(yǎn)都(dōu)是(shì)红(hóng)彤(tōng)彤(tōng)的(de)枸(gǒu)杞(qǐ)，全(quán)靠(kào)黄(huáng)河(hé)水(shuǐ)浇(jiāo)灌(guàn)。

   Everywhere you look here, it's just bright red goji berries, all grown using Yellow River water.

2. Bater

   宁(níng)夏(xià)就(jiù)是(shì)黄(huáng)河(hé)边(biān)那(nà)条(tiáo)绿(lǜ)洲(zhōu)狭(xiá)长(cháng)带(dài)吧(ba)？

   Isn't Ningxia that long, narrow strip of oasis along the Yellow River?

3. Xiaoyu

   对(duì)，茫(máng)茫(máng)荒(huāng)漠(mò)里(lǐ)夹(jiā)着(zhe)这(zhè)么(me)一(yì)条(tiáo)绿(lǜ)洲(zhōu)，也(yě)是(shì)很(hěn)多(duō)回(huí)族(zú)同(tóng)胞(bāo)聚(jù)居(jū)的(de)地(dì)方(fang)。

   Yeah, this oasis squeezed right into the endless desert, and it's also home to a lot of ethnic Hui communities.

4. Bater

   中(zhōng)午(wǔ)吃(chī)得(de)怎(zěn)么(me)样(yàng)？

   How was lunch?

5. Xiaoyu

   正(zhèng)宗(zōng)的(de)手(shǒu)抓(zhuā)羊(yáng)肉(ròu)，只(zhǐ)搁(gē)点(diǎn)儿(r)盐(yán)清(qīng)炖(dùn)，带(dài)骨(gǔ)头(tou)抓(zhuā)着(zhe)吃(chī)。

   Authentic hand-grabbed mutton, just boiled plain with a pinch of salt—you eat the bone-in meat with your hands.

6. Bater

   不(bú)用(yòng)筷(kuài)子(zi)？

   No chopsticks?

7. Xiaoyu

   不(bú)用(yòng)筷(kuài)子(zi)，速(sù)写(xiě)本(běn)也(yě)没(méi)法(fǎ)拿(ná)，两(liǎng)只(zhī)手(shǒu)根(gēn)本(běn)忙(máng)不(bú)过(guò)来(lái)。

   No chopsticks, and I couldn't even hold my sketchbook; both hands were totally full.

8. Bater

   听(tīng)说(shuō)这(zhè)儿(r)还(hái)能(néng)产(chǎn)酒(jiǔ)，葡(pú)萄(tao)都(dōu)种(zhòng)在(zài)哪(nǎ)儿(r)？

   I heard they make wine here too. Where do they grow the grapes?

   1. 贺(hè)兰(lán)山(shān)东(dōng)麓(lù) Eastern foot of the Helan Mountains
   2. 西(xī)湖(hú)湖(hú)畔(pàn) By the shores of West Lake
   3. 青(qīng)藏(zàng)高(gāo)原(yuán)上(shàng) On the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

   Answer

   贺(hè)兰(lán)山(shān)东(dōng)麓(lù) Eastern foot of the Helan Mountains

9. Xiaoyu

   就(jiù)在(zài)贺(hè)兰(lán)山(shān)东(dōng)麓(lù)。大(dà)片(piàn)葡(pú)萄(tao)园(yuán)挨(āi)着(zhe)沙(shā)漠(mò)，看(kàn)着(zhe)特(tè)壮(zhuàng)观(guān)。

   Right at the eastern foot of the Helan Mountains. Huge vineyards right next to the desert—it's an incredible sight.

10. Bater

    尝(cháng)过(guò)了(le)没(méi)？

    Did you try any?

11. Xiaoyu

    那(nà)是(shi)为(wèi)了(le)创(chuàng)作(zuò)需(xū)要(yào)。我(wǒ)还(hái)顺(shùn)路(lù)看(kàn)了(le)西(xī)夏(xià)王(wáng)陵(líng)呢(ne)。

    Well, it was strictly for artistic research! I checked out the Western Xia Imperial Tombs along the way, too.

12. Bater

    那(nà)王(wáng)陵(líng)长(zhǎng)什(shén)么(me)样(yàng)？

    What do the tombs look like?

13. Xiaoyu

    荒(huāng)野(yě)上(shàng)矗(chù)立(lì)着(zhe)一(yí)个(gè)个(gè)土(tǔ)堆(duī)，顶(dǐng)着(zhe)特(tè)别(bié)旷(kuàng)远(yuǎn)的(de)大(dà)晴(qíng)空(kōng)。

    There are these earthen mounds scattered across the wild landscape beneath this massive, endless blue sky.

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