HSK 4Lesson 52
Getting better at a job takes experience, effort and some courage. Liu Ming looks back on his first three months as an intern, Manager Wang and Wang Yixue check the month's results, Liu Ming and Bai Jiayue rush to meet a new deadline, and Anne wonders whether she dares to speak at tomorrow's meeting.
You will learn to talk about getting better at work: look back on your first months at a company, discuss whether a team reached its target, promise to finish urgent work in time, and find the courage to share an idea at a meeting.
Part 1 · 15 new words
Contains 5 words
to enter; to join
to reach; to achieve
to exceed; to surpass
to accumulate; to build up
experience
Contains 6 words
to carry out; to hold
to strengthen
Contains 4 words
whether (one) can
to be able to
Part 2 · 8 phrases
多干几次，经验就慢慢积累起来了。
Do it a few more times and the experience gradually builds up.
他的中文已经达到可以工作的水平了。
His Chinese has already reached a level where he can work.
地铁快关门了，我们得加快速度。
The subway is about to close; we need to speed up.
我保证明天九点以前把资料交给你。
I promise I'll hand you the materials before nine tomorrow.
你去银行的时候，顺便帮我取点儿钱，行吗？
While you're at the bank, could you get some cash for me on the way?
我不敢一个人坐飞机，有点儿怕。
I don't dare fly alone; I'm a bit scared.
Part 3 · 4 conversations
Manager Wang asks Liu Ming, an intern, how his first three months have gone and offers him a new piece of work.
王经理Manager Wang
你进入公司快三个月了吧？感觉怎么样？
You joined the company almost three months ago, right? How do you feel?
刘明Liu Ming
积累了一些经验，可是做事还是比别人慢。
I've built up some experience, but I'm still slower than the others.
Part 4 · 2 points
能愿动词 敢
Put 敢gǎn before a verb to say someone has the courage to do it; 不敢bù gǎn says they are too afraid, and 敢不敢gǎn bu gǎn asks.
Say you dare or do not dare
敢gǎn or 不敢bù gǎn goes before the verb phrase.
to speed up
to promise; to guarantee
in time; promptly
on the way; while at it
whether or not
to dare
这次考试能否通过，要看你是否努力。
Whether you pass this exam depends on whether you work hard.
比赛正在进行，请大家安静。
The match is in progress; everyone please be quiet.
刚开始都这样。现在顾客的问题你能够自己解决吗？
Everyone is like that at first. Can you handle customers' problems on your own now?
刘明Liu Ming
简单的我能够自己解决，难一点儿的还得问您。
I can handle the simple ones myself; for harder ones I still have to ask you.
王经理Manager Wang
问是对的。下个月有一个新任务，你愿意来负责吗？
Asking is right. Next month there's a new task. Would you like to be in charge of it?
刘明Liu Ming
我愿意试试，就怕经验不够。
I'd like to try. I'm just afraid I don't have enough experience.
王经理Manager Wang
经验是一天一天积累起来的，做了就有了。
Experience builds up day by day. Once you do it, you'll have it.
Wang Yixue asks Manager Wang whether the team reached its sales target; they find a weak point and agree on a next step.
王一雪Wang Yixue
王经理，这个月我们一共卖了五十万，达到目标了吗？
Manager Wang, we sold five hundred thousand in total this month. Did we reach our target?
王经理Manager Wang
达到了，还超过了上个月。可是跟第一名比，还差一点儿。
We did, and we beat last month too. But compared with the top team we're still a little behind.
王一雪Wang Yixue
我们差在哪儿？
Where are we falling short?
王经理Manager Wang
顾客有问题，我们回答得太慢。以后要加强这方面的工作，顾客有问题要及时回答。
When customers have questions, we answer too slowly. From now on we need to work harder on this and answer customers' questions promptly.
王一雪Wang Yixue
那下星期我们进行一次讨论，大家一起想办法？
Then shall we hold a discussion next week and work out a plan together?
王经理Manager Wang
好主意。下个月我们要超过他们。
Good idea. Next month we're going to beat them.
A client moves a deadline forward; Liu Ming and his fellow intern Bai Jiayue agree to speed up and share the work.
刘明Liu Ming
家月，对方公司刚来电话，要我们周五以前把材料发过去。
Jiayue, the client just called. They want us to send the materials before Friday.
白家月Bai Jiayue
周五？本来说下周的。我们得加快速度了。
Friday? It was supposed to be next week. We have to speed up.
刘明Liu Ming
你能保证周五以前做完吗？
Can you promise to finish before Friday?
白家月Bai Jiayue
我保证。可是数字那部分你能帮我检查一下吗？
I promise. But could you check the figures section for me?
刘明Liu Ming
没问题。我现在去楼下拿资料，顺便给你带杯咖啡吧。
No problem. I'm going downstairs to get the documents now; I'll bring you a coffee on the way.
白家月Bai Jiayue
太好了。我做完一部分就发给你看。
Great. I'll send you each part as soon as I finish it.
Anne, a new intern, has an idea for tomorrow's meeting but does not dare to share it; her fellow intern Liu Xiaoxue encourages her.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
安妮，明天开会，经理要问大家是否有新的想法。你准备说吗？
Anne, at tomorrow's meeting the manager will ask whether anyone has new ideas. Are you going to say something?
安妮Anne
我有一个想法，可是不敢在会上说，怕说错。
I have an idea, but I don't dare to say it at the meeting. I'm afraid of saying something wrong.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
你先说给我听听。
Tell me first.
安妮Anne
我们可以在网上及时回答顾客的问题，这样他们不用打电话。
We could answer customers' questions online right away, so they wouldn't have to phone.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
这个办法很好啊！明天你敢不敢在会上说？
That's a great idea! Do you dare to say it at the meeting tomorrow?
安妮Anne
还是有点儿不敢，我不知道这个办法能否成功。
I still don't quite dare. I don't know whether it can work.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
能否成功，要试了才知道。你不是为了积累经验而来这家公司的吗？
Whether it works, you only find out by trying. Didn't you come to this company to gain experience?
安妮Anne
你说得对，明天我第一个说。
You're right. Tomorrow I'll be the first to speak.
我不敢在会上说wǒ bù gǎn zài huì shang shuō: fear stops the speaker.
Ask whether someone dares
Use the 敢不敢gǎn bu gǎn question before the verb phrase.
Answer with 敢gǎn or 不敢bù gǎn alone; do not add 吗ma to a 敢不敢gǎn bu gǎn question.
In sentences
Dare
别人都不敢问，只有她敢站起来问老师。
Nobody else dared to ask; only she dared to stand up and ask the teacher.
敢gǎn comes before the verb; the contrast with 不敢bù gǎn shows the courage.
Do not dare
那条路晚上没有灯，我不敢一个人走。
That road has no lights at night; I don't dare to walk it alone.
不敢bù gǎn: fear stops you.
Question
你敢不敢跟经理说你的想法？
Do you dare to tell the manager your idea?
敢不敢gǎn bu gǎn asks about courage; the 跟gēn phrase comes after it.
Past
第一次见到她的时候，他太紧张了，一句话也没敢说。
The first time he met her, he was so nervous that he didn't dare say a word.
没敢méi gǎn is for the past.
A：你敢不敢一个人去旅行？ B：我不敢，我怕一个人在外面。
A: Would you dare to travel alone? B: I wouldn't; I'd be scared on my own.
安妮不敢在会上说话，刘小雪说：别怕，我跟你一起去。
Anne doesn't dare to speak up in the meeting, and Liu Xiaoxue says: don't be afraid, I'll go with you.
敢gǎn is a modal verb meaning to dare. Like other modal verbs it goes before the main verb: 我敢说wǒ gǎn shuō, I dare to say it. The negative 不敢bù gǎn means fear stops you: 我不敢在会上说wǒ bù gǎn zài huì shang shuō. Time words usually come before 敢gǎn; a place phrase with 在zài usually comes between 敢gǎn and the verb: 明天你敢不敢在会上说？míngtiān nǐ gǎn bu gǎn zài huì shang shuō?. In a short answer 敢gǎn or 不敢bù gǎn can stand alone, and 有点儿不敢yǒudiǎnr bù gǎn softens it. For something you did not dare to do in the past, use 没敢méi gǎn: 我没敢说wǒ méi gǎn shuō. 敢gǎn is about courage, not permission: for being allowed, use 可以kěyǐ or 能néng, and do not say 不敢bù gǎn to mean you are not allowed.
为了……而……
为了wèile + purpose + 而ér + action says why someone does something, in a more formal way than 为了wèile alone. 而ér links the purpose to the verb that follows.
Purpose and action in one
Put 为了wèile + purpose before the verb and link them with 而ér.
The 为了wèile phrase always comes before the verb; 而ér is followed directly by the verb.
Plain or formal
Without 而ér, 为了wèile + purpose usually ends with a comma, and the action follows.
Use this plain form in everyday speech; 为了……而…… (wèile……ér……) sounds more formal and emphatic.
In sentences
Purpose of a move
每年都有很多人为了找到好工作而来北京。
Every year lots of people come to Beijing to find a good job.
为了wèile + purpose + 而ér + 来lái: the purpose comes before the movement.
Working toward a goal
大家都在为了达到目标而努力。
Everyone is working hard to reach the target.
而ér + a short verb such as 努力nǔlì.
A team decision
我们为了更快地回答顾客的问题而进行了一次讨论。
We held a discussion so that we could answer customers' questions faster.
Formal: a report on what was done and why.
Giving something up
他为了照顾生病的妈妈而放弃了这份工作。
He gave up this job to look after his sick mother.
The purpose explains a serious decision; plain 为了wèile would need a comma:
You already know 为了wèile + purpose, followed by a comma and the action: 为了积累经验，我来了这家公司wèile jīlěi jīngyàn, wǒ lái le zhè jiā gōngsī. In 为了……而…… (wèile……ér……), the purpose and the action form one predicate: subject + 为了wèile + purpose + 而ér + verb. 而ér here simply links the purpose to the action and is not translated: 你不是为了积累经验而来这家公司的吗？nǐ bú shì wèile jīlěi jīngyàn ér lái zhè jiā gōngsī de ma?. The pattern sounds more formal and more emphatic than plain 为了wèile; it is common in writing, speeches and serious talk, and it often goes inside 是……的shì……de to stress the purpose of a past action. The part after 而ér is a verb phrase with the same subject, often a short one such as 来lái,
A：你为什么学这么多中文？ B：我为了在北京工作而学习中文。
A: Why are you studying so much Chinese? B: I'm studying Chinese in order to work in Beijing.
刘明为了在周五以前做完材料而加班，家月也来帮他。
Liu Ming worked late to finish the documents before Friday, and Jiayue came to help him.
