Languages / Mandarin / Level 5 · Unit 5

即兴应变 — Improvisation and Thinking on Your Feet

Lesson 144 of 170 · Level 5 of 6All lessons
In this lesson

You are learning improvisation and thinking on your feet: you will read the scene it happens in, learn 10 words and phrases, take apart the pattern behind them (即兴应变句式 — improvisation and quick-response constructions), hear them in a conversation, rehearse them, and finish by saying one thing out loud to be graded.

The scene

An unexpected situation at a Shanghai food tour when the planned restaurant is suddenly closed, requiring quick linguistic and social improvisation

计划赶不上变化

我带了六个外国朋友来上海美食之旅。第一站:南翔馒头店。结果到了豫园,发现今天临时闭馆装修。六双眼睛看着我。「现在怎么办?」

深呼吸。「既然南翔关了,我们不妨去旁边的老城隍庙看看。」走了五分钟,发现一家没有招牌的小店,门口排了十几个人。反正来都来了,不如试试。

「索性不看菜单了,」我对老板说,「您给我们来六碗最拿手的。」老板笑了:「好嘞!」端上来的是锅贴、鸡鸭血汤和蟹壳黄。六个朋友吃得停不下来。

澳大利亚的Tom说:「这比任何米其林餐厅都好。」我笑了:「计划赶不上变化,不妨随机应变。最好的旅行,都是计划之外的。」晚上回酒店的路上,英国的Sarah说:「反正明天的计划也可能变。索性不做计划了?」我说:「这就是上海教你的:既然变化不可避免,不如享受变化。」