Translation for Lesson One

Summer vacation has ended. School is going to start soon. Students have come back to school from all over. Zhang Tianming is a first year student. His home is in Boston, far from here. He came alone by plane. After finishing the registration procedure, he came to the new student dorm. 　

ZTM: How come there are so many people?

KL: Are you a new student?

ZTM: Yes, I am. And you?

KL: I am an old student. I am here helping new students to move stuff. You must be Chinese?

ZTM: My parents are from China, but I was born and raised in the US.

KL: May I ask, your Chinese name is…?

ZTM: My last name is Zhang, the Zhang that has bow and long in it, in other words

the Zhang as in a piece of paper. My first name is Tianming, tian as in

weather and ming as in tomorrow.

KL: I am studying Chinese right now. My Chinese name is Kelin. Have you finished

the paper work?

ZTM: Yes, I have. Where do you live? Do you also live here?

KL: No. This is the freshmen dorm. I live off-campus.

ZTM: Is it better to live on-campus or off-campus?

KL: Some people like living in school dorms they feel it is convenient and safe.

Some people like living off-campus, thinking that it saves money. I live

off-campus, apart from for the sake of saving money, also for the freedom.

Furthermore, living on-campus is not necessarily convenient.

ZTM: Really? Then how about if I also move off-campus?

KL: You just came. Living at school is good for you you can get accustomed to

college life. After some time, if you want to move, then get me, I will help

you find housing.

ZTM: Good. Thanks. When I left home, mother told me:"At home you depend on your

parents, when you go out you depend on friends". What she said really makes

sense. In the future, please give me much help.

KL: No problem. Look, there are no more people in front of you. You can move now.

I will help you carry the luggage. Let us go.

ZTM: OK. Thank you.