Chinese 431-Advanced Conversation

Assignment 2: My Partner’s Hometown

For the second assignment, you will describe your partner’s hometown or another place of his/her choice.

The first step is an interview. You will interview each other in class to find out as much as possible about the place. The interview does not have to be done in a formal way. You don’t have to do one person first and then the other person. You don’t have to follow the suggested list below mechanically either. Just try to bring out all the information through chatting with each other. If you don’t like being asked questions all the time; you can also volunteer information, as we all do in natural conversations. If the conversation appears disorganized and jumps from topic to topic, do not worry. You should take notes.

The second step is a 5-minutes presentation in front of the whole class. That presentation, done individually, will be to describe your partner’s hometown (or another place) and it will have to be more organized (hopefully not a copy of the list below!). Try to present a clear picture of what the place is like. You will be getting feedback in class from other students and the teacher. Your partner should make sure that no information is left out and the information is accurate.

Then, you should incorporate the feedback and record the revised presentation on tape at home and hand it in to me (Due 2/9/2006, Thursday).

Grading, as before, will be based on the amount of information and the quality of the presentation (pronunciation, word usage, grammar, organization), as well as the incorporation of feedback.

Location:

Where exactly is it? What is its relative location to other well-known places? How do you get there?

General physical characteristics:

Size, topographical features (mountain, river, lake, plain or plateau), weather in different seasons

Cultural features:

Population, language, local customs, special local food. holidays?

Other interesting aspects about the place:

Historical significance? Special produce? Is it known for anything?

Your experience with the place:

When did you leave the place?

Do you often go back and visit?

What do you (not) like about it?

Do you often go back? Do you miss it? What do you miss?