Lesson+21-22


 * Lesson 21**

Study these characters and find which character is a combination of which two characters. Then click on the play button to learn a way to remember them: ** 也土地是 **

media type="file" key="09also_earth_floor_tobe.avi" width="300" height="300"

GRAMMAR: 1. The word 是 is used a lot! It is similar to the **to be** verbs in English, but it has no variation. It's so cool--He **__is__** or She __**was**__ or They __**were**__ in Chinese would all use the word 是 with no variation! So much easier than English! The major difference is that 是 is usually only used with equivalents (noun with a noun). For example, one could say he 是 a man, or she 是 a woman, or they 是人． However, one would __**not**__ say he 是 handsome, she 是 beautiful or they 是 smart. For now, 是is used to unite nouns with nouns __**not**__ nouns with adjectives. Later on you will learn a way to use the word 是 to combine a noun with an adjective, but for now just use 是 to combine nouns with nouns.

2. Combining a verb with the word 不 then adding the verb again is a common way of asking a questions. 是不是 ("is this right?") is used often, and the answer is either 是 (it is) or 不是 (it is not)．

Answer the following with either 是or 不是 1. He **是不是人？ 2. Ｓｈｅ　是不是 人？** 3. Christopher Columbus 是不是 一個 explorer? 4. Van Gogh 　是不是一個 track star? 5. Michael Phelps 是不是一個 astronaut? 6. Brad Pitt 是不是 一個 famous rodeo star? 7. The Olympics 是不是 the biggest athletic event in the world? 8. The Olympics 是不是 一個 fun event to watch? 9. England 是不是 an English speaking country? 10. Sorbet 是不是 一個 perfect dessert on a hot day?

Now make sure that you answered correctly: 1. He 是人． ２．She 是人 3. Christopher Columbus 是一**个** explorer. 4. Van Gogh 　不是一**个** track star. 5. Michael Phelps 不是一**个** astronaut. 6. Brad Pitt 不是一**个** famous rodeo star. 7. The Olympics 是　the biggest athletic event in the world. 8. The Olympics 是 一 **个** fun event to watch. 9. England 是 一**个** English speaking country. 10. Ice cream 是一**个** perfect dessert on a hot day.

Now print these sentences in blue out and decide which sentences use 是 correctly and which use 是 incorrectly. Put an X on the number that is incorrect. Remember that the verb 是 needs to unite nouns with nouns not nouns with adjectives.

1. Brad Pitt 是不是 handsome? 2. Julia Roberts 是不是一個 famous actress? 3. Mexico 是不是一個country? 4. Australia 是不是一個大大的country? 5. Barack Obama 是不是 the president of the United States? 6. Mao Tze Dong right now 是不是China的president? 7. You 是不是very smart?

Go over your sentences and see how you did. If you got any wrong, try to figure out why you got it wrong.

1. Brad Pitt 是不是handsome? WRONG You don't use 是不是 this way because **__Brad Pitt__** is a noun and **__handsome__** in an adjective. 2. Julia Roberts 是不是一**个** famous actress? 是 3. Mexico 是不是一**个**country? 是 4. Australia 是不是大. WRONG You don't use 是不是with 大，an adjective. 5. Barack Obama 是不是 the president of the United States? 是 6. Mao Tze Dong right now 是不是 China的 president? 不是, he's dead. 7. You 是不是 very smart? WRONG Although I trust you are very smart, you do not use the verb 是 to unite //__you__// (a noun and __//smart, an adjective.//__

//Whew! You're almost done for the day. . . Describing a noun with an adjective does not require a verb. Just state the noun and the adjective without the verb! For example, Australia 大．　Brad Pitt handsome. I hungry. An elf 小. No need for the verb Is at all. Now you are done!//

// GOOD JOB! //

// Lesson 22

Review these characters: These are vocabulary words you get with these new characters: ** 也是 also is 土地 ground ** Read these stories out loud. The first story teaches you many new names for animals, then the next story helps you realize how much you can read now. Congratulations!!!





You are done with Chinese for today! //

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