Part 1: Social Networking1. What kinds of social networking websites do you like to use?Um…I suppose the main one I use is weibo, which is basically the equivalent of Twitter in the West. And um… as well as that, I occasionally use a website called renrenwang, which is essentially a Chinese version of Facebook, although I don’t really use it as much as I used to, cos I think weibo’s a bit better.2. What kinds of people do you like to be friends with on those websites? I’m not really that picky actually. I mean, if anyone’s interested enough to get in touch with me on a social networking site, then it feels quite nice, you know, someone’s gone out of their way to contact me. So I kind of appreciate it, and I’m generally willing to make friends with them.3. Are you a social person?Yeah, I’d say I am, cos I mean, I like hanging out with my friends a lot and doing stuff with them. And… yeah, I just generally enjoy being around others, and you know, I’ve always found it quite easy to strike up conversations with people, even complete strangers! So yeah, I’d say I am quite a social person.(If no:)Not really, if I’m gonna be totally honest with you! Because um… how can I put it…, I’m just not the kind of person who actively strikes up conversations with others. You know, to me that’s just too much effort, and I always worry that I’ll run out of things to talk about! So I tend to just keep to myself.4. Is it easy to find real friends on a social networking site?I’m honestly not that sure because I’ve never really made a big effort to find friends on the Internet, but thinking about it, I’d say it’s probably not that easy, although it’s definitely possible, cos um… I think you never quite know someone properly until you’ve met them in the flesh. At least that’s been my experience anyway!5. What kinds of chatting APPs or software do Chinese people like to use? Well definitely the most popular APP right now is WeChat, cos I mean, literally everyone in China uses it. And as well as this, QQ is the other really popular way of communicating with people, and if you’ve been in China for any length of time, I’m sure you’ve been asked for your WeChat or QQ number!Part 1: Being Alone1. Do you like being alone?Yeah, I don’t mind being alone. I guess as long as it’s not, like, for a really long length of time, it’s fine. You know, it’s kind of um… I don’t really know how to put it, but I suppose what I’m basically trying to say is that it feels kind of relaxing being alone. You know, it gives me the chance to ponder and reflect on certain stuff. So um… yeah, I find it quite enjoyable, but if I’m alone for a long length of time, then I guess it can get quite depressing.2. What do you do when you’re alone?I would say, on the whole, I mainly like to read when I’m alone. That’s one of the things I most enjoy doing, you know, sitting down with a book. It’s just a really relaxing way to pass the time! And apart from that, um.. what else do I like doing on my own…? Uh… Sometimes I might watch a bit of TV, because ifit’s too quiet around me it can feel a bit discomforting, if you know what I mean, it just adds to the loneliness. So if I’ve got the TV on, it feels kind of nice having some sound around me, which in a way, gets rid of the loneliness to some extent.3. Do you prefer to spend time with your friends or just stay at home alone? Um… thinking about it, I’d say I generally prefer to spend time with my friends, simply because I always have a good time whenever I’m with them. But that’s not to say I don’t like being on my own at home, it’s just that it’s not as fun! You know, I’m quite a sociable person by nature, so I tend to prefer being in the company of others.4. When was the last time you were alone?Um… I suppose it really depends for how long. Because I mean, pretty much every day I’m alone for some parts of the day, although it may just be for a very short period of time. But um…let me see……the last time I was alone was yesterday in fact, when I was doing some reading in my room. And I was on my own for about two or three hours or so.Part 1: Teachers1. Do you have a favourite teacher?Um… Yeah, I suppose I do, but it’s actually kind of hard to pick out a favourite because I’ve been really lucky with all my teachers. You know, they’ve been really great, at least most of them anyway, but I guess my favourite teacher would have to be my Chinese language teacher, because she was incredible. I mean, the amount of effort she put into her teaching, and her attention to detail, were just amazing. And not only that, but she also showed a genuine care for all of us, which left a really deep impression on me. So yeah, out of all my teachers, I’d say she was probably my favourite.2. What kinds of teachers do you like?I guess…. um…first of all, teachers who are passionate about their subject, because you know, if they show enthusiasm for what they’re teaching, I’m much more likely to get interested in that subject and do well in it. And as well as this, I also like teachers that are supportive and…what’s the word…. approachable. So in other words, teachers that show patience and understanding, and are there for you if you need help.3. What are the qualities of a good teacher?Um…. I guess the best way to answer this would be to think of some of the good teachers I’ve had at school and university. So please hang on just a second while I have a quick think about it…..! Ok, well the good teachers I’ve had have shown a genuine care for their students. You know, they genuinely want their students to learn and develop. It’s not just simply a job to them. So yeah I think that’s the most important thing – taking their job seriously and really caring about their students’ development.4. Do you think teachers should be angry at students or not?No, I think as a general rule, teachers shouldn’t get angry at students. You know, it never ends well when teachers get angry, at least in my experience! So in my view, I think teachers should always control their temper, whatever the situation, and instead use other means to get their point across. I mean, I’m sure you’veexperienced it before, that when a teacher gets angry, the whole atmosphere in the class changes, to one of fear, which is definitely not conducive to learning.5. Do you like strict teachers?Yeah I do. I have no problem with them at all, as long as they’re fair! Because I think, on the whole, they tend to set high standards, and so consequently, that makes us work harder and learn more. And the other good thing about strict teachers is that they keep students in line, which means that the class won’t be interrupted by slackers who just want to joke around and be a nuisance.6. What’s the difference between young and old teachers?There’s probably not all that much difference actually, but I guess the main one would be the level of experience. You know, I think it’s fair to say that old teachers tend to have more experience than young ones, and so they’ll be more skilled at adapting to any kind of situation that might arise in class, whereas young teachers might struggle.So that’s one difference, and I suppose another might be the use of technology, cos probably a lot of old teachers might stick to the traditional teaching methods they’re familiar with, whereas young teachers, I think, are more likely to bring technology into their teaching, such as using iPads and laptops in class. So yeah, I’d say these are probably the main differences.Part 1: Being in a hurry1.When was the last time you did something in a hurry?Um… when was it?...Let me have a think…I guess it was probably um… a few weeks ago, when I was on holiday, and I had booked a taxi to arrive at the place where I was staying, at about noon-ish, and I still had some clearing up to do, you know, I didn’t want to leave the place in a mess. So yeah, I was basically in a hurry tidying everything up and getting all my things packed before the taxi arrived.2. Do you like to finish things quickly?Yeah I do, cos I really don’t like things to hang over me, you know, it’s just not a nice feeling when you’ve got stuff to do hanging at the back of your mind. So I like to get stuff done as quickly as I can, but saying that, I still want to do it well of course! I mean, I’m not gonna do something haphazardly just to get it done quickly, I still wanna make sure I do it well!3. What kinds of things do you never do in a hurry?It’s an interesting question!... I’ve never really thought about that one! What kinds of things will I never do in a hurry?...um… I suppose things I would never do in a hurry would be important things, like coursework which counts towards my final grade, and what else?...I’m kind of hard pressed to think! Um… oh yeah, getting to the airport to catch a flight! You know, I’ll always give myself lots of time to get there, even if it means I arrive at the airport several hours in advance, cos it just gives me peace of mind. I mean, if you miss a flight, then your holiday’s probably gone down the drain, so it can be pretty disastrous! 4.Why do people make mistakes more easily when they are in a hurry? Um… well thinking about it, I suppose it’s simply because when people are in a hurry, they’re not really thinking clearly. You know, their mind’s kind of um.. how can I put it… I guess you could say flustered, thinking about lots of thingsat the same time, and not really being focused. So in that state of mind, I think you’d agree it’s easy to overlook things, especially small details, which will likely lead to mistakes being made!Part 1: Snacks1. What kinds of snacks do you like to eat?Um, quite a wide variety actually. Let me just think of few, um.. I like eating nuts a lot… like cashew nuts, pistachios…peanuts of course, and also melon seeds, which you get in the shops a lot over here. And um, what else do I like eating?…. Oh yeah, dried beef, or beef jerky as I think it’s also called. That’s another snackI quite enjoy eating every now and then.2. Is it healthy to eat snacks?I think it really kind of depends what snack it is, cos a lot snacks, like nuts for example, are actually pretty healthy for you. You know, they’ve got quite a lot of nutrition, but other kinds of snacks like crisps, or potato chips as some people call them, aren’t so good for you, cos they’re basically processed food, so they’ve got a lot of additives and preservatives. So those kinds of snacks you’ve got to eat in moderation, I suppose.3.Do your parents allow you to eat snacks?Yeah, they don’t mind me eating snacks. They kind of let me do what I want really, you know, I’m old enough to decide for myself what I want to eat! So they don’t really have a say in the matter. They used to, when I was younger, but now, I can pretty much do as I please!4.What was the most popular snack when you were a child?Um, without a doubt, it was crisps, cos I remember when I was a child, all my friends absolutely loved eating them, as did I, and we always had a bag of crisps in our lunchbox to take to school! And they were popular among adults too, not just children. So yeah, I’d say crisps were definitely the number one snack whenI was little.5. What kinds of snacks do children in your country like to eat?Um…let me have a think….well, when I look at children now… what kinds of things do I see them eating?....um… Sweets definitely, which I guess is the same the world over! And uh, what else?.... Oh, biscuits! I almost forgot! I see a lot of children eating biscuits of all shapes and sizes. Oh and fruit of course, if that counts as a snack!Part 1: Hanging out with friends1. How often do you hang out with friends?If not often:I guess probably something like once or twice a week. Mainly on weekends, simply because that’s when I have the most time. I would like to hang out with them more, but I’m just too busy during weekdays with my study and stuff. So yeah, by and large, I only get to do stuff with my friends on weekends.If often:Quite a lot actually. I mean, I’d say I hang out with them pretty much every day, because I go to class with them, and when class is over, we often chill out and do stuff together before heading back to our dormitory.2. Who do you usually like to hang out with?Um… I’d say it’s mainly my classmates, cos I get on with them really well, at least most of them anyway! And that’s probably due to the fact that we’ve got a lot in common, like studying the same subject, and having the same interests. And um, yeah, we’re quite a close-knit group, so I always tend to have a good time when I’m out with them.3. Where do you like to go when you hang out with your friends?Um.. all sorts of places really, nowhere in particular. I mean, we kind of just go where our mood takes us. So for example, if we wanna just go somewhere to relax, then one place we like going to is Starbucks, because it’s just a very chilled-out place and we all like our coffee! And as well as that, other places we like to hang out at are shopping malls, cos there’s quite a lot to do there, and also KTV, because we always have a lot of fun whenever we go. So yeah, these would be the main places.4.Do you like to go out with a big group or just a few friends?If you prefer being with just a few friends:Um.. on the whole I’d say I prefer going out with just a few friends, because um,… I dunno, it’s just um…I find I enjoy myself more when I’m just chatting with a few friends. It just feels…. I don’t quite know how to put it, …. It just feels like we can have deeper conversations when there are just a few of us, as opposed to a big group. You know, in a big group, it’s kind of difficult having a meaningful conversation with anyone. Plus it’s also more effort to organize and do things in a large group, like getting a table in a restaurant, or a room at KTV. So basically I find it’s not really as relaxing or enjoyable as being with just a few friends.If you prefer being out with a big group:I’d say I actually prefer going out with a big group of friends, because the more the merrier, as far as I’m concerned! You know, a big group has more of a party feel to it, so for me it’s generally a bit more fun. So I mean, I don’t mind going out with a small group, but when there’s a big group of us, it just feels a bit more exciting, if you know what I mean.Part 1: TV1.How much TV do you watch?Um… not that much, to be honest with you. I mean, I occasionally watch a sports game on TV, if it’s a team that I like, but um… that’s pretty much it! You know, most things now I just watch on my laptop or iPad.2. What’s your favourite TV program?I’m not really that sure, but off the top of my head, I’d say it’s probably Kuaile Da Benying, which I guess you could translate as Happy Camp. And it’s basically a kind of entertainment show where they invite celebrities on and play games and stuff with them. And I suppose the reason I like it so much is that it always makes me laugh whenever I watch it.3.Did you watch much TV when you were a child?No I wouldn’t say I did, because I spent most of the time either doing homework or playing with my friends. And my parents kind of discouraged me from watching it as well, cos they didn’t think it was good for me.Or:Yeah, I did watch a fair amount, mainly cartoons! And I guess it’s because I didn’t have any brothers or sisters to play with at home, so there wasn’t that much to do apart from watch TV.4. What types of programs did you watch when you were a child?I suppose it was mainly just cartoons, so I was no different from any other child in this respect. You know, as a child, cartoons are the most fun programs to watch and also the easiest to understand, and that’s really why I watched them the most.5.Do you think television has changed in the past few decades? Um…yeah, I would say that it‘s changed quite a lot. I mean, to begin with, in the past, there used to be only a limited variety of programs, whereas nowadays, there is a much wider range of things on TV, such as talent shows, dating shows and stuff like that. So that’s one thing, and another obvious change is that TV programs nowadays are pretty much all in colour, whereas in the past they used to all be in black and white. So yeah it’s changed quite a bit.6. Has television changed your life in any way?Yeah, I suppose it has, mainly in terms of the entertainment it’s provided. In other words, the programs I’ve watched have brought quite a lot of enjoyment to me. And so without TV, I guess my life wouldn’t have been as fun.Part 1: Time Management1.Are you good at organizing time?If yes:Yeah, I’d say I’m not too bad at it actually. I mean, I always get my work done on time, and I also set aside a bit of time each day to do exercise, like going for a jog or something. So um, yeah, I’d say I’m pretty organized in terms of my time.If no:No, I’m pretty bad at it, to be honest with you! I don’t normally write much down, and I don’t really spend that much time organizing what I need to do. I kind of just live each day as it comes, if you know what I mean! So yeah, I guess it’s something I need to get better at!2.How do you usually organize your time?I mainly organize it by using the uh ….what do you call it?! … the uh… calendar APP on my phone, cos I can put all my appointments and things onto it. And whenever I need to check something, I can just look at my phone. So I find it extremely helpful, and ever since I started using it, I’ve been a lot more organized.3.Do you think planning is important for time management?Yeah, most certainly. You know, I think, for anything, planning is important, and time management is no exception, because if you don’t plan your time, how can you manage it?! So I think they kind of go hand-in-hand.4.Why do you think some people pay to learn time management?I guess for some people, it’s extremely important. You know, for them, time is money, and if they don’t manage their time efficiently, they won’t be earning as much as they could. So they kind of figure that, if they pay an expert to help them manage their time well, then in the long-run, they’re gonna earn more money. So I guess you could say it’s a kind of investment.5. Do you think children should learn to manage time?Yeah, I actually think it’s a really useful thing for them to learn, and in fact, a lot more useful than many other things they’re taught at school! You know, if they learn how to manage their time at an early age, then it’s gonna help them throughout their life. So yeah, I think it’s a very good idea to do this.6. Why do some people find it hard to follow their plans?I guess there could be a number of reasons depending on the person. I mean, off the top of my head, one possible reason could be that some people make unrealistic plans, which are very hard to follow through on. For example, someone might, let’s say, plan to…I dunno, like, spend two hours a day at the gym, or practicing their English, and in reality, it might be quite difficult to do, especially for a long length of time.So this would be one reason, and I suppose another reason would be that people might be very set in their ways and have bad habits which are difficult to break out of. Like for me, I spend a lot of time reading the sports news, which is not really a very productive thing to do! And that time could be better spent doing other things, which I’m very aware of, but I still do it. So I think these kinds of ingrained habits prevent many people from carrying out their plans.7. How would you teach your children time management?That’s an interesting question, and I guess probably the way I would teach them would be to set a good example for them, in terms of how I manage my own time. So for example, show them my calendar and how I update it, so they can see how it’s done, and then hopefully do something similar themselves!Or:I would encourage them to get into the habit of doing something immediately, instead of putting it off to another time. For example, if they were given some homework with a one week deadline, I would encourage them to do it straight away instead of leaving it to the last moment. What else? Um…. I’m sure there are other ways, but this is all I can think of right now!8.Do old people and young people manage their time in a similar way? It’s really hard to generalize I think, but on the whole, I’d say they don’t really, no. I mean, young people mainly manage their time based on their studies and work. You know, that’s what their day revolves around – it’s the focus of their day. So that could be managing their time based on their homework, on their class timetable and working hours. And for older people, it’s basically just free time they’re managing! So their plans, I guess, are more flexible, and not so detailed.Another difference:I think it’s probably fair to say that young people use technology to manage their time, for example using APPs on their mobile phone, whereas I guess themajority of old people just write down their plans in a calendar or something like that.Part 1: Housework1. Do you like doing housework?No I can’t stand doing housework to be honest with you. I mean, I just find it a lot of effort. And I also don’t like getting my hands dirty, so I avoid it whenever I can!Another possible answer:No, I wouldn’t say I do, cos I find it kind of tedious. But saying that, I do get quitea nice feeling when I’ve finished it and everything looks clean and tidy!2. How do you think housework could be made more interesting?That’s a good question. I guess um... it could be made into a game, I suppose, for example have a competition with your friend to see who can, like, clean a room the fastest. That could possibly make it a bit more interesting and exciting. Um…What else? Uh let me see... that’s all I can really think of, I’m afraid – just make some game out of it!3. Did your parents ask you to do housework when you were a child? Yeah they did. Mainly it was, like, tidying my room, cos it was always quite messy. Yeah, that was the main thing. And uh, what else? Oh yeah, sometimes they would ask me to help with the washing up, but that was pretty much it. So I guess I’m kind of lucky, in that my mum did most of the housework.If no:No, on the whole, they didn’t because they wanted me to focus on my homework. Occasionally, I did do a little bit to help, like sweeping or mopping the floor, if there was a lot to be done, but by and large, I escaped doing most of the household chores, so I was pretty lucky I suppose!4. Do you think children should do some housework?Yeah I think it’s a good thing for children to do. You know, I’d say it kind of prevents them from taking things for granted, and um, it also helps develop a good work ethic.5. Which do you think is better for doing housework, a machine or a person?I think, on the whole, a person is better, because a machine might miss out a few bits. Just to give you an example, I’ve seen in some electrical appliance stores these robots that move in a random motion sucking up the dust off the floor. And to me it looks pretty inefficient, because they might go over the same spots repeatedly whilst missing out other areas. And this is not something a person would do. Having said that, I think a combination of both – i.e. humans operating certain machines, like vacuum cleaners, is probably the most ideal way to do housework.6. In the future, do you think machines will replace humans for doing housework?Not completely, no, because, as I mentioned just now, machines often need humans to operate them, so I think, in all likelihood, it will continue to be acombination of both machines and humans.Part 1: Sleeping1. How many hours do you sleep each day?It’s kind of hard to say for sure, but I guess on average, I probably get about 7 or 8 hours of sleep a day, something like that. Cos I’m normally in bed at about 11 ish, and I usually get up sometime around 7. So yeah, 7 to 8 hours is about the norm for me.2.Is it necessary to take a nap every day?No, I wouldn’t say it is. And also I think it kind of depends on the person, because some people do feel the need to have a nap to give them energy for the rest of the day, but for others, like myself, we can quite easily get through the day without taking a nap.3. Do old people sleep a lot?It’s pretty hard to generalize, but on the whole, I wouldn’t really say so, no, because I mean, if I think about the elderly people I know, they’re normally up pretty early each day. And I mean, they might take a nap at some stage during the day, but I wouldn’t consider that to be sleeping a lot!4.How can one sleep well?I’d say it kind of differs between people, because what works well for one person might not work well for another. But by and large I’d say most people sleep well when it’s quiet around them. And I think it helps too if you’ve had a fulfilling day. Because I mean, for me, I always tend to sleep better if I’ve done a lot that day, like doing exercise and stuff.5. Do you like to get up early in the morning?If no:No, not particularly! I’m not really a morning person, and if I do get up early, I always feel extremely groggy, and it takes me a while to feel fully awake. So yeah, I’m not at my best first thing in the morning!If yes:Yeah I do actually. You know, it feels quite good getting up early while everyone else is still sleeping. Sometimes I might find it difficult dragging myself out of bed, but once I’m up, I feel pretty good, and it means I can get more things done that day.6. Can you sleep well if you’re in a noisy environment?No, definitely not! I find it very difficult getting to sleep if there’s lots of noise around me, which I guess is the same for most people.Part 1: Trees1.Do you like trees?Yeah, I do. And uh, I don’t really think there’s anything not to like about them! You know, they look nice, they add more colour to a place, um… so yeah I think trees are great!2. Are there any important trees in your country?Important trees?! Um… I’m really not sure to be honest! I mean, there probably are some, yeah, but I’m not aware of any! Um… Actually, hang on a sec – I’vejust thought of one kind of tree, and that’s bamboo, which I’d say is pretty important here in China, first of all, because a lot of stuff’s made out of bamboo here, like chopsticks for example, and also because it’s closely tied to Chinese culture. For instance, bamboo appears quite a lot in Chinese art. So um, yeah, I’d say bamboo is probably the most important kind of tree here.3. Is there a forest near your hometown?Yeah I suppose there is, because there’s quite a lot of natural scenery surrounding our city, much of which is covered with trees.If no:No there isn’t, at least not that I’m aware of. It’s mainly just farmland and small towns and villages around my hometown.4. Where can one find trees in your country?All over the place! For example in the cities, you can find them in parks, and also a lot of the streets are lined with trees. But I guess to find the most trees, you have to venture out of the urban areas into the countryside, especially the hills and mountains, because these are the places which are still in their natural state, and you’ll find that many of the mountainous areas are covered with trees.5. Do you think places with trees attract more visitors than places with few trees?I guess it depends why the visitor is going to a certain place. So for instance, if they’re going to enjoy the natural environment and scenery, then yeah, I think having trees will obviously attract more visitors. But if the visitors are going for a different reason, for example to a famous tourist attraction or something, then I think trees aren’t really gonna have any impact on the number of visitors. You know, they don’t even enter the equation! So it’s kind of hard to generalize.6.Did you ever climb trees when you were a child?Yeah I did. I had great fun climbing trees when I was little. I really enjoyed it, and I even remember when my mum took me to buy new shoes, I always chose ones with the best grip, because they would be the best for climbing trees in. So yeah, it was something I really enjoyed doing.7. Have you ever planted a tree?No, I can’t say that I have! First of all, I don’t think it’s that easy to do, cos you’ve got to find somewhere that sells tree seeds, and then you’ve got to find a suitable place to plant one. So yeah, it’s not something I’ve ever done before.8.Do you think more people should plant trees?Yeah, I think more people should. At least in theory it sounds like a good idea, although I don’t know how well it would actually work in practice. Cos I mean, you can’t just go around planting trees anywhere! You know, there needs to be a certain amount of planning. So it might be better to give this responsibility to just a limited number of people who knew what they were doing.9. Do you think trees are important?Yeah, I’d say they definitely are. I mean, first of all, if I’m not mistaken, they help make the air cleaner. I can’t remember the name of the actual process, but they’re basically able to convert CO2 into oxygen, which we all need to breathe.。
