英語趣味課堂：談?wù)撓愀?Talking about Hong Kong

Todd: Adrienne, you said you mother lives in Hong Kong.

Adrienne: That's right.

Todd: Wow. Why is she in Hong Kong?

Adrienne: She's there for work actually.

Todd: Oh, yeah. What does she do?

Adrienne: It's difficult to explain because I don't really understand it myself but she works for a corporation in the States and she's on assignment in Hong Kong.

Todd: So what does your mother think of Hong Kong so far?

Adrienne: Oh, she loves it. Of course, she misses being home with her family, with all of us, but it's quite an adventure of course to live overseas and she has a great apartment and a view of the harbor and she's really enjoying doing a lot of traveling and stuff so she's having a good time.

Todd: So have you actually been out to Hong Kong to see her?

Adrienne: Of course. Many times.

Todd: So what was it like when you were in Hong Kong?

Adrienne: It's hot and humid like a lot of places in Asia especially in the summer. But it's very hot, very humid but a beautiful city. It's like I said, a harbor city, so there's water everywhere, and I think actually the name Hong Kong, maybe someone will correct me about this, but I think it means like fragrant harbor, or good harbor, something like that, so it's an interesting name, but it is, it's just all water. It's beautiful.

Todd: What things did you really enjoy about Hong Kong?

Adrienne: The shopping of course. Hong Kong has great shopping. There's Stanley Market.

Todd: Stanley Market? What's that?

Adrienne: It's just a market area. It's on the other side of the island from downtown and it's well-known for having lots of souvenirs, but lots of things like purses and scarves and shoes and clothes and everything, and very reasonably priced.

Todd: So when you went to Stanley Market, did you buy anything?

Adrienne: Of course. I bought lots of purses and shoes and accessories. All of the fun stuff.

Todd: Multiple? You bought more than one purse?

Adrienne: Oh, yes, of course.

Todd: Why would you buy more than one purse?

Adrienne: A couple reasons. One, it was very cheap. Two, it was.... I was planing ahead for Christmas.

Todd: So, in Hong Kong, when you buy something, is it standard to haggle about the price, or is it pretty standard... do you pay the price that's written?

Adrienne: Um, at the regular shops, you know, any kind of standard mall or boutique, that kind of place, of course the prices are set, but if you go to the market you can usually get a bargain.