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Mandarin Chinese · HSK 3.0 Band 3 · Chapter 33

面试 Interview

Miànshì

周月's first interview. Teaches 是不是 + clause (confirmation question) and 是 X 还是 Y (choice question).

Dialogue

是不是新毕业的? — Just graduated?

面试官你nǐ好hǎo, 请qǐng坐zuò. 先xiān介jiè绍shào一yí下xià自zì己jǐ. Hello, please sit. Introduce yourself first.
周月您nín好hǎo. 我wǒ叫jiào周zhōu月yuè, 二èr十shí四sì岁suì. Hello. I'm Zhou Yue, 24 years old.
面试官你nǐ是shì不bu是shì新xīn从cóng大dà学xué毕bì业yè的de? Are you a new graduate?
周月是shì, 我wǒ今jīn年nián刚gāng毕bì业yè, 简jiǎn历lì上shàng写xiě了le我wǒ的de学xué历lì. Yes, I just graduated this year — my education is on the résumé.
面试官你nǐ是shì不bu是shì没méi有yǒu工gōng作zuò经jīng验yàn? Do you not have work experience?
周月一yì方fāng面miàn我wǒ没méi有yǒu正zhèng式shì经jīng验yàn, 另lìng一yì方fāng面miàn我wǒ学xué得dé很hěn认rèn真zhēn. On one hand I have no formal experience, on the other I study very seriously.

Dialogue

是这家还是那家? — This company or that?

面试官你nǐ想xiǎng做zuò老lǎo师shī还hái是shì想xiǎng做zuò工gōng程chéng师shī? Do you want to be a teacher or an engineer?
周月我wǒ是shì很hěn想xiǎng做zuò老lǎo师shī, 我wǒ觉jué得de最zuì合hé适shì我wǒ. I really do want to teach — I think it suits me best.
面试官你nǐ是shì想xiǎng去qù大dài城chéng市shì还hái是shì小xiǎo城chéng市shì? Big city or small city?
周月我wǒ想xiǎng去qù小xiǎo城chéng市shì. 那nà里lǐ的de学xué校xiào更gèng需xū要yào老lǎo师shī. A small city. Schools there need teachers more.
面试官你nǐ的de回huí答dá清qīng楚chǔ. 工gōng资zī你nǐ希xī望wàng多duō少shǎo? Clear answer. What salary do you hope for?
周月我wǒ希xī望wàng工gōng资zī合hé适shì就jiù好hǎo. I just hope it's a fair salary.

Vocabulary

面miàn试shì: noun interview
面miàn试shì官guān: noun interviewer
问wèn: verb ask (recall Bk1)
回huí答dá: verb answer; respond (recall ch26)
介jiè绍shào: verb introduce (recall Bk1)
自zì己jǐ: noun self (recall Bk1)
机jī会huì: noun opportunity (recall ch31)
合hé适shì: adjective suitable; fitting
清qīng楚chǔ: adjective clear (recall ch29)
是shì不bu是shì: adverb is it the case that...?
还hái是shì: adverb or (choice marker) (recall Bk1)
工gōng资zī: noun salary; wages
上shàng班bān: noun go to work (recall Bk2)
希xī望wàng: verb hope
周zhōu月yuè: pn. Zhou Yue (persona — recall ch31)

New characters

官: (in 面试官 = interviewer)
面试官 miànshìguān — interviewer

Hanzi — writing & recognition

面

miàn face; surface (in 面试) Writing

9 strokes single

试

shì try; test (in 面试) Writing

8 strokes left-right

希

xī hope (in 希望) Recognition

7 strokes top-bottom

望

wàng look toward; hope (in 希望) Recognition

11 strokes top-bottom

资

zī capital; salary (in 工资) Recognition

10 strokes top-bottom

Grammar

一方面 … , 另一方面 … (三62)

Explanation

Discuss one thing from two angles: 一方面 X, 另一方面 Y. The two sides can be parallel, or one good / one bad. Useful in interviews to present yourself fully: 一方面我有经验, 另一方面我很努力. More formal and organised than a plain 也…也….

Examples

一方面我有经验, 另一方面我很努力. On one hand I have experience, on the other I work hard.
这个工作一方面忙, 另一方面也有意思. This job is busy on one hand, but interesting on the other.
一方面要学习, 另一方面要休息. On one hand you must study, on the other you must rest.
一方面工资好, 另一方面离家近. On one hand the pay is good, on the other it's close to home.

Grammar

Using 是 for emphasis (三77, reuse)

Explanation

Grammar-01 was two angles. This revisits ch10's emphatic 是: a stressed 是 before an adjective/verb means "indeed / really". In an interview: 我是很想做这份工作 (= I really do want it). 这家公司是不错. This 是 takes no 的; it just strengthens the tone to affirm.

Examples

我是很想做这个工作. I really do want this job.
这家公司是不错. This company really is good.
他是很努力. He really is hard-working.
这份工作是适合我. This job really does suit me.

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