Sorry for the delay in posting this. However, as it seems that as the majority of you do not access this site, and as I was incredibly busy, perhaps this was not such a huge oversight on my part?
I am combining last week and this week's class in one article as they were mainly about vocabulary. The discussion from the second half of last week can be found in the article simply called "William Shakespeare."
The lesson on 22/04 was all about household cleaning. Quite a few of you looked as though you were quite bored with the topic and I don't blame you - cleaning IS boring. I hate the chore myself and the only way I get through it is by turning some good ole Rock n'Roll up really loudly and singing and/or bopping[moving to the music] along with it!
However, I have explained to you twice now that this was one of the things that the University in Sweden complained about: Chinese students were not being clean in their habits. Now, I don't know about you, but I, personally, would be hugely[ very big;very much] embarrassed if other people considered not just me, but people from my country, to be dirty. Because, let's face it - the opposite of 'clean' is 'dirty' so if students are not being clean they are being dirty, right?
All over the world, in hostels, apartments, dormitories, houses etc. where people have to share living arrangements, the number one complaint that can make people really angry and cause them to fight with others, is when someone leaves either the kitchen or the bathroom in a bad state. EVERYONE hates cleaning, but its a part of our lives that just has to be done.
In China kitchens are usually quite small and are usually just places where food is prepared. In other countries the kitchens are bigger and are traditionally considered to be the heart of the household. They are where everyone gathers together, where babies and small children play, where we often eat, do our homework, entertain guests, listen to music, write letters, discuss our problems and, yeah, where we cook as well. A dirty kitchen prevents us doing all these things and is, of course not just a hazard to our own health, but to that of everyone who uses the place as well.
A lot of Chinese food is cooked in a wok or a frying pan and so it is inevitable [something that can't be prevented; certain] that oil or fat is going to splatter [get splashed around], bits of food fall out and things spill. However, a quick wipe down of the stove and the benches with hot water while the fat or food is still hot immediately cleans it up.
Then, after we have finished washing up our cups and bowls etc. a clean wet sponge dipped in hot, soapy water, makes things sparkling again, while a wipe with disinfectant kills all germs. The wok or frying pan often has to be scrubbed with a scourer and hot water to get rid of cold oil and fat - just using cold water will neither clean it nor get rid of decaying traces of food which cause germs and illness. People are gonna get mad [angry] if you don't do this.
Outside of China people don't fry things as much - there are other uses for pans and woks. Things are simmered in sauces, or poached or prepared in different ways, so an oily, greasy pan cannot be used. Also kitchen benches [the counter tops where food is prepared] are used to write things, to put things down on - even sometimes to sit on - so if you haven't wiped up and cleaned them after you and someones homework assignment or jeans or clean washing get food or oil stains on ...you are going to be very unpopular!
I have lived in China, teaching students, for three years and have come to learn that children and young people in many families are not encouraged or taught to do housework. And that boys and men are often not expected to do these things. However, you will be living in a different society where no-one will know how things are done in your home. They will expect you to know how to do these things. Even if you told them you have never done this stuff before they would not be sympathetic. Cleaning is just something that has to be done. Remember how I keep saying no-one will think of you as children? They won't. They will consider you an adult and, if you can learn how to speak English or do mathematics etc. they will expect you are capable of learning how to clean.
The other place where people will not accept uncleanliness are the toilets and bathrooms. These are the biggest sources of germs and illnesses if left dirty - and no-one wants another person's germs.
Outside of China all toilet paper gets flushed away down the toilet. People will be horrified if you throw used toilet paper or tissues in a bin. It is also completely unacceptable for women to throw away used sanitary napkins in a bin without wrapping them up in toilet paper or a small bag. Tampons are flushed down the toilet. If you are throwing such items in a bin in the bathroom make sure it is emptied EVERY DAY. NEVER throw them in the kitchen rubbish bin.
(Last summer I was working in Cambridge in England where two Chinese students - who had not been told this - threw both used toilet paper and used, unwrapped sanitary napkins into the bin in the bathrooms. All the other students were outraged and refused to even go into the bathrooms; while several rang their parents and asked to be allowed to leave!)
If the toilet is dirty after you have used it the CLEAN IT. There will always be a toilet brush next to the toilet. Use it. When it is your turn to clean the toilet or, if you have your own toilet, use toilet cleaner: spray or squeeze it into the toilet bowl, use the brush to scrub inside the toilet, as far down the pipe as you can reach and underneath the rim(the part where the water comes down from when it flushes. Then wipe the toilet seat, toilet seat cover, the handle for flushing AND THE DOORKNOB with disinfectant. These are all places which are touched before people leave the toilet to wash their hands and germs all live and multiply there. Also, always clean the floor at the same time with hot water and disinfectant. There should not be any smell whatsoever in a toilet - unless you leave a sweet-smelling deodorizer in there. I personally disinfect the toilet seats, handles etc. every day in my own house but if that is too much at least make sure its done every couple of days. A proper cleaning once a week is also needed.
Showers also need cleaning once a week - if you take a bath it should be cleaned each time after you have used it yourself - someone who is dreaming of a long, relaxing bath and walks in to find someone elses hair, dirt marks, used soap etc. in there is going to get very, very cross[annoyed]. If you share a bathroom be considerate: - don't leave your shampoo, conditioner etc. spread out all over the place; hang the bath/shower mat up after you have used it; if you have made the floor wet dry it before the next person comes in. Don't leave toothpaste all over the hand washing basin. Clean the bathroom once a week.
If you are sharing a bathroom don't take too long. Half hour showers are considered a waste of the planets water resources. They are also inconsiderate if others need to use the bathroom.
Remember: there will be no shortage of hot water so use it for cleaning. Cold water does not kill germs or dissolve dirt and oil or grease.(If there does happen to be a shortage of hot water then boil some on the stove).
Cleaning Vocabulary:
Broom - for sweeping the floor
Vacuum cleaner/hoover - the machine for cleaning carpets
brush and shovel - the small brush and pan you sweep the dirt into after using the broom
duster - cloth for wiping away dust
polish - liquid or spray for preserving[keeping in good condition] and shining furniture
dish cloth - cloth or sponge to wash plates, cups etc. clean
bucket - container for water
disinfectant - liquid to kill germs
bleach - very strong germ killer - also to keep clothes white
washing up liquid - to put in the water when we wash dishes
tea towel - a large cotton cloth for drying dishes after they have been washed
draining board - the place next to the sink where we stack dirty dishes or put clean ones after washing
drainer - a wire or wooden rack we put dishes into to dry
mop - the sponge or cotton on a long handle for washing floors
cutlery - the collective name given to knives, forks and spoons
scourer - a strong, coarse cloth or metal used to get rid of heavy dirt or grease
mould - the green slime that can grow between bathroom tiles or floors if not cleaned
pegs - plastic or wooden things used to pin our washing to the line to dry
deodorizer - a block or jar of sweet smelling stuff to make a room smell sweet
bin - container where we throw rubbish
Clothes Vocabulary (Remember it is clothes, not Clotheses)
top - anything (shirt, blouse,jumper) worn on top of a skirt or jeans/pants. WOMEN ONLY
jumper - made of knitted wool or cotton to keep us warm
short-sleeved jumper - a light jumper with sleeves only above the elbow
t.shirt - made of cotton with a round neck
polo shirt - made of t.shirt material but with a collar (and often a top pocket)
blouse - a woman's top with buttons
shirt - a man's or woman's top with a collar, buttons and cuffs on the sleeves
jacket - worn over a shirt, blouse, t.shirt etc.
hoody - a loose jacket with a sort of hat attached to the back
jeans - pants made of denim
track-suit pants (tracky daks)- loose pants (usually with a stripe down sides)
jocks - short, tight underpants
boxers - loose underpants with legs - like Boxers wear
pants - trousers
underpants - what men wear under their pants
knickers - women's underpants
bra - what women wear over their boobs
petticoat - worn under a dress or skirt to keep warm or because you can see through the dress
underwear - anything worn under our clothes i.e. knickers, jocks, bra, petticoat etc.
stockings- women wear one on each leg instead of sox
tights - like stockings, but also like tight pants
nightie - a kind of loose dress we wear to bed
pyjamas (p.j.'s) - loose pants and shirt worn to bed
dressing gown - worn over nightclothes
suit - matching jacket and trousers or skirt
tie - worn around our neck, often with a suit
scarf - woolen material wrapped round our necks and face in winter
shawl - worn by women around their shoulders
trainers - running shoes, "sport shoes"
boots - shoes that come up past our ankles, calves, knees - usually in winter
high heels - women's formal shoes with very high heels
sox - worn with shoes
toe-sox - sox with a separate piece for each toe
stripes - lines going across(vertical) or up and down (horizontal)
checks - intersecting vertical and horizontal stripes
spots - small round dots
polka dots - mixture of small dot and large dots
multi-coloured - a whole lot of different colours in a pattern that is not checked or striped
mauve - light purple
button - round plastic or wooden things to fasten our shirts, coats together or as decoration
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment