Where did you live before you came to Beijing?

你在来北京之前住在哪里？

A Where did you live before you came to Beijing?

A 你在来北京之前住在哪里？

B In Harbin. I was born and grew up in Harbin.

B 住在哈尔滨。我在哈尔滨出生、长大。

A Ah, I know Harbin. It’s cold there!

A 啊，我知道哈尔滨。那里很冷！

B Yes, it can be very cold, especially in winter. Anyway, then I left Harbin and moved to Beijing.

B 是的，那里很冷，尤其是在冬天。无论如何，后来我离开了哈尔滨，搬到了北京。

A Was it a big change for you when you came to Beijing?

A 来到北京对你是个大变化吗？

B Yes – apart from the weather, Harbin was a smaller city. I still miss Harbin, but Beijing is more exciting.

B 是的——除了天气以外，哈尔滨比北京小。我仍然想念哈尔滨，但是北京更让人激动。

Notes注释

1 When you talk about where you were born, and where you spent your childhood, you can say I was born and grew up in . . . / I was born and grew up in . . .

当你谈论你在哪里出生和在哪里度过童年时，你可以说I was born and grew up in . . . /我在. . .出生、长大。

2 Again, remember to use the past forms of verbs when you talk about the past, e.g. I left Harbin and moved to Beijing / I left Harbin and moved to Beijing.

再次提醒你，在谈论过去的事情时记得使用动词的过去式。例如I left Harbin and moved to Beijing / 我离开了哈尔滨，搬到了北京。

3 Remember still / still when you talk about something that is continuing, e.g. I live in Beijing now but I still miss Harbin / I live in Beijing now but I still miss Harbin.

记住当你谈论某件持续发生的事情时用still /仍然。例如I live in Beijing now but I still miss Harbin /我现在住在北京，但是我仍然想念哈尔滨。

Key phrases and sentences

Where did you live before you came to Beijing?

In Harbin. I was born and grew up in Harbin.

Ah, I know Harbin. It’s cold there!

Yes, it can be very cold, especially in winter.

Anyway, then I left Harbin and

moved to Beijing.

Was it a big change for you when

you came to Beijing?

Yes – apart from the weather,

Harbin was a smaller city.

I still miss Harbin, but Beijing is

more exciting.

你在来北京之前住在哪里？

住在哈尔滨。我在哈尔滨出生、长大。

啊，我知道哈尔滨。那里很冷！

是的，那里很冷，尤其是在冬天。

无论如何，后来我离开了哈尔滨，

搬到了北京。

来到北京对你是个大变化吗？

是的——除了天气以外，哈尔滨比北京小。

我仍然想念哈尔滨，但是北京更让人激动。