S: Wǒ shì Stuart.

M: We're still in the Yíhéyuán. Wǒmen hái zài Yíhéyuán.

S: We're going to take some photos, zhàoxiàng.

M: And learn some ways to describe position. Very useful.

S: Here goes. Mary and Jiànguò, Miss Zhang, Mr. Li, (where did they come from? Never mind. It's the magic of radio!) 玛丽, 建国, 张小姐, 李先生, 我们照相, 好不好? Wǒmen zhàoxiàng, hǎo bù hǎo?

M: Hǎo zhǔyi.

S: And you guys at home, try to pick out the words for 'stand', 'at the back' and 'at the front'.

M: 李先生，你比我们高。You stand at the back. 你站在后面 nǐ zhàn zài hòumiàn.

LXS: 好，我站在后面 hǎo, wǒ zhàn zài hòumiàn.

S: Jiànguó, you also stand at the back. 建国, 你也站在后面 nǐ yě zhàn zài hòumian.

M: Zhāng Xiǎojiě, we'll stand at the front. 我们站在前面 wǒmen zhàn zài qiánmian.

Mary: Stuart, where will you stand? Stuart, 你站在哪儿 nǐ zhàn zài nǎr?

S: I'll take the photo. 我来照相 wǒlái zhào xiàng. Someone's got to do it.

S: Hǎo! Now let's look at the new stuff. I said 玛丽, 建国, 张小姐, 李先生.

M: Zhāng Xiǎojiě. xiǎojiě, remember, means 'young lady' or ‘miss', Miss Zhang, Zhāng Xiǎojiě. And xiānshēng　means ‘man' or ‘Mr.' Mr. Li, Lǐ Xiānshēng.

S: Then I said: 我们照相, 好不好?

M: Wǒmen zhòoxiòng, hǒo bù hǎo? We'll take photos, ok? Wǒmen zhàoxiàng, hǎo buù hǎo?

S: And ML told Lǐ Xiānsheng he was taller than us.

M: 李先生，你比我们高。You stand at the back. 你站在后面

S: nǐ zhàn zài hòumian. 站 ZHAN zhàn, 4th tone, means 'to stand'. 在后面，hòu HOU hòu, means 'at the back' or 'behind'. It's the same hòu as in hòutiān, the 'day after tomorrow'. 面 MIAN miàn, here means 'face' or 'side'. We'll meet it a lot when learning position words. Hòumian, 'back' or 'rear'. Note that the miànin hòumian loses its full tone. It's not hòumiàn, it's hòumian.

M: You stand at the back, Nǐ zhàn zài hòumian. Say it everybody, nǐ zhàn zài hòumian, nǐ zhàn zài hòumian.

S: And then ML said -

M: Zhāng Xiǎojiě, wǒmen zhàn zài qiánmian.

S: 前面, 前QIAN qián, here means 'front'. It is the same qián as in qiántiān, the 'day before yesterday'. You stand in front, nǐ zhàn zài qiánmian. Say it, nǐ zhàn zài qiánmian.

S: Good. Now let's finish with a quick practice of the new stuff.

M: 我们要照相 wǒmen yào zhàoxiàng. 李先生，你站在后面 nǐ zhàn zài hòumian.

S: ML，玛丽，张小姐，你们站在前面 nǐmen zhàn zài qiánmian.

M: Stuart, 你站在哪儿 nǐ zhàn zài nǎr?

S: 我来照相 wǒ lái zhàoxiàng.

M: Good, he won't be in the picture.

S: Huh! I'm leaving!

M: Angry again! Never mind, he'll be ok next lesson. See you then!