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Beijing's battle to correct English-language signs before the 2008 Olympics has started.
By the end of the year, all public "WC" in the city will be called "toilets". In Western countries people
don't use "WC", because it is quite rude in English.
Road signs are also on the list. These signs will be changed into real English words. For example,
"Dong Chang' an Jie" will become "East Chang'an Avenue".
But there is still a question. What to do about menus? Thousands of tourists, athletes and reporters
will visit the city, and most of them can't speak Chinese or understand Chinese characters.
Now linguists (语言学家) are trying hard to translate popular Chinese dishes like "ants climbing the
tree" into good English.
Chinese children will be able to get a taste of adult working life in the Kids City. It will allow children
aged 5 to 10 to try out different jobs after it opens.
The world's first Kids City was opened in Mexico City in 1999. In 2006, Kids City opened its Tokyo
Park in Japan. It became an attraction to kids. Now it will begin in China. It will offer more than 50 jobs,
including pilots, doctors, police officers and lawyers. Inside the city, every kid would get a bank
account (账户) holding special money. And they can only spend the money in the park. They could
earn more money by working in different places. (written in 2007) |
