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Things that melt in this heat include chocolate, small children and your will-to-live. That's why you've

collapsed on a sofa at one of the small bars that crowd the waterways behind Jingshan Park. You've

just decided you like this neighborhood when your waitress appears wearing an outfit made entirely of

plastic. "What would you like," she asks with a genuine smile.

"Whatever you're selling," is the correct answer, but you don't say that because you're not at the Elementary level yet and haven't mastered the art of casual chit-chat. Thankfully, as a faithful listener of our

Absolute Beginner lessons here at Popup Chinese, you know enough Chinese to rummage through your

vocabulary in search for the measure word for bottle and the noun for beer. These you string together:

one + bottle + beer. Instant Chinese sentence.

You actually want about ten bottles of beer. But why rush it. Just keep ordering them one by one. And

keep smiling too. You'll be at the Elementary level soon enough, which is when these conversations get

a lot more complex and interesting too. So get studying and don't look back.