Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Lost in Translation: Chinese Food in China

On my most recent trip to Beijing, I encountered some interesting food. Not so dissimilar from goofy Chinese translations of made-up English dishes on restaurants in America serving non-authentic Chinese food, one Chinese restaurant (specializing in Peking duck) had some pretty hilarious translations of its own on its enormous menu. I have compiled a greatest hits list here. All are equally delicious and ridiculous sounding.

1. Marijuana Fish - I have no idea what this means, and would love for someone to tell me. All I know is that they only prepare their marijuana fish one way, though. Smoked.

Marijuana Fish



2. The Trademark Tickle Box - Given that the waiters were wearing masks, ordering the trademark tickle box was too risky for me.

Trademark Tickle Box

3. Pimple Soup - This is the only one for which the translation comes even close to making sense because of the texture of the soup.

Pimple Soup



4. Amorous Feelings of Beef Tendon - Despite my hope that these were cow testicles of some sort, they were actually the Achilles-equivalent of a cow. This was fairly disappointing.

Amorous Feelings of Beef Tendon
I feel like if I looked on Urban Dictionary, I would find much more entertaining descriptions of these menu items.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Attacking the GMAT

Make a plan and stick to that plan. You need to plan properly in order to succeed on this test, especially given the likelihood that you will be working full time in the period in which you are studying. You don't need to have spectacular math skills or a particularly high IQ to master this test. It's about preparation and dedication. Make sure to make the GMAT a priority, and you will be pleased with the results.

Remember, the test is learnable. You're not brushing up on your general math skills; you're learning how to answer GMAT-specific questions. These are learnable question-types for which you can triage your approach to mastering algebra and geometry.