Beginner Level 初级 (chūjí)
The answer to the test is B.
Nǐ dǎsuàn zěnme guò Qíngrénjié ya?
Tom: 你打算 怎么 过 情人节 呀？
How will you spend your Valentine’s Day?
Wǒ dàoshì xiǎng guò ne, kě méi rén gēn wǒ guò a.
Mike: 我倒是 想 过 呢，可 没 人 跟 我 过 啊。
I wanted to celebrate Valentine’s Day, but I have nobody to celebrate with me.
Analysis:
The character “倒 (dào)” in Chinese literally means “upside down,” and “是 (shì)” refers to “be (am, is, are).” The phrase “倒是 (dàoshì)” indicates being opposite of the stated fact or thought. In this conversation, Mike wished he could have spent Valentine’s Day with his girlfriend, but in fact, his girlfriend broke up with him. He had nobody to be with on that day.
Example:
Amy zhè jǐ tiān bù gāoxìng, tā zěnme le?
Lucy: Amy 这 几天 不 高兴， 她 怎么 了？
Amy seems unhappy lately; what’s wrong with her?
Wǒ dàoshì xiǎng zhīdào, kěshì tā bú gàosù wǒ ya.
Lily: 我 倒是 想 知道， 可是 她不 告诉 我 呀。
I really want to know, but she won’t tell me.