Elementary Level 初级 (chūjí)
The correct answer to this test is B.
Translation:
Duìbuqǐ, wǒ chídào le.
Nate: 对不起，我 迟到 了。
I’m sorry, I’m late.
Nǐ zěnme huí shì a? Dì yī cì yuēhuì jiù chídào.
Ellen: 你 怎么 回 事啊？第一次 约会 就 迟到。
What’s up with you? You are late for our first date.
Gānggāng yì zhí zài dǔchē.
Nate: 刚刚 一 直 在 堵车。
I was in a traffic jam just now.
Analysis:
In the conversation above, the phrase “怎么回事 (zěnme huíshì)” means “what’s up” or “what happened,” and it shows that you care when you inquire about something. But if you add a modal particle, such as “啊 (a)” or “呀 (ya),” to the end of the phrase, then it has the meaning of taking someone to task.
Examples:
1.
Lily jīntiān qǐngjià zhùyuàn le.
Ben: Lily今天 请假 住院 了。
Lily is ill in the hospital.
Zěnme huí shì? Zuótiān bú shì hái hǎo hǎo de ma?
Mary: 怎么 回 事？昨天 不 是 还 好 好 的吗？
What’s the matter? She was fine yesterday, wasn’t she?
2.
Bà, zhècì kǎoshì wǒ méi jígé.
Son: 爸，这次 考试 我 没 及格。
Dad, I didn’t pass this test.
Nǐ zěnme huí shì a, měi cì dōu bù jígé.
Father: 你 怎么 回 事啊，每 次 都 不及格。
What’s wrong with you? Why do you fail every time?