@jmainardi,I don't think ordinary people changed the way they treat foreigners. In general, Chinese people are polite and friendly to foreigners, and willing to help or make conversations with foreigners (who are polite and friendly too). However, to those foreigners who are low-class, people are less and less tolerant. Here is a recently news of a Russian cellist pissing Chinese people off by insulting a female passenger on the train: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-05/18/content_15335485.htm--Echoecho@popupchinese.com
@seamus5,It's "I wish sth good could have happened, but it didn't". For instance, 要是他在就好了 (but he is not here), or 要是他不去美国就好了（but he went to the US）.--Echoecho@popupchinese.com
@mtpastille,Hahaha, this lesson is also one of my favorites... 真后悔啊... hahahhaha....--Echoecho@popupchinese.com
@cb577,Be careful when you use 想: if you use it alone, it only means to think, like 我想他今天不来 (I think he won't come today). If you want to say to wish or to want, you have to add another verb behind 想. For example, you can't say 我想苹果, you have to say 我想吃苹果 (I want to eat an apple) or 我想要苹果 (I want apples).And as Amber said, 要 is more straight and forceful than 想 + verb.--Echoecho@popupchinese.com