to beat / to hit / variant of 考[kao3] / to inspect / to test / to take an exam
考
=
⺹
+
丂
:
Karl Marx (k) has to take an exam (考) in the artoa's living room (ao3). It is very difficult for him because he has to wear a breathing mask (丂) due to the open fire, and he also has to wear a huge crown (⺹) which makes it difficult for him to see the exam papers.
within / among / in / middle / center / while (doing sth) / during / (dialect) OK / all right
中
=
丨
+
口
:
Mnemonic symbol: a dart board, because you always try to hit the center.
Julian Giant Squid (zhu-) is throwing dinosaur bones (丨) as darts on a dart board in front of the engine ((e)ng1). To make it a bit more difficult he's throwing mandarins (口) into the air as well and skewers them up right in the center (中 is a mandarin skewered on a dinosaur bone) in mid flight with the dinosaur bones. He's still able to consistently hit the center (中) of the dart board.