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Every reading sits at the level where most of its words are taught
131 readings
Story · 2 min audio曹冲称象How Cao Chong weighed an elephantCao Cao is given an elephant and wants to know how heavy it is. Nobody has a scale that big, except, it turns out, a small boy with a boat.HSK 3
Story · 2 min audio愚公移山The foolish old man who moved the mountainsTwo huge mountains block an old man’s front door. He is nearly ninety, and he decides to dig them away.HSK 3
Story · 1 min audio司马光砸缸Sima Guang smashes the water jarA boy falls into a giant water jar and everyone else runs. Seven-year-old Sima Guang picks up a rock.HSK 3
Story · 1 min audio刻舟求剑Marking the boat to find a lost swordA man drops his favourite sword into a river. No problem: he makes a mark on the boat where it fell.HSK 3
Story · 1 min audio拔苗助长Pulling up seedlings to help them growA farmer thinks his crop is growing too slowly. So he spends a whole day helping it.HSK 3
Story · 1 min audio四杯咖啡How to order coffee in Chinese (and get four)Her first morning in Beijing. One sentence, practised all the way to the café. Then the girl at the counter starts asking questions.HSK 1
Story · 1 min audio比爸爸还大My pet is older than my dadShow-and-tell day. The class must guess his pet: not big, not small, very slow, sleeps all winter. And it is older than his dad.HSK 1
Story · 1 min audio吃不完的饭A Chinese family dinner that never endsHer boyfriend's first dinner with her family. Grandma, Mum and Dad keep filling his bowl. He doesn't know the rule.HSK 1
Story · 1 min audio家里的公园A rainy Sunday at home: the park in the living roomThe whole family planned a day in the park. Then it rains. So Dad brings the park inside.HSK 1
Story · 1 min audio明年还能穿New clothes in Chinese: one size too bigA first day at school in new clothes, all a size too big, because Mum says “you can still wear them next year”. A year later they fit. Then Mum goes shopping again.HSK 1
Story · 1 min audio我饿了How to say I'm hungry in ChineseA five-year-old learns three magic words. Grandma gives an egg, Mum an apple, the neighbour cake. Then his baby sister says her first word.HSK 1
Story · 1 min audio你周末做什么了？What did you do at the weekend? (in Chinese)Monday morning. A colleague asks about her weekend, and she has a busy answer ready. He has a better one.HSK 1
