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HSK 3 · Chapter 5 · 823 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/a-thousand-li-alone-three-kingdoms-easy-chinese-5

千里走单骑

A Thousand Li Alone

Name: ________________ Date: ________

刘备liúbèi终于zhōngyú找到zhǎodào机会jīhuì，带dài着zhe人rén离开líkāi了le许昌xǔchāng。曹操cáocāo知道zhīdào以后yǐhòu，非常fēicháng生气shēngqì，带dài着zhe很hěn多duō人rén来lái打dǎ他tā。刘备liúbèi打dǎ不bù赢yíng曹操cáocāo，三sān兄弟xiōngdì一下子yíxiàzi就jiù分开fēnkāi了le：刘备liúbèi跑pǎo到dào了le袁绍yuánshào那里nàlǐ；张飞zhāngfēi不bù知道zhīdào去qù了le哪儿nǎr；关羽guānyǔ要yào保护bǎohù刘备liúbèi的de两liǎng位wèi夫人fūrén，可是kěshì他tā被bèi曹操cáocāo的de人rén骗piàn到dào了le外面wàimiàn的de一yí座zuò小山xiǎoshān上shàng，回不去huíbuqù了le。

曹操cáocāo很hěn喜欢xǐhuan关羽guānyǔ，不想bùxiǎng杀shā他tā，就jiù让ràng关羽guānyǔ的de老朋友lǎopéngyou张辽去qù和hé他tā说shuō。张辽说shuō：“你nǐ死sǐ在zài这里zhèlǐ，刘备liúbèi的de两liǎng位wèi夫人fūrén怎么办zěnmebàn？”

关羽guānyǔ想xiǎng了le很hěn久jiǔ，说shuō：“好hǎo。可是kěshì我wǒ有yǒu三sān个gè条件tiáojiàn。第一dìyī，我wǒ只是zhǐshì给gěi汉朝hàncháo的de皇帝huángdì做事zuòshì，不是búshì给gěi曹操cáocāo做事zuòshì。第二dì’èr，谁shéi也yě不能bùnéng去qù打扰dárǎo我wǒ的de两liǎng个gè嫂子sǎozi。第三dìsān，只要zhǐyào我wǒ知道zhīdào大哥dàgē在zài哪儿nǎr，不管bùguǎn多duō远yuǎn，我wǒ马上mǎshàng就jiù走zǒu。”

曹操cáocāo听tīng了le，说shuō：“前qián两liǎng个gè都dōu可以kéyǐ。可是kěshì第dì三sān个gè……那nà我wǒ对duì他tā这么zhème好hǎo，有yǒu什么shénme用yòng？”张辽说shuō：“刘备liúbèi对duì关羽guānyǔ好hǎo，您nín对duì他tā更gèng好hǎo，他tā还hái会huì走zǒu吗ma？”曹操cáocāo想xiǎng了le想xiǎng，就jiù答应dāying了le。

关羽guānyǔ来到láidào了le许昌xǔchāng。曹操cáocāo对duì他tā非常fēicháng好hǎo：三sān天tiān请qǐng他tā喝hē一次yícì酒jiǔ，五wǔ天tiān请qǐng他tā吃chī一次yícì大餐dàcān，还hái送给sònggěi他tā很hěn多duō钱qián和hé美女méinǚ。可是kěshì关羽guānyǔ一点yìdiǎn也yě不bù高兴gāoxìng。

有yǒu一yì天tiān，曹操cáocāo看见kànjiàn关羽guānyǔ骑qí的de马mǎ很hěn瘦shòu，就jiù把bǎ一yì匹pǐ好hǎo马mǎ送给sònggěi了le他tā。这zhè匹pǐ马mǎ是shì红色hóngsè的de，叫jiào赤兔chìtù马mǎ，吕布lǚbù以前yǐqián就jiù骑qí过guo它tā。关羽guānyǔ非常fēicháng高兴gāoxìng，马上mǎshàng向xiàng曹操cáocāo拜bài了le两liǎng次cì。曹操cáocāo有点yóudiǎn不bù高兴gāoxìng：“我wǒ送sòng你nǐ那么nàme多duō钱qián，你nǐ也yě没méi这么zhème高兴gāoxìng。一yì匹pǐ马mǎ，怎么zěnme就jiù让ràng你nǐ这么zhème高兴gāoxìng？”关羽guānyǔ说shuō：“赤兔马一yì天tiān能néng跑pǎo一千yìqiān里lǐ。以后yǐhòu知道zhīdào了le大哥dàgē在zài哪儿nǎr，我wǒ一yì天tiān就jiù能néng见到jiàndào他tā！”曹操cáocāo听tīng了le，心里xīnlǐ非常fēicháng后悔hòuhuǐ。

关羽guānyǔ不想bùxiǎng拿ná了le曹操cáocāo的de东西dōngxi就jiù走zǒu。这时候zhèshíhou，袁绍yuánshào的de大将dàjiàng颜良来lái打dǎ曹操cáocāo。在zài一个yígè叫jiào白马báimǎ的de地方dìfang，颜良已经yǐjīng杀shā了le曹操cáocāo的de两liǎng个gè大将dàjiàng，谁shéi也yě不bù敢gǎn再zài出去chūqù了le。关羽guānyǔ骑qí上shàng赤兔马，一直yìzhí跑pǎo到dào颜良面前miànqián，一刀yìdāo就jiù把bǎ颜良杀shā了le。

没méi过guò多久duōjiǔ，关羽guānyǔ终于zhōngyú听说tīngshuō：大哥dàgē刘备liúbèi在zài袁绍yuánshào那里nàlǐ！他tā马上mǎshàng去qù找zhǎo曹操cáocāo，想xiǎng跟gēn他tā说shuō再见zàijiàn。可是kěshì曹操cáocāo不想bùxiǎng见jiàn他tā，在zài门口ménkǒu挂guà了le一yí块kuài牌子páizi，上面shàngmiàn写xiě着zhe：“不见bújiàn人rén”。关羽guānyǔ去qù了le几jǐ次cì，都dōu见不到jiànbudào曹操cáocāo。

最后zuìhòu，关羽guānyǔ把bǎ曹操cáocāo送给sònggěi他tā的de钱qián和hé东西dōngxi都dōu放fàng好hǎo，一样yíyàng也yě不bú带走dàizǒu，又yòu把bǎ官印guānyìn挂guà了le起来qǐlái，带dài着zhe两liǎng位wèi夫人fūrén就jiù走zǒu了le。曹操cáocāo的de人rén想xiǎng去qù把bǎ他tā追zhuī回来huílai，曹操cáocāo说shuō：“他tā没有méiyǒu忘wàng了le刘备liúbèi。来lái的de时候shíhou，他tā把bǎ话huà说shuō得de很hěn清楚qīngchu；走zǒu的de时候shíhou，也yě说shuō得de很hěn清楚qīngchu。这zhè是shì个gè真zhēn男人nánrén。让ràng他tā走zǒu吧ba。”

可是kěshì，关羽guānyǔ手里shǒuli没有méiyǒu曹操cáocāo写xiě的de信xìn，路上lùshang的de五wǔ个gè关口guānkǒu都dōu不bú让ràng他tā过去guòqù。关羽guānyǔ就jiù一路yílù杀shā了le过去guòqu：过guò了le五wǔ个gè关口guānkǒu，杀shā了le六liù个gè将军jiāngjūn。这zhè就是jiùshì有名yǒumíng的de“过五关斩六将guòwǔguānzhǎnliùjiàng”。

后来hòulái，关羽guānyǔ听说tīngshuō，三sān弟dì张飞zhāngfēi就jiù在zài前面qiánmiàn的de古城gǔchéng里li。他tā高兴gāoxìng得de不得了bùdeliǎo，马上mǎshàng让ràng人rén去qù告诉gàosu张飞zhāngfēi。可是kěshì张飞zhāngfēi一yì听tīng，拿起náqǐ丈八蛇矛zhàngbā-shémáo，骑qí上马shàngmǎ就jiù跑pǎo出chū了le城chéng——他tā要yào杀shā的de人rén，正是zhèngshì二哥èrgē关羽guānyǔ！

Key words

WordPinyinMeaning
终于zhōngyúfinally; at last
机会jīhuìopportunity; chance
离开líkāito leave; to depart; to go away from
以后yǐhòulater; afterwards; in the future
生气shēngqìto get angry; to be mad
带dàito bring; to take; to carry
分开fēnkāito separate; to part
可是kěshìbut; however
怎么办zěnmebànwhat to do; what should one do
久jiǔlong (time)
只是zhǐshìmerely; just; only
只要zhǐyàoas long as; provided that; if only

Lesson plan: 45 minutes (for the teacher)

HSK 3 · A Thousand Li Alone. By the end, students can read it aloud, say what it is about and use 终于 and 机会 in sentences of their own.

  1. Warm-up 5 min

    Write 千里走单骑 on the board. Ask what the class thinks it is about, then give the English: “A Thousand Li Alone”.

  2. Key words 10 min

    Teach 终于 (zhōngyú, finally; at last), 机会 (jīhuì, opportunity; chance), 离开 (líkāi, to leave; to depart; to go away from), 以后 (yǐhòu, later; afterwards; in the future), 生气 (shēngqì, to get angry; to be mad), 带 (dài, to bring; to take; to carry). Say each one, the class says it back, then ask for its meaning with the word covered. The rest are in the handout’s table.

  3. Listen 10 min

    Play it read aloud from mandarinthewild.com/library/read/a-thousand-li-alone-three-kingdoms-easy-chinese-5: once with the text face down, once reading along. Students tap any word there for its meaning.

  4. Read and check 10 min

    Students read it alone, then tell a partner in two sentences of Chinese what it says.

  5. Use it 10 min

    In pairs, each student writes two sentences of their own, one with 终于 and one with 机会, and reads one to the class.

Homework. Students read it again at home and Review its words. Put it in a free class (mandarinthewild.com/teachers/class) and you see who read it.

English (for the teacher)

At last Liu Bei found his chance and left Xuchang with his men. When Cao Cao found out, he was furious and came after him with a great army. Liu Bei could not beat Cao Cao, and in no time the three brothers were scattered: Liu Bei fled to Yuan Shao; nobody knew where Zhang Fei had gone; and Guan Yu, who had to protect Liu Bei's two wives, was tricked by Cao Cao's men onto a small hill outside and could not get back.

Cao Cao admired Guan Yu and did not want to kill him, so he sent Guan Yu's old friend Zhang Liao to talk to him. Zhang Liao said: "If you die here, what will become of Liu Bei's two wives?"

Guan Yu thought for a long time and said: "Very well. But I have three conditions. First, I serve the emperor of the Han, not Cao Cao. Second, no one may trouble my two sisters-in-law. Third, the moment I learn where my eldest brother is, however far away, I leave at once."

Cao Cao heard them and said: "The first two are fine. But the third... Then what's the use of treating him so well?" Zhang Liao said: "Liu Bei is good to Guan Yu. If you are even better to him, will he still leave?" Cao Cao thought it over and agreed.

Guan Yu came to Xuchang. Cao Cao treated him wonderfully: wine every three days, a grand feast every five, and gifts of money and beautiful women besides. But none of it made Guan Yu happy.

One day Cao Cao saw that Guan Yu's horse was very thin, so he gave him a fine horse. The horse was red, and it was called Red Hare: Lü Bu used to ride it. Guan Yu was overjoyed and at once bowed to Cao Cao twice. Cao Cao was not pleased: "I gave you all that money and you were never this happy. Why does one horse make you so happy?" Guan Yu said: "Red Hare can run a thousand li in a day. When I learn where my brother is, I can reach him in a single day!" When Cao Cao heard this, he bitterly regretted it.

Guan Yu did not want to take Cao Cao's gifts and simply walk away. Just then, Yuan Shao's great general Yan Liang came to attack Cao Cao. At a place called Baima, Yan Liang had already killed two of Cao Cao's generals, and no one dared to go out again. Guan Yu mounted Red Hare, rode straight up to Yan Liang, and killed him with one stroke of his blade.

Not long after, Guan Yu finally heard: his brother Liu Bei was with Yuan Shao! At once he went to see Cao Cao to say goodbye. But Cao Cao did not want to see him, and hung a sign on his gate that said: "Not seeing anyone." Guan Yu went several times and never got to see him.

In the end Guan Yu packed away all the money and things Cao Cao had given him, took not a single one, hung up his seal of office, and left with the two ladies. Cao Cao's men wanted to go after him and bring him back, but Cao Cao said: "He hasn't forgotten Liu Bei. He was open with me when he came, and he has been open with me as he goes. He's a real man. Let him go."

But Guan Yu carried no letter from Cao Cao, and none of the five passes on his road would let him through. So Guan Yu fought his way through: he passed five passes and killed six generals. That is the famous "five passes, six generals slain".

Later, Guan Yu heard that his third brother Zhang Fei was in the Old City just ahead. He was overjoyed and at once sent word to Zhang Fei. But when Zhang Fei heard, he snatched up his Serpent Spear, leapt onto his horse and rode out of the city; the man he meant to kill was his own second brother, Guan Yu!