“八一”是什么日子？
What is August 1 in China? Army Day explained
Name: ________________ Date: ________
在中国，八月一日有一个名字，叫“八一”。
这一天是中国军队的生日。一九二七年的八月一日，中国有了它。
八月一日，在军队工作的人可以休息半天。我们还要上班、上学，他们可以休息！
在他们的帽子上，你能看见两个字：“八一”。
你那里也有这一天吗？是几月几号？
Key words
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 在 | zài | to be present; to exist; to be alive |
| 中国 | zhōngguó | China |
| 有 | yǒu | to have; there is; there are |
| 一 | yí | one; a; an |
| 个 | gè | the general measure word for people and things |
| 名字 | míngzi | name |
| 叫 | jiào | to call; to shout; (of animals) to cry, bark |
| 这 | zhè | this; these |
| 是 | shì | is; am; are (links two things); yes |
| 的 | de | sentence-final 的: affirms the statement — "that is how it is" |
| 了 | le | sentence-final 了: change of state or new situation — "now", "already" |
| 它 | tā | it |
Questions
“八一”是什么日子？
What day is "Bayi"?
中国军队是哪一年有的？
In which year did the Chinese army come into being?
八月一日，在军队工作的人可以做什么？
On August 1st, what can people working in the army do?
Lesson plan: 45 minutes (for the teacher)
HSK 1 · What is August 1 in China? Army Day explained. By the end, students can read it aloud, say what it is about and use 在 and 中国 in sentences of their own.
Warm-up 5 min
Write “八一”是什么日子？ on the board. Ask what the class thinks it is about, then give the English: “What is August 1 in China? Army Day explained”.
Key words 10 min
Teach 在 (zài, to be present; to exist; to be alive), 中国 (zhōngguó, China), 有 (yǒu, to have; there is; there are), 一 (yí, one; a; an), 个 (gè, the general measure word for people and things), 名字 (míngzi, name). 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.
Listen 10 min
Play it read aloud from mandarinthewild.com/library/read/china-army-day-august-1: once with the text face down, once reading along. Students tap any word there for its meaning.
Read and check 10 min
Students read it alone, then answer the 3 questions on the handout. Go through them together; the answers and the line that proves each are on the teacher’s page.
Use it 10 min
In pairs, each student writes two sentences of their own, one with 在 and one with 中国, 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)
August 1 has a name in China: “Bayi” (“Eight-One”).
This day is the birthday of China’s army. China got its army on August 1, 1927.
On August 1, people who work in the army get half a day off. The rest of us still go to work and school, but they get to rest!
On their caps you can see two characters: “八一”.
Is there a day like this where you live? What date is it?
Answers
- B. 中国军队的生日: 这一天是中国军队的生日。
- A. 一九二七年: 一九二七年的八月一日，中国有了它。
- C. 休息半天: 八月一日，在军队工作的人可以休息半天。