HSK 2 · Story · 154 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/chinese-opposites-hot-or-cold

姐姐说热，妹妹说冷

Hot or cold? Chinese opposites

Name: ________________ Date: ________

我wǒ有yǒu两liǎng个gè女儿nǚ’ér。姐姐jiějie八bā岁suì，妹妹mèimei六liù岁suì。她们tāmen什么shénme都dōu不bù一样yíyàng。

早上zǎoshang，姐姐jiějie说shuō：“今天jīntiān好hǎo热rè！”妹妹mèimei说shuō：“今天jīntiān好hǎo冷lěng！”

我们wǒmen去qù买mǎi早饭zǎofàn。姐姐jiějie要yào大dà包子bāozi，妹妹mèimei要yào小xiǎo包子bāozi。

回家huíjiā的de路上lùshang，姐姐jiějie走zǒu得de很hěn快kuài，妹妹mèimei走zǒu得de很hěn慢màn。我wǒ在zài中间zhōngjiān，左边zuǒbiān看看kànkan，右边yòubiān看看kànkan。

晚上wǎnshang，我们wǒmen吃chī米饭mǐfàn。姐姐jiějie看kàn了le看kàn说shuō：“米饭mǐfàn太tài多duō了le！”妹妹mèimei看kàn了le看kàn说shuō：“米饭mǐfàn太tài少shǎo了le！”

我wǒ累lèi了le。我wǒ问wèn她们tāmen：“你们nǐmen两liǎng个gè，有没有yǒuméiyǒu一样yíyàng的de时候shíhou？”

姐姐jiějie和hé妹妹mèimei一起yìqǐ说shuō：“没有méiyǒu！”

我wǒ笑xiào了le。“你们nǐmen看kàn，这次zhècì一样yíyàng了le！”

Key words

WordPinyinMeaning
女儿nǚ’érdaughter
姐姐jiějieolder sister
八bāeight
岁suìyears old; year (of age)
妹妹mèimeiyounger sister
六liùsix
早上zǎoshangmorning
说shuōto speak; to say
今天jīntiāntoday
好hǎogood; nice
热rèhot; to warm up; to heat up; heat
冷lěngcold

English (for the teacher)

I have two daughters. The older one is eight, and the younger one is six. They are different in every way.

In the morning, the older one says, “It’s so hot today!” The younger one says, “It’s so cold today!”

We go out to buy breakfast. The older one wants a big steamed bun; the younger one wants a small one.

On the way home, the older one walks very fast and the younger one walks very slowly. I’m in the middle, looking left, then looking right.

In the evening, we have rice. The older one takes a look and says, “That’s too much rice!” The younger one takes a look and says, “That’s too little rice!”

I’m tired. I ask them, “You two, is there ever a time you’re the same?”

The two sisters say together, “Never!”

I laugh. “Look! This time you’re the same!”