HSK 3 · Story · 286 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/chinese-tea-house-the-metre-long-teapot

一米长的茶壶

At a Chinese tea house: the metre-long teapot

Name: ________________ Date: ________

马克mǎkè第一次dìyīcì来lái成都chéngdū。他tā的de朋友péngyǒu小周xiǎozhōu说shuō：“来lái成都chéngdū，一定yídìng要yào去qù茶馆cháguǎn。”

茶馆cháguǎn在zài一yí个gè公园gōngyuán里，人rén很hěn多duō。有人yǒurén在zài喝茶hēchá，有人yǒurén在zài聊天liáotiān，还有háiyǒu人rén在zài打牌dǎpái。

他们tāmen坐下zuòxià以后yǐhòu，一yí个gè服务员fúwùyuán走zǒu到dào他们tāmen的de桌子zhuōzi前qián。他tā拿ná着zhe一yí个gè茶壶cháhú。这zhè个gè茶壶cháhú很hěn特别tèbié，壶hú嘴zuǐ有yǒu一yì米mǐ长cháng。

他tā站zhàn得de很hěn远yuǎn。马克mǎkè想xiǎng：“这么zhème远yuǎn，他tā能néng倒dào进jìn杯子bēizi里吗ma？”

马克mǎkè想xiǎng帮忙bāngmáng，就jiù拿起náqǐ杯子bēizi，往wǎng服务员fúwùyuán那边nàbiān送sòng。

小周马上mǎshàng说shuō：“别动biédòng！”

可是kěshì已经yǐjīng晚wǎn了le。水shuǐ已经yǐjīng从cóng壶hú嘴zuǐ里出来chūlái了le。马克mǎkè的de杯子bēizi动dòng，水shuǐ也yě跟着gēnzhe动dòng。最后zuìhòu，杯子bēizi满mǎn了le，桌子zhuōzi上shàng一点儿yìdiǎnr水shuǐ也yě没有méiyǒu。

旁边pángbiān的de人rén都dōu鼓掌gúzhǎng了le。服务员fúwùyuán笑xiào着zhe说shuō：“你nǐ的de手shǒu真zhēn稳wěn。”

马克mǎkè也yě笑xiào了le：“不bú不bù，是shì你nǐ的de手shǒu稳wěn。”

喝hē完wán茶chá，马克mǎkè问wèn他tā：“我wǒ能néng试试shìshi吗ma？”

服务员fúwùyuán笑xiào了le笑xiào，给gěi了le他tā茶壶cháhú。马克mǎkè也yě站zhàn得de很hěn远yuǎn，也yě拿ná得de很hěn高gāo。

水shuǐ出来chūlái了le，都dōu到dào了le小周xiǎozhōu的de鞋xié上shàng。

小周叫jiào了le起来qǐlai。马克mǎkè不好意思bùhǎoyìsi地de看kàn着zhe服务员fúwùyuán。

服务员fúwùyuán说shuō：“没关系méiguānxi。这个zhège，我wǒ学xué了le三sān年nián。”

Key words

WordPinyinMeaning
走zǒuto go; to leave
拿náto take; to hold; to carry
长chánglong; length
站zhànstation; stop
远yuǎnfar; distant
帮忙bāngmángto help; to do a favor
送sòngto give (as a present)
动dòngto move
旁边pángbiānbeside; next to; nearby
笑xiàoto laugh; to smile
手shǒuhand
高gāohigh; tall

English (for the teacher)

It’s Mark’s first time in Chengdu. His friend Xiao Zhou says, “If you come to Chengdu, you have to go to a tea house.”

The tea house is in a park, and it’s packed. Some people are drinking tea, some are chatting, and some are playing cards.

After they sit down, a waiter comes up to their table. He’s carrying a teapot. It’s a very special teapot: the spout is a metre long.

He stands a long way off. Mark thinks, “From that far, can he really pour it into the cup?”

Mark wants to help, so he picks up his cup and holds it out towards the waiter.

Xiao Zhou says at once, “Don’t move!”

But it’s too late. The water is already coming out of the spout. Mark’s cup moves, and the water moves with it. In the end, the cup is full and there isn’t a drop on the table.

Everyone around them claps. The waiter smiles: “You’ve got steady hands.”

Mark laughs too: “No, no, you’ve got steady hands.”

When they’ve finished their tea, Mark asks him, “Can I have a go?”

The waiter smiles and hands him the teapot. Mark stands a long way off too, and holds it up high too.

Out comes the water, all over Xiao Zhou’s shoes.

Xiao Zhou yells. Mark looks at the waiter, embarrassed.

The waiter says, “Don’t worry. This took me three years to learn.”