HSK 3 · Story · 339 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/how-to-take-the-subway-in-china

地铁里的阿姨

How to take the subway in China

Name: ________________ Date: ________

马克mǎkè来lái中国zhōngguó一yí个gè星期xīngqī了le。今天jīntiān，他tā第一次dìyīcì一yí个gè人rén坐zuò地铁dìtiě。朋友péngyǒu小张xiǎozhāng请qǐng他tā去qù家里jiālǐ吃chī晚饭wǎnfàn，在zài电话diànhuà里li说shuō：“坐zuò二èr号hào线xiàn，到dào东门站下车xiàchē，换huàn五号线，再zài坐zuò三sān站zhàn。我wǒ在zàiB出口chūkǒu等děng你nǐ。”

下午xiàwǔ六liù点diǎn，地铁dìtiě里的de人rén非常fēicháng多duō。马克mǎkè站zhàn在zài车门chēmén旁边pángbiān，左边zuǒbiān是shì人rén，右边yòubiān也yě是shì人rén，他tā一yí动dòng也yě不能bùnéng动dòng。一个yígè阿姨āyí看kàn了le看kàn他tā，笑xiào着zhe问wèn：“你nǐ去qù哪儿nǎr？”

“我wǒ……东门dōngmén站zhàn，换huàn五wǔ号hào线xiàn。”

“我wǒ也yě去qù东门dōngmén。跟gēn我wǒ走zǒu吧ba。”

到dào了le东门dōngmén站zhàn，阿姨āyí带dài着zhe他tā下xià了le车chē，又yòu上shàng了le五号线。“你nǐ在zài哪nǎ站zhàn下车xiàchē？”“再zài坐zuò三sān站zhàn。”阿姨āyí说shuō：“我wǒ也yě是shì！”

下xià了le车chē，马克mǎkè看见kànjiàn了le四sì个gè出口chūkǒu：A、B、C、D。他tā先xiān走zǒu到dàoA出口chūkǒu，没有méiyǒu小张xiǎozhāng。他tā给gěi小张xiǎozhāng打电话dǎdiànhuà：“我wǒ到dào了le，你nǐ在zài哪儿nǎr？”小张xiǎozhāng说shuō：“我wǒ在zàiB出口chūkǒu啊a。”马克mǎkè又yòu走zǒu到dàoB出口chūkǒu，还是háishi没有méiyǒu人rén。

这时候zhèshíhou，阿姨āyí又yòu走zǒu过来guòlai了le：“还hái没méi找到zhǎodào朋友péngyǒu？”

“还hái没有méiyǒu。我wǒ在zàiB出口chūkǒu等děng了le很hěn久jiǔ。”

“你nǐ朋友péngyǒu叫jiào什么shénme名字míngzi？”

“小张xiǎozhāng。”

阿姨āyí不bù说话shuōhuà了le。她tā拿出náchū手机shǒujī，打dǎ了le一yí个gè电话diànhuà：“儿子érzi，你nǐ在zài哪儿nǎr？……什么shénme？你nǐ还hái在家zàijiā睡觉shuìjiào？你nǐ不是búshì去qù地铁站dìtiězhàn接jiē朋友péngyǒu了le吗ma？”

马克mǎkè看kàn着zhe阿姨āyí，阿姨āyí看kàn着zhe马克mǎkè。

“你nǐ就是jiùshì小张xiǎozhāng的de朋友péngyǒu吧ba？”阿姨āyí说shuō，“走zǒu吧ba，跟gēn我wǒ回家huíjiā。今天jīntiān的de晚饭wǎnfàn，我wǒ做zuò。”

Key words

WordPinyinMeaning
地铁dìtiěsubway; metro
站zhànstation; stop
等děngetc.; and so on
旁边pángbiānbeside; next to; nearby
左边zuǒbiānleft; left side
右边yòubiānright side; the right
动dòngto move
笑xiàoto laugh; to smile
走zǒuto go; to leave
打dǎto play (a ball game, cards)
换huànto change; to replace
阿姨āyíaunt (term of address for a woman of one's mother's generation)

English (for the teacher)

Mark has been in China for a week. Today, for the first time, he is taking the subway on his own. His friend Xiao Zhang has invited him home for dinner, and on the phone he said: “Take Line 2, get off at Dongmen, change to Line 5 and go three more stops. I’ll wait for you at Exit B.”

At six in the evening, the subway is packed. Mark stands by the door with people on his left and people on his right, and he can’t move an inch. An auntie looks him over and asks with a smile, “Where are you going?”

“I’m… Dongmen. Changing to Line 5.”

“I’m going to Dongmen too. Come with me.”

At Dongmen, the auntie takes him off the train and onto Line 5. “Which stop are you getting off at?” “Three more stops.” The auntie says, “Me too!”

Off the train, Mark sees four exits: A, B, C and D. He goes to Exit A first. No Xiao Zhang. He calls Xiao Zhang: “I’m here. Where are you?” Xiao Zhang says, “At Exit B, of course.” Mark walks to Exit B. Still nobody.

Just then the auntie comes over again: “Still haven’t found your friend?”

“Not yet. I’ve been waiting at Exit B for ages.”

“What’s your friend called?”

“Xiao Zhang.”

The auntie goes quiet. She takes out her phone and makes a call: “Son, where are you?… What? You’re still at home asleep? Weren’t you going to the station to meet your friend?”

Mark looks at the auntie. The auntie looks at Mark.

“You’re Xiao Zhang’s friend, aren’t you?” the auntie says. “Come on, come home with me. Tonight, dinner’s on me.”