在中国，一定要当兵吗？
Is military service compulsory in China?
Name: ________________ Date: ________
很多外国人想知道：在中国，年轻人一定要当兵吗？
中国的法律说，男生到了十八岁，都要去登记。可是，每年想去的年轻人很多，比军队需要的人还多。所以，现在去当兵的，差不多都是自己想去的。
要去多长时间？一般是两年。两年以后，可以回家，也可以留下来，在军队里继续工作。
什么时候可以去？以前是一年一次。从二〇二〇年开始，一年有两次：上半年一次，下半年一次。
谁可以去？男生、女生都可以，一般是十八到二十二岁。大学毕业的年轻人，可以到二十四岁。
为什么有人想去？有的人说，这能让身体变得更好；有的人觉得，以后找工作会容易一点儿；也有人只是想看看不一样的生活。
在你的国家，年轻人要当兵吗？
Key words
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 所以 | suóyǐ | so; therefore |
| 自己 | zìjǐ | oneself; one’s own |
| 长 | cháng | long; length |
| 次 | cì | classifier for times and occurrences |
| 为什么 | wèishénme | why |
| 让 | ràng | to yield; to give way; to let (someone have) |
| 身体 | shēntǐ | body |
| 一定 | yídìng | surely; certainly; must |
| 男生 | nánshēng | guy; young man |
| 可是 | kěshì | but; however |
| 需要 | xūyào | to need; need; needs |
| 一般 | yìbān | ordinary; common; general |
Questions
现在为什么去当兵的人差不多都是自己想去的？
Why are almost all of those who join the army now people who want to go themselves?
从二〇二〇年开始，一年有几次？
Starting in 2020, how many times a year can people go?
大学毕业的年轻人可以到多大去当兵？
Up to what age can university graduates join the army?
Lesson plan: 45 minutes (for the teacher)
HSK 3 · Is military service compulsory in China?. By the end, students can read it aloud, say what it is about and use 一定 and 男生 in sentences of their own.
Warm-up 5 min
Write 在中国，一定要当兵吗？ on the board. Ask what the class thinks it is about, then give the English: “Is military service compulsory in China?”.
Key words 10 min
Teach 一定 (yídìng, surely; certainly; must), 男生 (nánshēng, guy; young man), 可是 (kěshì, but; however), 需要 (xūyào, to need; need; needs), 一般 (yìbān, ordinary; common; general), 所以 (suóyǐ, so; therefore). 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/is-military-service-compulsory-in-china: 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 一定 and one with 男生, 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)
Many foreigners want to know: in China, do young people have to join the army?
Chinese law says that when men turn eighteen, they must all register. But every year more young people want to join than the army needs. So almost everyone who joins the army now is someone who chose to go.
How long do you serve? Usually two years. After two years you can go home, or stay on and keep working in the army.
When can you join? It used to be once a year. Since 2020 there have been two intakes a year: one in the first half and one in the second half.
Who can join? Both men and women, usually aged eighteen to twenty-two. Young people who have graduated from university can join up to twenty-four.
Why do some people want to go? Some say it makes you fitter; some think it will make finding a job a little easier later; and some just want to see a different kind of life.
In your country, do young people have to do military service?
Answers
- C. 想去的人比需要的人多: 每年想去的年轻人很多，比军队需要的人还多。
- B. 两次: 从二〇二〇年开始，一年有两次：上半年一次，下半年一次。
- C. 二十四岁: 大学毕业的年轻人，可以到二十四岁。