HSK 4 · Story · 307 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/taking-the-high-speed-train-in-china-story

十二排F座

Taking the high-speed train in China: seat 12F

Name: ________________ Date: ________

早上zǎoshang八bā点diǎn，我wǒ到dào了le北京南站běijīng-nánzhàn。这zhè是shì我wǒ第一次dìyīcì一yí个gè人rén坐zuò高铁gāotiě，去qù上海shànghǎi看kàn爷爷yéye奶奶nǎinai。

我wǒ没有méiyǒu纸zhǐ的de车票chēpiào，只有zhíyǒu手机shǒujī上shàng的de一yì条tiáo信息xìnxī。到dào了le门口ménkǒu，我wǒ问wèn一yí位wèi工作人员gōngzuò-rényuán：“我wǒ的de票piào在zài哪儿nǎr拿ná？”

他tā笑xiào了le：“不用búyòng拿ná票piào，用yòng身份证shēnfènzhèng就jiù可以kéyǐ进去jìnqu。”

我wǒ拿出náchū身份证shēnfènzhèng，门mén马上mǎshàng开kāi了le。真zhēn快kuài！

八点四十bādiǎn-sìshí上车shàngchē以后yǐhòu，我wǒ很hěn快kuài就jiù找到zhǎodào了le我wǒ的de座位zuòwèi：十二shí’èr排páiF座zuò。可是kěshì座位zuòwèi上shàng已经yǐjīng坐zuò着zhe一yí位wèi老奶奶láonǎinai。

我wǒ很hěn客气kèqi地de说shuō：“奶奶nǎinai，对不起duìbuqǐ，这zhè是shì我wǒ的de座位zuòwèi。”

奶奶nǎinai看kàn了le看kàn她tā的de票piào，说shuō：“孩子háizi，我wǒ也yě是shì十二shí’èr排páiF座zuò啊a。”

我们wǒmen都dōu不bù明白míngbai。坐zuò在zài旁边pángbiān的de一yí位wèi叔叔shūshu笑xiào了le：“你们nǐmen看看kànkan是shì几jǐ号hào车厢chēxiāng。”

奶奶nǎinai的de票piào上shàng写xiě着zhe四sì号hào车厢chēxiāng。我wǒ的de票piào上shàng写xiě着zhe五wǔ号hào车厢chēxiāng。

这里zhèlǐ是shì四sì号hào车厢chēxiāng。

我wǒ的de脸liǎn一下子yíxiàzi红hóng了le。“奶奶nǎinai，对不起duìbuqǐ，是shì我wǒ错cuò了le！”

我wǒ拿ná着zhe包bāo，走zǒu到dào了le五wǔ号hào车厢chēxiāng。十二shí’èr排páiF座zuò没有méiyǒu人rén，我wǒ坐zuò了le下来xiàlai。

车chē开kāi了le半bàn个gè小时xiǎoshí，那nà位wèi奶奶nǎinai也yě来到láidào了le五wǔ号hào车厢chēxiāng。她tā给gěi了le我wǒ一yí个gè苹果píngguǒ。

“孩子háizi，吃chī个gè苹果píngguǒ吧ba。下次xiàcì先xiān看kàn车厢chēxiāng，再zài找zhǎo座位zuòwèi！”

Key words

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
高铁	gāotiě	high-speed rail; bullet train
只有	zhíyǒu	only; only if; unless
不用	búyòng	need not; don't have to
以后	yǐhòu	later; afterwards; in the future
明白	míngbai	to understand; to realize
叔叔	shūshu	(polite) uncle; mister (used by children)
脸	liǎn	face
信息	xìnxī	information; news
身份证	shēnfènzhèng	identity card; ID card
座位	zuòwèi	seat
排	pái	to arrange; to line up
客气	kèqi	polite; courteous; to be polite; to stand on ceremony

English (for the teacher)

At eight in the morning I got to Beijing South Station. It was my first time taking the high-speed train on my own, going to Shanghai to see my grandparents.

I didn't have a paper ticket, just a message on my phone. At the entrance I asked a member of staff, “Where do I pick up my ticket?”

He smiled. “You don't need a ticket. Just use your ID card to get in.”

I took out my ID card, and the gate opened at once. So fast!

At eight-forty I boarded, and quickly found my seat: row 12, seat F. But an old lady was already sitting in it.

I said very politely, “Excuse me, Grandma, this is my seat.”

She looked at her ticket and said, “Young man, I'm in row 12, seat F too.”

Neither of us understood. A man sitting nearby laughed. “Check which carriage you're in.”

Her ticket said carriage 4. Mine said carriage 5.

This was carriage 4.

My face went red at once. “Grandma, I'm so sorry, my mistake!”

I picked up my bag and walked to carriage 5. Row 12, seat F was empty, so I sat down.

Half an hour after the train left, the old lady came to carriage 5 too. She gave me an apple.

“Here, have an apple, young man. Next time, find the carriage first, then the seat!”