HSK 1 · Story · 253 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/what-does-jia-you-mean

车也要加油

What does 加油 mean?

Name: ________________ Date: ________

妈妈māma今年jīnnián四十sìshí岁suì。她tā会huì开车kāichē，可是kěshì她tā不bù喜欢xǐhuān开车kāichē。

星期天xīngqītiān，我们wǒmen去qù朋友péngyǒu家jiā。爸爸bàba说shuō：“今天jīntiān妈妈māma开车kāichē！”爸爸bàba坐zuò在zài前边qiánbian，我wǒ坐zuò在zài后边hòubian。

妈妈māma说shuō：“我wǒ不想bùxiǎng开kāi。”

我wǒ说shuō：“妈妈māma，加油jiāyóu！”爸爸bàba也yě说shuō：“你nǐ可以kéyǐ的de！”

妈妈māma开车kāichē了le。开kāi了le十shí分钟fēnzhōng，我wǒ说shuō：“加油jiāyóu！”开kāi了le二十èrshí分钟fēnzhōng，爸爸bàba说shuō：“加油jiāyóu！”

妈妈māma说shuō：“好hǎo，好hǎo，谢谢xièxie你们nǐmen！”

开kāi了le一yí个gè小时xiǎoshí，爸爸bàba看kàn了le看kàn车chē，说shuō：“车chē没有méiyǒu油yóu了le。”

我wǒ说shuō：“我们wǒmen都dōu给gěi妈妈māma加油jiāyóu了le！车chē里怎么zěnme没有méiyǒu油yóu呢ne？”

爸爸bàba说shuō：“我们wǒmen对duì妈妈māma说shuō‘加油jiāyóu’，是shì说shuō：你nǐ可以kéyǐ的de！”

“车chē不bù听tīng我们wǒmen说话shuōhuà。车chē要yào的de是shì油yóu。”

前边qiánbian可以kéyǐ给gěi车chē加油jiāyóu，我们wǒmen去qù了le那里nàlǐ。一yí个gè人rén问wèn：“加jiā多少duōshao？”

我wǒ说shuō：“加油jiāyóu！加油jiāyóu！”

他tā说shuō：“我wǒ知道zhīdào。要yào多少duōshao？”

爸爸bàba和hé妈妈māma都dōu笑xiào了le。

要yào回家huíjiā了le。妈妈māma说shuō：“今天jīntiān，你们nǐmen给gěi我wǒ加油jiāyóu了le。我wǒ也yě给gěi车chē加油jiāyóu了le。现在xiànzài，爸爸bàba开车kāichē！”

爸爸bàba说shuō：“好吧hǎoba。那nà你们nǐmen给gěi我wǒ加油jiāyóu！”

Key words

Mum is forty this year. She can drive, but she doesn't like driving.

On Sunday, we're going to a friend's house. Dad says, "Today Mum drives!" Dad sits in the front, and I sit in the back.

Mum says, "I don't want to drive."

I say, "Mum, jiāyóu! Come on!" Dad says too, "You can do it!"

Mum starts driving. After ten minutes, I say, "Jiāyóu!" After twenty minutes, Dad says, "Jiāyóu!"

Mum says, "OK, OK, thank you both!"

After an hour, Dad looks at the car and says, "The car's out of fuel."

I say, "We both cheered Mum on with jiāyóu! So why is there no fuel in the car?"

Dad says, "When we say jiāyóu to Mum, we mean: you can do it!"

"The car doesn't listen to us. What the car wants is fuel."

Just ahead you can fill up the car, so we go there. A man asks, "How much shall I put in?"

I say, "Jiāyóu! Jiāyóu!"

He says, "I know. How much?"

Dad and Mum both laugh.

Time to go home. Mum says, "Today you two cheered me on. And I filled up the car. Now Dad drives!"

Dad says, "Fine. Then you two cheer me on!"