HSK 1 · Article · 234 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/who-picks-up-kids-from-school-in-china

谁去接孩子？

Who picks up kids from school in China?

Name: ________________ Date: ________

下午xiàwǔ四sì点diǎn，学校xuéxiào外边wàibian有yǒu很hěn多duō人rén。他们tāmen不是búshì学生xuéshēng，也yě不是búshì老师lǎoshī。你nǐ看一看kànyíkàn：有yǒu爸爸bàba，有yǒu妈妈māma，也yě有yǒu很hěn多duō爷爷yéye奶奶nǎinai。

在zài中国zhōngguó，很hěn多duō爸爸bàba妈妈māma工作gōngzuò非常fēicháng忙máng。他们tāmen早上zǎoshang八bā点diǎn上班shàngbān，晚上wǎnshang六七liùqī点diǎn下班xiàbān。孩子háizi们men下午xiàwǔ四sì点diǎn下课xiàkè。谁shéi去qù学校xuéxiào接jiē孩子háizi？很hěn多duō时候shíhou是shì爷爷yéye奶奶nǎinai。

早上zǎoshang，爷爷yéye开车kāichē，孩子háizi坐zuò在zài车chē里去qù学校xuéxiào。下午xiàwǔ，奶奶nǎinai去qù学校xuéxiào接jiē孩子háizi，和hé孩子háizi回家huíjiā。到家dàojiā了le，奶奶nǎinai做饭zuòfàn，爷爷yéye和hé孩子háizi读书dúshū、写字xiězì。她tā做zuò的de饭fàn非常fēicháng好吃hǎochī，孩子háizi很hěn喜欢xǐhuān。晚上wǎnshang，爸爸bàba妈妈māma下班xiàbān回家huíjiā，大家dàjiā吃chī晚饭wǎnfàn。

有的yǒude爷爷yéye奶奶nǎinai觉得juéde很hěn好hǎo：他们tāmen天天tiāntiān能néng看见kànjiàn孩子háizi，很hěn高兴gāoxìng。也yě有的yǒude觉得juéde有点儿yóudiǎnr累lèi。还有háiyǒu一些yìxiē人rén不bú住zhù在zài这里zhèlǐ，他们tāmen来lái儿子érzi女儿nǚ’ér家里jiālǐ住zhù，看kàn孩子háizi。

在zài你nǐ那里nàlǐ，谁shéi去qù学校xuéxiào接jiē孩子háizi？

Key words

WordPinyinMeaning
下午xiàwǔafternoon
四sìfour
点diǎnto point out; to bring up
学校xuéxiàoschool
外边wàibianoutside
很hěnvery; quite
多duōmany; much
人rénperson; people
学生xuéshēngstudent; pupil
老师lǎoshīteacher
爸爸bàbadad; father
妈妈māmamom; mother

English (for the teacher)

At four in the afternoon there are lots of people outside the school. They aren’t students, and they aren’t teachers. Take a look: there are dads, there are mums, and there are lots of grandpas and grandmas.

In China, many parents are very busy at work. They start at eight in the morning and finish at six or seven in the evening. The children finish class at four in the afternoon. Who goes to pick them up from school? Very often it’s the grandparents.

In the morning, Grandpa drives, and the child rides to school in the car. In the afternoon, Grandma goes to school to pick the child up and goes home with them. Once they’re home, Grandma cooks, and Grandpa reads and practises writing with the child. Her cooking is delicious, and the child loves it. In the evening, Mum and Dad come home from work, and everyone has dinner.

Some grandparents think it’s great: they see the child every day, and it makes them happy. Some find it a bit tiring. And some don’t live here at all: they come and stay at their son’s or daughter’s home to look after the child.

Where you live, who picks the children up from school?