A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels
苹果说了两年的东西，今天才做出来
What Apple Promised Two Years Ago — Only Today Did It Finally Ship
About this story
The story of Apple finally unveiling the new Siri AI at WWDC 2026 — promised two years ago, delayed many times, and still not launching in China yet — told one slow step at a time using only beginner-level Chinese. HSK 1 Chinese listening practice.
This is an HSK 1 Chinese listening episode that runs about 5 minutes. The full Mandarin script is shown with tap-for-pinyin and a line-by-line English translation, so you can listen and read at once — comprehensible input in the sense of Stephen Krashen's i+1 theory. It teaches 12 key vocabulary words such as 苹果、东西、说话 and walks through 7 grammar patterns, each explained in English with examples. The same news story is retold at 4 difficulty levels — use the level selector above to find the version that is challenging but still understandable for you.
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原文Read the complete story in Chinese. Reveal pinyin and English only when you need them.
English transcript reference
Today we'll talk about a thing.
Today's thing is very interesting.
We'll go slowly.
Today's thing is about a company.
Let's talk about this company.
This company is in America.
It is not in China.
It is in America.
Do you know this company?
Maybe you do.
Maybe you don't.
It's okay.
This company is called 'Apple'.
Apple is a very big company.
Many people like Apple.
In America, many people like it.
In China, many people also like it.
Maybe you like Apple too.
So what does Apple do?
What Apple makes is called a 'phone'.
You have a phone too.
I have a phone too.
We all have phones.
Is your phone made by Apple?
Maybe yes.
Maybe no.
Either way, it's okay.
Apple has made phones for many, many years.
It makes them very well.
Many people use phones made by Apple.
Inside an Apple phone, there is a thing.
You say a sentence to it, and it listens to you.
You ask it a question, and it answers you.
This thing is called 'Siri'.
Have you heard this name?
Maybe you have.
Maybe you haven't.
It's okay.
Siri is a thing, inside your phone.
You talk to it, it talks to you.
Two years ago, Apple said something.
Apple said:
'We are going to make a new Siri.
The new Siri will be very good.
The new Siri will be better than before.
The new Siri will listen better.
The new Siri will speak better.
The new Siri will also do things.'
Everyone was very happy.
Everyone was waiting.
Wait one month.
Wait two months.
Wait six months.
Wait one year.
Still no new Siri.
Apple said: 'Please wait a bit more.
We are still working on it.'
Everyone waited again.
Waited another year.
Still nothing.
Some people were not happy.
Some people said: 'Can Apple actually make it?'
Some people said: 'Is Siri not going to get better?'
Apple was also thinking inside:
'What we said, this year we must do.'
Today is a good day.
Apple said a new sentence.
Apple said:
'Our new Siri is ready.'
The new Siri has really arrived.
Waited two years, only today it comes.
What can the new Siri do?
We'll go slowly.
You talk to it.
It knows what you are saying.
It also knows which thing you are talking about.
You say to it: 'Help me look at my phone.'
It looks.
It looks, then tells you.
You say to it: 'Help me do a thing.'
It does the thing.
The new Siri is different from before.
It seems smarter.
But, there is one thing.
The new Siri is not in China right now.
Your phone in China can't use the new Siri yet.
Why?
Because there are other things in China that Apple is still working on.
Apple said: 'Later it will be available.'
Maybe you still need to wait a bit.
But the new Siri is really here.
Waited two years, only today it's here.
Finally, I want to ask you:
Have you ever said something:
saying you would do it.
Said it for a long time.
But never actually did it?
It's okay.
Apple is the same way.
Apple said it for two years, only today did it.
You can too.
Just go slowly.
Listen again
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
What vocabulary does this episode teach?
词汇The company name. In Chinese, just the same word as 'apple' fruit. 苹 is HSK 4, 果 is HSK 2.
HSK 1-2 noun. Used to refer to Siri before naming it: 手机里面有一个东西 = there is a thing inside the phone.
HSK 2. 跟它说话 = talk to it. Central interaction with Siri.
HSK 2. 你问它一个问题 = you ask it a question. 它回答你 = it answers you.
HSK 2 verb. Repeated many times: 等一个月、等两个月、等一年 = wait one month, two months, one year. The emotional through-line.
HSK 1-2 modal. 你也可以 = you can too. Common modal verb used many times.
HSK 2. 一个公司 = a company. Apple is described as 一个很大的公司 = a very big company.
HSK 2 noun. 手 (HSK 1, hand) + 机 (HSK 2, machine). The product Apple makes.
HSK 3 verb. 它回答你 = it answers you. What Siri does after you ask.
HSK 3 adjective. 它好像更聪明了 = it seems smarter. The promised upgrade to Siri.
等了两年，今天才来 = waited two years, only today (and not earlier) it arrives. Marks delayed action.
我们说了的话，今年一定要做到 = what we said, this year we must do.
* beyond level超纲词
What grammar patterns appear in this episode?
语法Subject + 是 / 不是 + Noun
Basic identity sentence: 'X is/is not Y'.
它不在中国。
苹果是一个很大的公司。
它不是苹果做的。
Subject + 有 / 没有 + Object
'X has / doesn't have Y'.
你也有手机。
我们都有手机。
苹果的手机里面，有一个东西。
都 + Verb / Adj (all)
都 = all. Comes before the verb. Used heavily here for parallel statements.
很多人都喜欢苹果。
我们都有手机。
我们都用苹果做的手机。
也许 + Clause (maybe)
也许 = maybe. Marks uncertainty. Used in pairs: 也许是、也许不是.
也许你认识。
也许你听过。
也许还要等一下。
Subject + 跟 + Object + Verb
跟 = with / to. 跟它说话 = talk to it.
你跟它说话。
你跟它说一句话。
Siri 跟你说话。
...才 + Verb (only then)
Marks something happening later than expected.
等了两年，今天才来。
苹果说了两年，今天才做出来。
Question with 呢? (rhetorical)
呢 softens the question. Often answered by the speaker.
那苹果做什么呢？
为什么呢？
新的 Siri 可以做什么呢？
Proper Nouns
专有名词Free account
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