A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels

巴德·邦尼超级碗中场秀:全西班牙语演出创造历史
Bad Bunny's All-Spanish Super Bowl Halftime Makes History as Trump Slams the Show
About this story
Bad Bunny stages the first all-Spanish Super Bowl halftime, a love letter to Puerto Rico that sparks political backlash. HSK 3 Chinese listening practice.
This is an HSK 3-4 Chinese listening episode that runs about 3 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 观众、音乐、节目 and walks through 5 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.
Read at your level
原文Read the complete story in Chinese. Reveal pinyin and English only when you need them.
English transcript reference
Speaking of the Super Bowl halftime show that just ended, this is definitely a moment that will be recorded in history.
The protagonist of this performance was Bad Bunny, and he did something that no one has ever done before.
He used Spanish almost exclusively throughout the entire performance, which is a first in the history of the Super Bowl.
You have to know that the Super Bowl is usually the most-watched program on US TV, with a huge number of viewers.
Bad Bunny is not only a singer, but he was also the most-played artist on streaming platforms last year.
This time on the stage in California, he turned the entire performance into a love letter written to his hometown, Puerto Rico.
The stage design was also very special, directly moving his Puerto Rican style "casita" (small house) to the scene.
This was not just a background, but more so to display the traditions and lifestyle of his hometown.
Although it was Spanish the whole time, he specifically said one sentence in English: "God bless America".
Behind him, dancers waved the flags of various countries from North, Central, and South America, and the scene was very spectacular.
At the end of the performance, he held a football in his hand, on which was written an English slogan: "Together, We Are America".
This was a very obvious signal about unity, calling on everyone to eliminate barriers.
Of course, this performance also invited several heavy-weight guests, such as Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin.
Lady Gaga brought a song with a Latin style, which matched perfectly.
Ricky Martin sang a song about protecting Puerto Rican culture, warning people not to let their own culture disappear.
Although the atmosphere at the scene was very enthusiastic, not everyone liked this performance.
Former President Trump posted on his social platform, criticizing this performance as "terrible".
He said this was an affront to America, and complained that no one could understand what Bad Bunny was singing.
However, Bad Bunny did not directly respond to these political remarks on stage.
Despite this, attentive viewers could still discover the deep meanings hidden in the performance.
For example, he climbed onto a model of an electricity pylon while rapping.
This was actually to commemorate the people who suffered in Hurricane Maria in 2017, when the local power infrastructure was strictly damaged.
He also wore a beige sweater printed with the number 64, which is also a certain specific symbol.
The government at that time was criticized by many Puerto Ricans because they did not do well enough in disaster relief.
This is different from his performance at the Grammy Awards, where he directly called for immigration enforcement departments to leave.
But this time, he chose to use a more artistic, more implicit way to express his stance.
Besides these deep meanings, the music and dance of the whole show were also top-tier.
He sang many hit songs, and although there was a small problem with the sound equipment at the beginning, he adjusted very quickly.
He was full of confidence on stage, walking from one corner to another, and his voice was very powerful.
This performance was not only about music, but more about the display of Latin culture on the American mainstream stage.
Seeing stars like Cardi B and Jessica Alba also enjoying themselves on stage, you know this is a victory of culture.
For many Latino Americans, being able to see such a performance at the Super Bowl is of extraordinary significance.
This proves that no matter the language, excellent music and culture can cross boundaries and connect each other.
Listen again
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
What vocabulary does this episode teach?
词汇Verb phrase. To be written into historical records; to make history. Used for significant events.
Noun. The leading role in a performance or event. Measure word: 位 (wèi).
Noun. Refers to platforms like Spotify, Netflix, etc.
Noun. A letter expressing love. Measure word: 封 (fēng).
Adjective. Used to describe impressive sights or scenes.
Verb. Often used with abstract nouns like barriers, misunderstanding, or fatigue.
HSK 1-3. audience.
HSK 1-3. music.
HSK 1-3. program / show.
HSK 1-3. performance; to perform.
HSK 1-3. to express.
HSK 1-3. to discover / to find.
What grammar patterns appear in this episode?
语法The 'Ba' construction is used to emphasize the manipulation of an object. It indicates what happened to the object.
把整场演出变成了一封写给家乡波多黎各的情书
直接把他在波多黎各风格的“小屋”搬到了现场
Not only is it [A], but even more so it is [B]. Used to emphasize a deeper meaning.
这不仅仅是一个背景,更是为了展示他家乡的传统和生活方式
这次演出不仅仅是关于音乐,更是关于拉丁文化在美国主流舞台上的展示
Although... but... (Conjunction pair expressing contrast).
虽然全程都是西班牙语,但他特意用英语说了一句话
虽然现场气氛非常热烈,但并不是所有人都喜欢这场表演
Passive voice marker. Indicates that the subject is acted upon by the agent.
这时候当地的电力设施被严重破坏
曾经受到过很多波多黎各人的批评 (Note: 受到 is often used with passive contexts)
In order to / for the purpose of. Used to state the reason for an action.
更是为了展示他家乡的传统和生活方式
这其实是为了纪念二零一七年在玛丽亚飓风中受灾的人们
Proper Nouns
专有名词Sources
来源Free account
Keep learning from this story
Create a free account to keep saved words and your preferred level together.
- Keep words with their story context
- Remember your preferred level
- Build your vocabulary over time