A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels

中国让英国和加拿大人更容易来旅游
China Makes Travel Easier for British and Canadian Visitors — Visa-Free Entry to Beijing and the Great Wall
About this story
China's new visa-free policy lets UK and Canadian travelers fly straight to Beijing and the Great Wall. HSK 2 Chinese listening practice.
This is an HSK 2 Chinese listening episode that runs about 6 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 14 key vocabulary words such as 旅游、希望、宾馆 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.
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原文Read the complete story in Chinese. Reveal pinyin and English only when you need them.
English transcript reference
Speaking of traveling to other countries, this is a very happy thing.
Many people like to travel.
Do you want to travel?
I think it is just going to see different places.
To see different scenery.
To eat different delicious things.
However, going to other countries is sometimes not simple.
This can be a very troublesome thing.
Why?
Because you cannot just go whenever you want.
You must have a lot of preparations.
One very important thing we want to talk about is "permission".
If you want to go to a country, this country must agree to let you enter.
If this country does not agree, you cannot enter.
Usually, we need a special piece of paper.
This paper is the "permission" that country gives you.
Before you go, you need to ask that country.
You need to tell them who you are.
You need to tell them what you are going to do.
Then, you need to give them money.
Then, you also have to wait a long time.
Sometimes you have to wait a few days, sometimes a few weeks.
If they give you this paper, only then can you go.
If they don't give it to you, you cannot go.
This is really tiring and also slow.
Everyone hopes it can be a bit faster.
Everyone hopes not to need this paper.
Now, there is very good news.
This news is about China.
China told everyone that people from some countries coming to China do not need that paper anymore.
This is really too convenient.
Which two countries are they?
The first one is the UK.
The second one is Canada.
If you are British and you want to travel to China, it is very simple now.
You don't need to go ask the Chinese embassy.
You don't need to write a lot of words.
You also don't need to give that much money.
You only need to buy a plane ticket.
You hold your passport, which is that little booklet with your photo.
Then you go to the airport.
You get on the plane.
A few hours later, you arrive in China.
You can walk out directly.
No one will ask you for that special paper.
This is the meaning of "not needing that paper".
For British people, this is a very good thing.
For Canadians, it is the same.
If you are Canadian, you can also go directly to China.
You can go to Beijing to see the Great Wall.
You can go to Shanghai to eat delicious food.
You don't need to worry about the problem of that paper.
This makes traveling become very easy.
Because it is easy, more people will want to go.
British people will think: "Great, let me go to China and have a look."
Canadians will also think: "Really convenient, I want to take my family to China to play."
With more people, it is also good for China.
Because these people will stay in hotels.
They will go to restaurants to eat.
They will buy things in shops.
This can help Chinese shops and restaurants earn more money.
So, this is a good thing for everyone.
However, not people from all countries can do this.
People from one country might feel not too happy right now.
This country is the United States.
Americans going to China now still need that paper.
They cannot go directly like the British.
They also cannot go directly like the Canadians.
They must prepare many things first.
They must get China's permission first.
This is much slower than for the British.
This is also much more troublesome than for the Canadians.
Here is a very interesting thing.
There are five countries in the world whose relationship is especially good.
They often talk together.
They often do things together.
These five countries are the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
People call them the "Five Eyes".
The meaning is they are like five good friends, helping each other watch things.
Among these five countries, the situation is different now.
For Australians going to China, it is already very easy.
For New Zealanders going to China, it is also very easy.
Now, for British and Canadians going to China, it is also easy.
Look, out of five countries, four are already very easy.
Only one country is still not easy.
That is the United States.
The US is the only country among these five good friends that still needs that paper.
If you are American, watching your British friends go directly to China to play, you might feel a bit sad.
You will ask: "Why can I go to the UK, but going to China is so hard?"
Your Canadian friend might already be eating roast duck in China.
But you are still at home waiting for that paper.
This is the difference now.
Although these five countries are good friends, China's method toward them is different.
China hopes more friends will come.
But matters between countries are sometimes very complex.
Not as simple as people making friends.
Maybe there will be changes in the future.
Maybe in the future it will also be easy for Americans to go to China.
But now, which is this month, the situation is like this.
We can see that China is opening its doors.
China welcomes people from many countries to come.
As long as you are British or Canadian, the door is open.
You can come anytime, leave anytime.
For people who like to travel, this is really the best gift.
Not needing to prepare so much, going whenever you want, this is true travel.
This "not needing that paper" we just talked about has a special name in the news.
This name is called "visa-free".
"Qian" is visa, which is that paper agreeing to let you enter.
"Mian" is do not need, exempt.
So "mianqian" means visa-free.
This news says that China has become "visa-free" for the UK and Canada.
This is news from February 2026.
Now, except for the US, the other four countries in that "Five Eyes" can all go to China visa-free.
This is the new regulation regarding tourism and entry/exit between countries.
Listen again
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
What vocabulary does this episode teach?
词汇A very common verb and noun for traveling for pleasure.
Used to express a wish or expectation.
A common term for a place to stay while traveling.
Used as a verb (to get ready) or a noun.
Literally 'machine field'.
HSK 1-2. interesting.
HSK 1-2. why.
Used here to mean permission to enter a country.
Opposite of complex or difficult.
The official document required for international travel.
Describes something that saves time or effort.
The official office of one country located in another country.
Specifically used for making a profit or earning income.
Describes a situation with many parts or difficulties.
* beyond level超纲词
What grammar patterns appear in this episode?
语法对...来说
This pattern means "for [someone], as far as [someone] is concerned". It introduces the person whose perspective is being stated.
这对英国人来说,是一件非常好的事情。
对加拿大人来说,也是一样的。
比
The basic comparison structure: A + 比 + B + Adjective (+ Degree). It means A is more [Adjective] than B.
这比英国人要慢很多。
这比加拿大人也要麻烦很多。
除了...都...
This pattern means "Except for..., all...". It indicates an exception to a general rule.
现在,除了美国,那个“五只眼睛”里的其他四个国家,都可以免签去中国了。
必须
An auxiliary verb meaning "must" or "have to". It indicates strong necessity.
你必须有很多准备。
这个国家必须同意你进去。
只要... (就)...
This pattern means "As long as... (then)...". It introduces a sufficient condition.
只要你是英国人或者加拿大人,大门是开着的。
Proper Nouns
专有名词Sources
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