A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels
咖啡店为什么开始卖包？
Coffee Shops Turn Tote Bags Into Branding
About this story
HSK 1-2 Chinese listening. Small shops sell branded canvas bags, turning inexpensive merchandise into advertising and signs of belonging.
This is an HSK 2 Chinese listening episode that runs about 2 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 超市、喜欢、特别 and walks through 4 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
A small bag that costs less than three US dollars — someone online is asking fifty thousand US dollars for it. Why?
Trader Joe's is a supermarket in the United States. On September 30, it sold small Halloween bags.
Halloween is a holiday when people wear special clothes, and the bags also have a special look.
One bag is 2.99 US dollars; the US dollar is the money of the United States.
Many people went to line up, and some stores said each person could not buy many.
Online, some people ask for twenty dollars, and others ask for fifty thousand US dollars. This is only the price set by the seller, not money that a buyer paid.
It is not only supermarkets; coffee shops and bookstores also sell their own cloth bags.
Cloth bags are made in large batches at once, and one may cost less than one US dollar, so they are cheap to make.
But the bag has the store name on it. When you carry it around, many people can see the store name. This is called advertising.
Advertising lets people know about this store's things, and a small bag can also serve as advertising.
Buyers may also want to support a small shop they like; supporting means wanting the small shop to do better.
Some people use bags to tell others which shop they like and where they have been.
If other people also like this shop, the two people then have something they can chat about.
If a coffee shop you like sells bags, would you want to buy one and take it out?
Listen again
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
What vocabulary does this episode teach?
词汇HSK 2. A place where people buy food and daily things. In the script: 乔氏超市, Trader Joe's.
HSK 1. Common verb for liking something or someone. In the script: 喜欢的小店, a small shop you like.
HSK 2. Used before nouns or adjectives. In the script: 特别衣服, special clothes.
HSK 2. Describes low price. In the script: 做起来很便宜, cheap to make.
HSK 2. Used for knowing a fact. In the script: 让人知道这家店的东西, let people know about this store's things.
HSK 2. Often used as 告诉别人, tell others. In the script: 用袋子告诉别人, use bags to tell others.
A holiday on October 31 when people wear special clothes. In the script: 万圣节的小袋子, small Halloween bags.
To stand in a line waiting for something. In the script: 很多人去排队, many people went to line up.
A bag made of cloth. In the script: 卖自己的布袋子, sell their own cloth bags.
Something that lets people know about a product or store. In the script: 这叫广告, this is called advertising.
To help or encourage someone or a business. In the script: 想支持喜欢的小店, want to support a small shop they like.
The name of a shop or store. In the script: 袋子上有店名, the bag has the store name on it.
* beyond level超纲词
What grammar patterns appear in this episode?
语法Used to identify or explain something, often giving a definition or category.
万圣节，是一个人们穿特别衣服的节日，袋子也有特别的样子。
一个袋子两点九九美元，美元是美国的钱。
有的……，有的……
Means 'some..., and some...' to show different groups or examples.
很多人去排队，有的店说，每个人不能买很多。
不只是……，……也……
Means 'not only..., ... also...' to add another subject or action.
不只是超市，咖啡店、书店也卖自己的布袋子。
如果……，……就……
A conditional pattern meaning 'if..., then...'.
别人如果也喜欢这家店，两个人就有了可以聊的事。
Proper nouns
专有名词Sources
来源Free account
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