3:30
一个允许吃药的奥运会
An Olympics Where Doping Is Allowed
This is an HSK 1 Chinese listening episode that runs about 4 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 今天、想、知道 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.
今天我给你说一个新闻。
Today I'll tell you a news story.
这个新闻，
This news
是关于一个比赛的。
is about a competition.
但是这个比赛，
But this competition,
和别的，
unlike any other,
都不一样。
is different.
我们先说一下，
Let's first talk about
什么是奥运会。
what the Olympics are.
奥运会，
The Olympics
是世界上最大的运动比赛。
is the world's biggest sports competition.
四年一次。
Once every four years.
有跑步，
There's running,
有游泳，
there's swimming,
还有很多很多。
and many, many more.
全世界的人，
People all over the world
都看奥运会。
watch the Olympics.
在奥运会里，
At the Olympics,
有一个，
there is
很重要的规定。
a very important rule.
你不可以吃药。
You may not take drugs.
什么药？
What drugs?
是让你跑得更快，
Drugs that make you run faster,
或者让你，
or that make you
变得更有力气的药。
stronger.
如果你吃了，
If you do take them,
就要被送回家。
you'll be sent home.
你以前赢的奖，
The medals you won before
也要还回来。
also have to be returned.
为什么不可以？
Why isn't it allowed?
因为大家觉得：
Because everyone feels:
比赛要公平。
competition must be fair.
你比别人快，
You're faster than others
是因为你练得多，
because you practiced more,
不是因为你吃了药。
not because you took drugs.
但是有一些人，
But there are some people
不同意。
who disagree.
他们想：
They thought:
"那如果，
"What if
"我们做一个比赛，
"we made a competition
"让大家都可以吃药呢？
"where everyone is allowed to take drugs?
"那不也是公平的吗？
"Wouldn't that also be fair?
所以，
So
他们就做了一个，
they created a
新的比赛。
new competition.
这个比赛的名字，
This competition is named
叫"增强奥运会"。
"the Enhanced Games."
"增强"，
"Enhanced"
意思是，
means
变得更强。
becoming stronger.
五月二十四号，
On May 24,
这个比赛，
this competition
第一次开始了。
was held for the first time.
地方在美国的，
The place was
一个叫拉斯维加斯的城市。
an American city called Las Vegas.
比赛里，
At the competition
有跑步，
there was running,
有游泳，
there was swimming,
还有举重。
and there was weightlifting.
一个希腊的游泳运动员，
A Greek swimmer
游得非常快。
swam very fast.
他游得，
He swam
比以前所有人都快。
faster than anyone before.
他赢了一百万美元。
He won one million US dollars.
一百万美元，
One million dollars —
是很多很多钱。
that's a lot, a lot of money.
但是，
But
很多人听到这个新闻，
many people, hearing this news,
都不高兴。
were not happy.
他们说：
They said:
"他游得快，
"He swam fast
"是因为他吃了药。
"because he took drugs.
"这不算。
"This doesn't count.
"这不是真正的比赛。
"This is not real competition.
另一些人说：
Some other people said:
"为什么不行？
"Why not?
"他没有骗人。
"He didn't cheat anyone.
"他公开说了，
"He said openly,
"我吃了药。
"I took drugs.
"如果大家都吃，
"If everyone takes them,
"那也是公平的。
"then it's also fair.
这两种话，
Both of these views
都有道理。
have a point.
我看了这个新闻，
I read this news,
我想了一件事。
and I thought of one thing.
比赛，
Competition —
到底是什么？
what is it really?
是看谁最厉害？
Is it about who is the strongest?
还是看，
Or is it about
谁练得最多？
who practiced the most?
我觉得，
I think
这两个，
these two
不太一样。
are not quite the same.
最后我问你：
Finally I ask you:
如果有一种药，
If there were a drug
可以让你做事，
that could let you do things
更快、
faster
更好，
and better,
你会吃吗？
would you take it?
你想一想。
Think about it.
好。
Okay.
今天就说到这里。
That's all for today.
明天再聊。
Talk tomorrow.
Today. The narrator opens 今天我给你说一个新闻 — 'today I'll tell you a news story.'
To think, to want. 他们想 — 'they thought'; the closing 你想一想 — 'think about it.'
To know. 你知道奥运会吗 — 'do you know what the Olympics are?'
To look, to watch. 我看了这个新闻 — 'I read this news'; 看谁最厉害 — 'watch who is the strongest.'
Many, a lot. The crowd response: 很多人 (many people) didn't agree; 谁练得最多 — 'who has practiced the most.'
To say. 他公开说了 — 'he said it openly,' a key idea: the new event lets doping be 'said out loud.'
Competition, a match. Beyond HSK1. The whole episode asks: what is a 比赛 really for?
Medicine, drug. Beyond HSK1. Here it means performance-enhancing drugs — banned in the Olympics, allowed in the new event.
Fair. Beyond HSK1. The episode's central word: 比赛要公平 — competition must be fair.
To strengthen, to enhance. Beyond HSK1. The episode glosses it: 变得更强 — 'becoming stronger.' Gives the new event its Chinese name 增强奥运会.
Impressive, strong. Beyond HSK1. The narrator's final framing: 看谁最厉害 — 'watch who is the most impressive.'
US dollars. Beyond HSK1. 一百万美元 — the one-million-dollar bonus that drew the world's attention.
* beyond level超纲词
X 不可以 Y
不可以 forbids an action. The episode uses it for the most important Olympic rule about doping.
你不可以吃药。
水果里，不可以用这些东西。
如果 A，就 B
如果 introduces a condition; 就 marks the consequence. The episode uses it both for the rule and for the closing question.
如果你吃了，就要被送回家。
如果有一种药，可以让你做事更快、更好，你会吃吗？
X 还是 Y? (choice in a question)
还是 offers two alternatives inside a question. The narrator's central question to the listener uses it.
是看谁最厉害？
还是看，谁练得最多？
让 + someone + verb
让 sets up a causative — letting or making someone do a thing. The episode uses it to describe what the drug does, and what the new event allows.
让你跑得更快。
让大家都可以吃药。