A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels
大熊猫平平和福双抵达亚特兰大：熊猫外交又一次登场
Giant Pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang Land in Atlanta as Panda Diplomacy Returns
About this story
Days after Xi Jinping's White House visit, giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang flew overnight from Chengdu on a panda-painted FedEx plane to begin a 10-year stay at Zoo Atlanta, bringing America's panda count to six. From Pat Nixon's 1972 request to today's tense summitry, what panda diplomacy does — and doesn't — do. Chinese listening practice at four levels. HSK 2 Chinese listening practice.
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 休息、特别、问题 and walks through 3 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
Do you like pandas?
Lots of people like pandas, and I like them a lot too.
Today we're telling the story of two pandas.
One panda is called Ping Ping, and he's a boy.
One panda is called Fu Shuang, and she's a girl.
Ping Ping and Fu Shuang were both born in 2020, so they're six this year.
On September 27, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang flew from Chengdu to America.
The plane was special: it had a giant panda eating bamboo painted on it.
There was nothing else on the plane, just the two pandas, fresh bamboo, water, and their favourite snacks.
They went to the zoo in Atlanta, in America.
Ping Ping and Fu Shuang will live at this zoo for ten years.
For now they can't meet visitors yet; they have to rest for about a month first.
Why is China giving America pandas?
Last week, Xi Jinping went to America and met Trump.
Xi Jinping said pandas are a symbol of friendship between China and America.
This isn't the first time China has given America pandas.
In 1972, American President Nixon went to China.
Nixon's wife told Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai that she loved pandas.
After that, China sent America two pandas.
Over the next twenty years, lots and lots of Americans went to see those two pandas.
A university teacher says lots of young Americans like pandas.
The teacher says pandas make Americans feel that China is cuter.
But between China and America, there are still many problems that haven't been solved.
Zoo Atlanta used to have pandas too.
In 2024, those pandas went back to China.
On the afternoon of September 27, people at the zoo were still very happy.
One woman brought her little daughter to the zoo.
She said: we can't see the pandas today, but we know they're here!
Now there are six pandas in America in total.
If you went to Atlanta, would you want to see Ping Ping and Fu Shuang?
Listen again
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
What vocabulary does this episode teach?
词汇HSK 2. 要先休息一个月左右.
HSK 2. 这架飞机很特别.
HSK 2. 还有很多问题没有解决.
HSK 1. 我们知道，它们就在这里.
HSK 1. 很多美国年轻人喜欢熊猫.
HSK 1. 一位女士带着小女儿来动物园.
大熊猫 = giant panda.
一只正在吃竹子的大熊猫.
中国和美国友谊的象征.
熊猫是友谊的象征.
中国更可爱.
HSK 3. 还有很多问题没有解决.
* beyond level超纲词
What grammar patterns appear in this episode?
语法正在 + verb
In the middle of doing something.
这架飞机很特别，飞机上画着一只正在吃竹子的大熊猫。
对 + person + 说
To say to someone.
尼克松的太太对中国总理周恩来说，她很喜欢熊猫。
还有……没有 + verb
There are still… that haven't been…
不过，中国和美国之间，还有很多问题没有解决。
Proper Nouns
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