A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels
金子和油的故事
The Story of Gold and Oil — Why One Stays Steady and the Other Gets Expensive
About this story
A simple story with Xiaoming and Xiaohong about gold, oil, and why some things get expensive while others stay the same. HSK 1 Chinese listening practice.
This is an HSK 1 Chinese listening episode that runs about 8 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 10 key vocabulary words such as 金子、东西、商店 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
Speaking of gold and oil.
Let's look at Xiao Ming.
Xiao Ming is a good person.
Xiao Ming is in China.
He lives in China.
Xiao Ming goes to work.
He has worked for three years.
He has a lot of money.
Xiao Ming is at home.
It is now morning.
Xiao Ming is in front of the table.
What is on the table?
There is money on the table.
Xiao Ming looks at his money.
One, two, three, four.
He has a lot of money.
The money came from work.
He is very happy.
Money is a good thing.
Money can buy things.
He wants to buy good things.
He drank a glass of water.
The water tastes good.
He puts on his clothes.
He opens the door.
He walks out.
It didn't rain today.
The weather is very good.
Xiao Ming walks to the store.
He walks very slowly.
The store is in front of the school.
The store is very big.
There are many people in the store.
There are men.
There are women.
There are teachers.
There are students.
They are looking at things.
There are things in the store.
There are many things.
There is fruit in the store.
There are apples.
There are also cups.
There are tables and chairs.
Xiao Ming sees the apples.
The apples are red.
The apples are big.
Xiao Ming likes apples.
He wants to eat apples.
Xiao Ming takes out money.
He says, 'I want to buy.'
That person spoke.
He said the money is not enough.
Xiao Ming asked why.
Yesterday the money was enough.
Today the money is not enough.
That person said that's not right.
Today is today.
Yesterday was yesterday.
Things cost a lot of money.
Xiao Ming is unhappy.
Xiao Ming says that's not right.
Yesterday it was one yuan.
How is it two yuan today?
The apples are too expensive.
Xiao Ming doesn't buy the apples.
Xiao Ming goes to look at the cups.
Cups are for drinking water.
The cup is white.
He asks how much the cup is.
That person says twenty yuan.
Xiao Ming is very unhappy.
Yesterday the cup was ten yuan.
Today it is twenty yuan.
Too much money.
Xiao Ming doesn't buy the cup.
Everything costs a lot of money.
Xiao Ming doesn't know.
What happened?
Xiao Ming takes out his phone.
The phone is black.
The phone is very small.
Xiao Ming makes a phone call.
Hello, is that Xiao Hong?
Xiao Hong says, 'It's me.'
Xiao Ming says, 'Hello.'
Xiao Hong says, 'Hello.'
Xiao Ming says, 'Where are you?'
Xiao Hong says, 'I am at work.'
I am at the train station.
The train station has many people.
Xiao Ming asks Xiao Hong.
What happened to the things?
Things cost a lot of money.
Why?
Xiao Hong spoke.
Xiao Hong said there is no oil.
The oil is gone.
What is oil?
Oil is black.
Oil is inside cars.
Cars drink oil.
People don't drink oil.
Cars need to eat oil.
Taxis need oil.
Airplanes need oil.
Without oil, cars don't run.
Airplanes don't fly either.
Cars don't come to the store.
Things don't come to the store.
There are too few things.
Things cost a lot of money.
Xiao Ming heard it.
Xiao Ming understood.
The oil is gone.
Cars don't run.
Things are scarce.
Things cost a lot of money.
Then Xiao Ming goes home.
He looks at his money.
He has a lot of money.
Money can't buy things.
There are too few things.
Xiao Ming wants to buy things.
Xiao Ming wants to buy good things.
This thing doesn't change.
Xiao Ming goes to a big store.
He is not in the small store.
He is in the big store.
The big store is very beautiful.
The inside is very bright.
He wants to buy gold.
What is gold?
Gold is yellow.
Gold looks very good.
Gold is very small.
Gold costs a lot of money.
Everyone likes gold.
Chinese people like gold.
Many people like gold.
Xiao Ming sees the gold.
The gold is in a box.
The gold shines.
Xiao Ming looks at the gold.
He looked for ten minutes.
He looked for twenty minutes.
He likes the gold very much.
The gold is there.
The gold doesn't speak.
Xiao Ming asks how much it is.
How much is the gold?
That person says one hundred yuan.
Xiao Ming asks that person.
How much will gold be tomorrow?
That person says one hundred yuan.
Tomorrow it will also be one hundred yuan.
Gold hasn't changed.
Apples changed.
Cups changed.
Gold hasn't changed.
Xiao Ming is very happy.
He gave one hundred yuan.
He got the gold.
He is holding the gold.
Xiao Ming is in the store.
He sees many people.
Many people are in the store.
What did they come to buy?
They don't buy apples.
They don't buy televisions.
They don't buy computers.
They all come to buy gold.
Xiao Hong also came.
Xiao Hong also wants to buy gold.
Xiao Hong says she has money.
Her money also buys gold.
Xiao Ming asks Xiao Hong.
Why buy gold?
Xiao Hong says there is no oil.
Everyone is unhappy.
Everyone doesn't know about tomorrow.
Will there be apples tomorrow?
Will there be cups tomorrow?
Everyone doesn't know.
Everyone knows gold.
Gold is still there.
It doesn't matter if there is less oil.
Gold is still gold.
The price of gold doesn't change.
So everyone buys gold.
Xiao Ming and Xiao Hong are at home.
They are looking at the gold.
Gold is yellow.
Gold looks very good.
They are very happy.
They have gold.
They don't buy things.
They only buy gold.
Apples are gone.
Cups are gone.
There is a lot of gold.
There are many people buying gold.
What does this story say?
It talks about gold and oil.
Oil is scarce.
Things cost a lot of money.
Everyone wants to buy gold.
The price of gold has not changed.
Listen again
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
What vocabulary does this episode teach?
词汇Refers to the metal gold; often used in the context of wealth or currency.
A general term for physical objects or items.
A place where goods are sold.
Used to describe items with a high price.
A colloquial measure word for Chinese currency (Renminbi).
To grasp a concept or realize a situation.
Used to indicate that something is not a problem or concern.
In this context, it refers to petroleum or gasoline for vehicles.
Literally 'to produce light,' used here to describe the glitter of gold.
Describes something that remains constant or stable.
* beyond level超纲词
What grammar patterns appear in this episode?
语法Place + 上/里/前 + 有 + Object
Used to describe the existence of objects in a specific location.
桌子上有钱。
商店里有很多人。
商店在学校前。
Subject + 动词 + 结果补语 (了/到)
Using '了' or '到' after a verb to indicate completion or successful attainment.
他喝了一杯水。
他拿到了金子。
钱买不到东西。
A + 怎么 + B?
Used to express surprise or ask 'how/why' a situation has changed.
今天怎么是两块？
东西怎么了？
Subject + 走得 + Adjective
Using the particle '得' to describe the manner in which an action (walking) is performed.
他走得很慢。
Proper Nouns
专有名词Sources
来源Free account
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