A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels
格陵兰安全协议签了：美国多两个基地，主权不变
Greenland Security Deal Signed: Two New US Bases, Sovereignty Stays
About this story
The US, Denmark and Greenland sign a security deal in New York: bigger US bases, and Greenland stays Danish. HSK 3 Chinese listening practice.
This is an HSK 3 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 9 key vocabulary words such as 飞机、地方、生气 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
In 2019, US President Trump said he wanted to buy Greenland.
In January this year, he said it again.
Greenland is very big, but only about fifty thousand people live there.
Greenlanders were angry when they heard it.
Now, the US has not bought Greenland; three places signed an agreement.
To sign means to write your name on it.
An agreement is something everyone has agreed on.
On September 22, the US, Denmark and Greenland signed this security agreement in New York.
Greenland is not a country; it is part of Denmark and runs many of its own affairs.
A base is a place where US planes and soldiers live.
Now, the US has one base in northern Greenland.
The agreement says this base can get bigger, and the US can have two more new bases.
If another country wants a base there, all three places must agree.
So, did Greenland get given to the US?
No. The agreement says Greenland still belongs to Denmark and the people of Greenland.
Greenland's prime minister said: your security is our security.
In October, Greenland's lawmakers met, and many said the agreement was good.
But they still have to meet again before they can decide whether to accept it.
If many planes from other countries came to where you live, would you feel safe?
Listen again
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
What vocabulary does this episode teach?
词汇HSK 1. US planes use the bases in Greenland.
HSK 1-2. 三个地方 = three places: the US, Denmark and Greenland.
HSK 2 level. Greenlanders were angry when Trump said he wanted to buy the island.
HSK 2. 很大，但是只有五万多人 = very big, but only 50,000-some people.
HSK 1-2. The agreement says the base can get bigger.
Beyond HSK 2. Taught in the script: something everyone has agreed on.
Beyond HSK 2. Taught in the script: where US planes and soldiers live.
Beyond HSK 2. 三个地方都同意 = all three places agree.
Beyond HSK 2. Taught in the script: to write your name on something.
* beyond level超纲词
What grammar patterns appear in this episode?
语法A，但是 B
Contrasts two facts.
格陵兰很大，但是只有五万多人。
还要……才能……
Something more must happen before something else can.
他们还要再开会，才能决定要不要这个协议。
是不是……？
Asks a yes-no question about a guess.
那么，格陵兰是不是给了美国？
Proper nouns
专有名词Sources
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