A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels
从 NFL 到麻省理工，他解开一个三十年的数学问题
Former NFL Lineman John Urschel, Now an MIT Professor, Solves a 30-Year-Old Math Conjecture on Gaussian Elimination
About this story
The story of John Urschel, who left NFL football in 2017 to study math at MIT and in 2026 published a paper many people read. HSK 2 Chinese listening practice.
This is an HSK 2 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 钱、现在、学习 and walks through 7 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 2014, he played football.
Many people watched him.
He had a lot of money.
Now, he teaches math.
He does not play football anymore.
Playing football, you have a lot of money, and many people know you.
He does not want it anymore.
He wants math.
In America, many people watch football.
In America, many people know him.
His name is John Urschel.
He also loves math.
When he played football, he also studied math.
He writes things about math.
When he drinks water, he is also thinking about math.
When he sleeps, he is also thinking about math.
Math is something you learn at school.
1, 2, 3 — these are all in math.
In math there are many problems.
He studied math at school for many years.
His math is very good.
In August 2015, his head was very bad.
His head was bad, and he was very afraid.
He was afraid that in the future he could not think about math, and he thought a lot.
In 2017, he did not play football anymore.
He went back to school to study math.
In 2019, he wrote a book.
This book talks about football, and also talks about math.
Now, he is a math teacher at MIT.
MIT is a school in America.
He is 35 years old.
Math is his job.
He teaches many students math.
He likes this job.
Teaching is a teacher's job.
A teacher teaches students.
He also writes things about math.
Many math teachers also read the things he writes.
In October 2026, many people read something he wrote.
This thing talks about a math method.
A method is how to do something.
To do something, there are many methods.
Many people are using this method.
Banks use this method.
There is a lot of money in banks.
Many people's money is in the bank.
Computers also use this method.
Many people are afraid this method is not good.
He says: this method is very good.
You could say, 100% good.
It is rarely bad.
A teacher at a school says: this is a very big question in math.
This teacher is in America.
He is not at MIT.
Why do many people read this thing?
The person who wrote this thing played football in 2014.
People who play football can also do math.
Now, many people know him.
At MIT, many people do not know he played football.
Their teacher is a math teacher.
Their teacher does not play football.
John is very happy.
He says: I really like that no one knows me.
He wants math.
Think about it.
Your job is very good.
One day, your head is not good — do you still want this job?
Listen again
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
What vocabulary does this episode teach?
词汇HSK 1. 很多钱 = a lot of money; 有钱 = rich.
HSK 1. Often contrasts with 以前 (before).
HSK 1. 学习数学 = study math; 在学校学习.
HSK 1. 打橄榄球的时候 = when playing football; 喝水的时候.
HSK 1. 想数学 = think about math; 你想一想 = think about it.
HSK 1. 睡觉的时候 = while sleeping.
HSK 1. 回学校 = go back to school.
HSK 1. 数学是他的工作 = math is his job.
HSK 1. 打橄榄球 = play football; also 打球, 打电话.
HSK 1. 很多 + noun: 很多钱, 很多问题.
HSK 1. 教数学 = teach math; 老师教学生.
HSK 1. 数学里有很多问题 = math has many problems.
* beyond level超纲词
What grammar patterns appear in this episode?
语法Subject + 不 + Verb + 了
不…了 marks that an action no longer happens — a change from before.
他不打橄榄球了。
他不要了。
…的时候，也…
X的时候 means 'when/while doing X'; 也 adds 'also' in the main clause.
打橄榄球的时候，他也学习数学。
他喝水的时候，也在想数学。
他睡觉的时候，也在想数学。
是 + Noun (是…的)
A is B: simple equational sentence with 是.
数学是他的工作。
教，是老师的工作。
数学，是学校里学的东西。
Place + 有 + Noun
有 states existence: 'there is/are' in a place.
银行里有很多钱。
数学里有很多问题。
也 + Verb
也 means 'also/too' and comes before the verb.
他也爱数学。
他也写数学的东西。
电脑也用这个方法。
可以 + Verb
可以 expresses possibility or permission: 'can, may'.
打橄榄球的人，也可以做数学。
可以说，100%好。
Noun + 里
里 means 'inside/in' and follows the noun.
数学里有很多问题。
银行里有很多钱。
Proper nouns
专有名词Sources
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