A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels
为了 AI，Microsoft 和 Meta 都在拼命花钱买电脑
For AI, Microsoft and Meta Are Spending Like Crazy to Buy Computers
About this story
A simple beginner Chinese listening story: to build AI, Microsoft and Meta are buying huge numbers of expensive computers and spending enormous amounts of money, and some people worry it is too much. HSK 1 Chinese listening practice.
This is an HSK 1 Chinese listening episode that runs about 1 minute. 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 钱、买、想 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
Microsoft and Meta are two very big American companies.
Right now, everyone is talking about AI.
Microsoft and Meta also want to build the best AI.
To build AI, you need a huge number of computers.
These computers are all very expensive.
These two companies are buying a huge number of computers.
Buying these computers takes a huge amount of money.
They say: we're going to spend a huge amount of money.
That is a lot of money.
Many people saw it and felt a little afraid.
They wonder: is spending this money a good idea?
Microsoft and Meta say: AI is great, and we're going to do it.
Listen again
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
What vocabulary does this episode teach?
词汇要很多很多钱 = takes a lot of money.
都在买很多电脑 = are buying many computers.
也想做最好的 AI = also want to build the best AI.
做 AI = to build AI.
他们说 = they say.
要用很多电脑 = need many computers.
很大的美国公司 = big American companies.
我们要花很多钱 = we're going to spend a lot.
这些电脑，都很贵 = these computers are all expensive.
有一点怕 = a little afraid.
* beyond level超纲词
What grammar patterns appear in this episode?
语法要用……
要 + verb = "need to / have to"; 用 = "use".
做 AI，要用很多很多电脑。
都在 + verb
都在 + verb = "are all (doing) …".
这两个公司，都在买很多很多电脑。
……，好吗？
…，好吗？turns a statement into "is that okay / a good idea?".
他们想：花这些钱，好吗？
Proper Nouns
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