7:14
一艘南极游船，很多人生病了
An Antarctic Cruise Ship Where Many Fell Ill
HSK 1 Chinese listening practice. A simple story about the MV Hondius — a sick cruise ship coming back from Antarctica that can't find a port.
This is an HSK 1 Chinese listening episode that runs about 7 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 18 key vocabulary words such as 船、新闻、爸爸 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.
今天小明在看新闻。
Today Xiao Ming is watching the news.
新闻里有一艘船。
The news shows a ship.
这艘船很大。
This ship is very big.
船上有很多人。
There are many people on the ship.
有男的，有女的。
Some are men, some are women.
有大人，也有老人。
Some are adults, some are old.
一共一百多人。
Over a hundred people in total.
他们要去哪里？
Where are they going?
他们要回家。
They want to go home.
但是他们回不去。
But they can't go back.
为什么？
Why?
因为船上有人病了。
Because someone on the ship is sick.
病了的人不能下船。
The sick people can't get off.
所有人都要等。
Everyone has to wait.
小明觉得奇怪。
Xiao Ming finds it strange.
小明问爸爸。
Xiao Ming asks his dad.
爸爸，这是什么？
Dad, what is this?
爸爸说：你看新闻啊。
Dad says: you're watching the news.
小明说：是。
Xiao Ming says: yes.
我看不太懂。
But I can't quite understand.
爸爸说：我告诉你。
Dad says: let me tell you.
那是一艘大船。
That's a big ship.
我们叫它"邮轮"。
We call it a "cruise ship."
"邮轮"就是很大很大的船。
A cruise ship is a very, very big ship.
人在上面玩。
People play on it.
也在上面吃饭。
They eat on it.
也在上面睡觉。
They sleep on it.
就像一个小城市。
It's like a small city.
但是这个船在海上。
But this ship is at sea.
小明说：哦。
Xiao Ming says: oh.
那很大。
That's big.
爸爸说：是。
Dad says: yes.
四月一日，
On April 1,
这艘船开始走。
this ship set off.
船上有一百四十七个人。
There were 147 people on board.
有的人去玩。
Some went to travel.
有的人在那里工作。
Some were working there.
他们要去看南极。
They were going to see Antarctica.
"南极"就是地球最冷的地方。
Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth.
有冰，有雪，有大鸟。
There's ice, snow, and big birds.
非常远。
Very far away.
他们想去看看。
They wanted to go see it.
小明说：好酷。
Xiao Ming says: cool.
爸爸说：但是出问题了。
Dad says: but a problem came up.
有人开始咳嗽。
Some people started coughing.
有人开始发烧。
Some started having fever.
有的人很难受。
Some felt very bad.
医生在船上。
There's a doctor on the ship.
医生看了。
The doctor took a look.
但是不知道是什么病。
But couldn't tell what illness.
后来，
Later,
有一个人死了。
one person died.
然后又有一个人死了。
Then another person died.
现在一共有三个人死了。
Now three people have died.
小明说：哇。
Xiao Ming says: wow.
那么多。
That's a lot.
他说：怎么会这样？
He says: how could this happen?
爸爸说：因为有一个病毒。
Dad says: because there's a virus.
小明说：什么是病毒？
Xiao Ming says: what is a virus?
爸爸说：病毒就是看不见的小东西。
Dad says: a virus is a tiny thing you can't see.
非常非常小。
Very, very small.
眼睛看不见。
Eyes can't see it.
但是它会让人生病。
But it makes people sick.
有的病毒，从人传到人。
Some viruses spread from person to person.
有的病毒，从动物传到人。
Some viruses spread from animals to people.
小明说：这个病毒是哪里来的？
Xiao Ming says: where did this virus come from?
爸爸说：不知道。
Dad says: don't know.
医生还在查。
Doctors are still investigating.
但是有一个人，
But one person
上船以前就生病了。
was already sick before boarding.
他自己不知道。
He himself didn't know.
他上了船。
He got on the ship.
后来他死了。
Later he died.
后来他的妻子也死了。
Later his wife also died.
然后又有一个人。
Then another person.
小明说：好可怕。
Xiao Ming says: that's scary.
爸爸说：是的。
Dad says: yes.
但是这个病不太容易传。
But this disease doesn't spread easily.
不是每个人都会得。
Not everyone will catch it.
小明说：那现在怎么办？
Xiao Ming says: so what now?
爸爸说：船在海上走。
Dad says: the ship is sailing on the sea.
最近，
Recently,
船到了一个地方。
the ship arrived at a place.
那个地方叫佛得角。
That place is called Cape Verde.
佛得角是一个国家。
Cape Verde is a country.
在大西洋。
In the Atlantic Ocean.
但是船没有靠岸。
But the ship didn't dock.
他们让船等。
They had the ship wait.
后来三个病人，
Later three patients
被飞机送走了。
were taken away by plane.
送去医院了。
Sent to a hospital.
其他人还在船上。
The others are still on the ship.
不能下来。
They can't come down.
小明说：他们怎么吃饭？
Xiao Ming says: how do they eat?
爸爸说：船上有吃的。
Dad says: there's food on the ship.
也有水。
There's also water.
也有床。
There are also beds.
但是大家都戴着口罩。
But everyone is wearing masks.
"口罩"就是嘴和鼻子上面的那个东西。
A "mask" is the thing on top of your mouth and nose.
为什么戴？
Why wear it?
因为戴了，
Because when you wear it,
病不容易传。
the disease doesn't spread as easily.
他们在房间里看电影。
They watch movies in their rooms.
也一个人在外面走路。
They walk outside alone.
但是大家不一起玩了。
But they don't play together anymore.
小明说：哦。
Xiao Ming says: oh.
他们一定很害怕。
They must be very scared.
爸爸说：是的。
Dad says: yes.
但是他们也很乖。
But they're also being good.
他们听医生的话。
They listen to the doctors.
小明说：船现在去哪里？
Xiao Ming says: where is the ship going now?
爸爸说：船现在去另一个地方。
Dad says: the ship is going to another place.
那个地方叫加那利群岛。
That place is called the Canary Islands.
也在大西洋。
Also in the Atlantic Ocean.
那里离西班牙近一点。
It's a bit closer to Spain.
那里的医院比较好。
The hospitals there are better.
但是一开始，
But at first,
那里的人也不让船来。
the people there also didn't want the ship to come.
他们怕病毒。
They were afraid of the virus.
后来，
Later,
西班牙的政府说：要让他们来。
the Spanish government said: we have to let them come.
人不能就这样在海上等。
People can't just wait at sea like this.
我们要帮他们。
We need to help them.
小明说：那很好。
Xiao Ming says: that's good.
爸爸说：是。
Dad says: yes.
所以现在，
So now,
船在慢慢走。
the ship is slowly sailing.
医生在等。
The doctors are waiting.
家人也在等。
The families are also waiting.
全世界都在看这件事。
The whole world is watching this.
小明问：为什么全世界都在看？
Xiao Ming asks: why is the whole world watching?
爸爸说：因为船上有很多国家的人。
Dad says: because there are people from many countries on the ship.
有荷兰人，
There are Dutch people,
有德国人，
there are German people,
有英国人，
there are British people,
还有别的国家的人。
and people from other countries.
一共二十三个国家。
23 countries in total.
所以二十三个国家都在帮。
So 23 countries are helping.
也都在担心。
And worrying.
小明说：哦，我懂了。
Xiao Ming says: oh, I get it.
爸爸说：你记住一件事。
Dad says: remember one thing.
那就是：
That is:
病毒小，但是力量大。
viruses are small, but powerful.
所以我们平时要：
So we should always:
洗手。
wash our hands.
不要碰小动物的便便。
Don't touch animal droppings.
身体不舒服，
If your body feels off,
就告诉爸爸妈妈。
tell mom and dad.
小明说：好。
Xiao Ming says: okay.
我会的。
I will.
爸爸笑了。
Dad smiles.
他摸了摸小明的头。
He pats Xiao Ming's head.
他说：你真乖。
He says: you're a good boy.
爸爸说：希望那艘船的人，
Dad says: I hope the people on that ship
都可以回家。
can all go home.
小明也说：我也希望。
Xiao Ming also says: I hope so too.
新闻还在演。
The news keeps playing.
两个人一起看。
The two of them watch together.
那艘船，
That ship
还在大海上。
is still on the sea.
慢慢地走。
Sailing slowly.
很多人在等它。
Many people are waiting for it.
也有很多人在帮它。
Many people are helping it too.
这就是今天小明听到的事。
That's what Xiao Ming heard today.
HSK 3 but very common. 一艘船 = one ship (measure word 艘 specific to boats). The episode's anchor word.
HSK 4. 看新闻 = watch the news. Where the kid first hears about the story.
HSK 1. The dad explains the story to 小明. Pair with 妈妈.
HSK 1. 看新闻 = watch the news. 看不太懂 = can't really understand from looking.
HSK 2. 小明问爸爸 = Xiao Ming asks dad. The episode is built on questions.
HSK 2. 病了 = got sick. 生病 = fall ill. The keyword of the whole episode.
HSK 2. 二十三个国家 = 23 countries. The story crosses many countries.
HSK 1. 一百多人 = over 100 people. A core word.
HSK 1. 回不了家 = cannot return home. The emotional anchor — passengers can't 回家.
HSK 1. 医生看了 = the doctor checked. The hero of this story.
Beyond HSK 2 but glossed inline. 病 (disease) + 毒 (poison). The episode explains: 看不见的小东西.
Beyond. 邮 (postal) + 轮 (wheel/ship). Glossed inline as 很大很大的船。就像一个小城市.
Beyond. Glossed inline as 地球最冷的地方. 南 (south) + 极 (extreme).
HSK 4. 人传人 = human-to-human transmission. Same character as 'transmit', different from 船 (boat).
HSK 5. 口 (mouth) + 罩 (cover). Glossed inline. Everyone on the ship wears one now.
HSK 3. 动 (move) + 物 (thing). The dad warns 不要碰小动物的便便.
Beyond. 靠 (lean on) + 岸 (shore). The whole drama is whether the ship can 靠岸.
HSK 3. 希望那艘船的人都可以回家 = hope all the people on the ship can go home.
* beyond level超纲词
X 就是 Y (definition)
The teacher's pattern. Used to define a new word inline.
邮轮就是很大很大的船。
南极就是地球最冷的地方。
病毒就是看不见的小东西。
因为 + reason
'Because + reason.' Often used alone at HSK 1.
因为船上有人病了。
因为戴了，病不容易传。
因为有一个病毒。
想 + Verb (want to V)
Modal of desire: 想 + verb.
他们要回家。
他们想去看看。
西班牙的政府说：要让他们来。
Verb + 不 + Verb (potential complement)
Negative potential complement. Verb + 不了 = cannot V.
他们回不去。
看不见，但是它会让人生病。
全世界都在看这件事。
X 也 + Verb
也 = also. Comes BEFORE the verb.
后来他的妻子也死了。
也在上面吃饭。
我也希望。
把 + Object + Verb (BA construction)
把 fronts the object. 'Took A and did Y to it.'
三个病人，被飞机送走了。
我们要帮他们。
X 一边 ... 一边 ... / X 在 ... 也 ...
Parallel actions or states.
也在上面吃饭，也在上面睡觉。
医生在等。家人也在等。
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