A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels
爸爸的钱，和一个不能说的秘密
Her Father's Money, and a Secret She Can't Tell
About this story
In the C-drama Never-Ending Summer, Zhou Wan learns her late father's money was left to her, and calls the mother who abandoned her "Mom" in public to save her grandma. HSK 1 Chinese listening practice.
This is an HSK 1 Chinese listening episode that runs about 3 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、妈妈、爸爸 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
Last time, we talked about Zhou Wan and Lu Xixiao.
Zhou Wan took her mother's money.
Having taken the money, she stopped seeing Lu Xixiao.
At this time, grandma fell ill.
Grandma was in the hospital.
Her treatment cost a lot of money.
Zhou Wan badly wanted to give grandma money.
But Zhou Wan had no money.
Zhou Wan's father was gone.
Her father had left some money, meant for Zhou Wan.
This money was for Zhou Wan, not for her mother.
But her mother wanted this money too.
Her mother didn't want to give it to Zhou Wan.
Later, Zhou Wan found something at home.
On it was written: father's money is for Zhou Wan.
Zhou Wan was very happy.
She thought: this money is mine.
I'm going to ask my mother for it.
On this day, Lu Xixiao's home was full of people.
Many rich people came.
Everyone was eating together.
Her mother came too.
Zhou Wan went as well.
She wanted to ask her mother for the money in front of everyone.
There, someone was unkind to Zhou Wan.
Just then, Lu Xixiao arrived.
Lu Xixiao was still very good to Zhou Wan.
He gave Zhou Wan a white dress.
Zhou Wan put on the white dress and looked beautiful.
Just then, the hospital called.
The hospital said: grandma can be treated now.
But the treatment costs a lot of money.
Zhou Wan didn't have that much money.
She had only one way out.
She walked out in front of everyone.
She called her mother: Mom.
She said: thank you, Mom, for being so good to me these years.
Everyone was watching them.
With no choice, her mother had to give Zhou Wan the money.
Grandma had money for treatment now.
But Lu Xixiao heard it, and was very unhappy.
He asked Zhou Wan: was any of it toward me real?
Zhou Wan said nothing.
In her heart she had a secret.
She is her mother's daughter.
But no one knew this secret.
Later, Zhou Wan moved into Lu Xixiao's home.
The two of them ate together and studied together.
Day by day they grew closer.
But the secret in Zhou Wan's heart still went unspoken.
This summer was very hot, and very long.
Do you have a secret you can't tell for many years?
Listen again
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
What vocabulary does this episode teach?
词汇HSK 1. 爸爸的钱是给周挽的 = father's money is for Zhou Wan.
HSK 1. 她叫妈妈：妈妈 = she calls out "Mom."
HSK 1. 周挽的爸爸不在了 = Zhou Wan's father is gone.
HSK 1. 奶奶在医院 = grandma is in the hospital.
HSK 1. 周挽住到陆西骁的家里 = Zhou Wan moves into Lu Xixiao's home.
HSK 1. 一件白的衣服 = a white dress.
HSK 1. 她只有一个办法 = she has only one way out.
Beyond HSK 1. 她是妈妈的女儿 = she is her mother's daughter.
Beyond HSK 1. The secret she can't tell — that the woman is her mother.
Beyond HSK 1. The sick grandma who needs the surgery money.
Beyond HSK 1. 周挽拿了妈妈的钱 = Zhou Wan took her mother's money.
Beyond HSK 1. 夏 (summer) + 天 (day). The drama's title 炽夏 = Never-Ending Summer.
* beyond level超纲词
What grammar patterns appear in this episode?
语法是给…的
X 是给 Y 的 = X is (meant) for Y. 的 closes the description.
爸爸的钱是给周挽的。
是给周挽的，不是给妈妈的。
要 + 动词
要 before a verb = will / need to; note 要 can also mean 'to want/ask for' (和妈妈要钱).
我要去和妈妈要。
看病要很多钱。
只 + 有/能
只有 = have only; 只能 = can only / have no choice but to.
她只有一个办法。
妈妈只能给周挽钱。
越来越 (grow more)
一天比一天 + adjective = more … with each day (the beginner-level version of 越来越).
他们一天比一天好。
Proper Nouns
专有名词Sources
来源Free account
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