A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels
她当着所有人，叫了那个女人“妈妈”
In Front of Everyone, She Called That Woman "Mother"
About this story
In Never-Ending Summer, Zhou Wan finds the insurance money was hers all along and, at a grand banquet, calls her estranged mother "Mom" to force out her grandma's surgery money. HSK 2 Chinese listening practice.
This is an HSK 2 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 13 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, Zhou Wan took the money her mother gave her and turned cold to Lu Xixiao on purpose.
But grandma's illness got worse, and she was admitted to the hospital.
Paying for grandma's treatment was still far short of enough money.
Today, let's keep going.
Zhou Wan's father was already gone.
When her father passed, he left behind some money.
Her mother kept saying the money was hers, and wouldn't give it to Zhou Wan.
But one day, Zhou Wan found a piece of paper at home.
It said clearly: this money was actually left for Zhou Wan.
Zhou Wan suddenly understood: her mother was lying to her.
She thought: I'm going to take back what's mine, piece by piece.
The Lu family was a rich household.
On this day, the Lu family held a big banquet.
Many rich people came, and Zhou Wan's mother would be there too.
So Zhou Wan found a way to get in.
She wanted to force her mother, in front of everyone, to hand over the money.
At the banquet, a boy who always looked down on Zhou Wan was there.
He deliberately dirtied Zhou Wan's dress.
Everyone was staring at her, and Zhou Wan was embarrassed.
Just then, Lu Xixiao walked over.
He had already prepared a white dress for Zhou Wan.
He had her change into that dress.
Once Zhou Wan put it on, standing under the lights, she looked especially beautiful.
Even though Zhou Wan was so cold to him, Lu Xixiao still shielded her.
Just then, Zhou Wan got a call from the hospital.
The hospital said: grandma can have surgery now, but it costs three hundred thousand.
Three hundred thousand — where would Zhou Wan find it?
She had only one way left.
She walked into the crowd and, in front of everyone, called that woman "Mom."
She said: all these years, thank you, Mom, for helping me.
With everyone watching, her mother had no choice but to agree to give her the money.
The money for grandma's surgery was secured.
But Lu Xixiao saw all of this.
His heart ached.
He asked Zhou Wan: was there ever one time you meant it, toward me?
Zhou Wan didn't answer.
Because in her heart she held a secret she couldn't tell:
That woman was, in fact, her own mother.
But no one knew this.
Later, the Lu family had Zhou Wan move in, to live and study with Lu Xixiao.
The two of them grew closer and closer.
Zhou Wan wanted to get near him, while also hiding the truth from him.
This summer got harder and harder for her.
Do you have a secret that the more you try to hide, the more it won't stay hidden?
Listen again
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
What vocabulary does this episode teach?
词汇HSK 1. 逼妈妈把钱拿出来 = force her mother to hand over the money.
HSK 1. 叫那个女人一声“妈妈” = calls that woman "Mom."
HSK 1. 爸爸走的时候留下了钱 = when father passed, he left money.
HSK 1. 周挽接到了医院的电话 = Zhou Wan got a call from the hospital.
HSK 2. 谢谢妈妈一直帮我 = thank you, Mom, for always helping me.
HSK 2 (办法). 她只剩下一个办法 = she has only one way left.
HSK 2 (裙子). The white dress Lu Xixiao prepared for her.
Beyond HSK 2. The secret she can't tell — that the woman is her real mother.
Beyond HSK 2. 陆家有一个很大的晚宴 = the Lu family holds a big banquet.
Beyond HSK 2. 奶奶可以做手术了 = grandma can have surgery now.
Beyond HSK 2. 妈妈在骗她 = her mother is lying to / deceiving her.
Beyond HSK 2. 逼妈妈把钱拿出来 = force her mother to hand over the money.
Beyond HSK 2. 亲妈妈 = one's own (birth) mother.
* beyond level超纲词
What grammar patterns appear in this episode?
语法故意 + 动词
故意 = on purpose / deliberately, placed before the verb.
故意对陆西骁很冷。
故意把周挽的衣服弄脏了。
把 + 宾语 + 动词
把 fronts the object to stress what is done to it.
逼妈妈把钱拿出来。
把自己的东西一样一样拿回来。
当着…的面 / 在…前面
当着大家 / 在…前面 = in front of / in the presence of (everyone).
她走到很多人中间，当着大家…
在很多人前面，逼妈妈…
越 A 就越 B
越 A 越 B = the more A, the more B.
越想藏，就越藏不住。
过得越来越难。
Proper Nouns
专有名词Sources
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