4:08
一个小国家的大新闻：所有人都能用 AI
A Tiny Country, a Big AI Deal: Free ChatGPT in Malta
This is an HSK 1 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 电脑、中国、漂亮 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.
今天我给你说一个新闻。
Today I'll tell you about a news story.
是一个小国家的事。
It's about a small country.
这个国家叫马耳他。
This country is called Malta.
马耳他在哪儿？
Where is Malta?
马耳他在大海里。
Malta is in the sea.
是一个小小的地方。
It's a tiny place.
马耳他不大。
Malta isn't big.
中国很大。
China is big.
美国很大。
The US is big.
马耳他很小。
Malta is small.
马耳他的人也少。
Malta also has few people.
中国有很多很多人。
China has lots and lots of people.
美国也有很多人。
The US also has many people.
马耳他没有很多人。
Malta doesn't have many people.
这个国家有什么新的事？
What is new in this country?
在马耳他，所有人都可以用一个东西。
In Malta, everyone can use a thing.
不用钱。
For free.
是什么东西？
What is it?
是电脑里的一个东西。
It's a thing inside a computer.
我们叫它 AI。
We call it AI.
AI 是什么？
What is AI?
AI 在电脑里。
AI is in the computer.
你给 AI 写字。
You write to AI.
AI 给你写字。
AI writes back to you.
你问 AI，
You ask AI,
AI 告诉你。
AI tells you.
AI 会说话吗？
Can AI speak?
AI 会。
AI can.
AI 会说话。
AI can speak.
AI 会写字。
AI can write.
AI 是谁做的？
Who made AI?
是美国的一个公司做的。
A company in the US made it.
公司叫什么？
What is the company called?
公司叫 OpenAI。
The company is called OpenAI.
OpenAI 做的 AI 叫 ChatGPT。
The AI OpenAI made is called ChatGPT.
中国可以用 ChatGPT 吗？
Can China use ChatGPT?
中国不可以用 ChatGPT。
China cannot use ChatGPT.
我们在中国用别的 AI。
In China we use other AI.
那马耳他呢？
What about Malta?
马耳他可以用 ChatGPT。
Malta can use ChatGPT.
今天的新闻是这样：
Today's news is this:
OpenAI 和马耳他在一起做新的事。
OpenAI and Malta are doing something new together.
OpenAI 说：
OpenAI said:
"你们的人都可以用 ChatGPT。
"All your people can use ChatGPT.
"一年不用钱。
"For one year, free of charge.
马耳他说：
Malta said:
"好。
"OK.
"我们的人可以学这个东西。
"Our people can learn this thing.
我们中国有吗？
Do we have it in China?
没有。
No.
现在只有马耳他。
Right now only Malta has it.
马耳他是第一个。
Malta is the first.
为什么是马耳他？
Why Malta?
马耳他很小。
Malta is very small.
人也少。
Few people.
做新的事，
For doing new things,
小的国家可以快一点。
a small country can move faster.
马耳他的人开心吗？
Are Malta's people happy?
很多人开心。
Many are happy.
也有人不开心。
Some are not.
为什么不开心？
Why not?
有的人想：
Some people think:
"AI 太多了。
"There's too much AI.
"我们的小朋友可能不学习了。
"Our children might stop studying.
AI 会让小朋友不学习吗？
Will AI make children stop studying?
我也在想。
I'm thinking about that too.
你也可以想一下。
You can think about it too.
AI 是新的东西。
AI is new.
很多人都在想：
Many people are thinking:
AI 怎么用最好？
What's the best way to use AI?
AI 不可以做什么？
What should AI not do?
小朋友可以用 AI 吗？
Can children use AI?
可以用。
They can.
可是不可以让 AI 做你的工作。
But don't let AI do your work.
你要自己学习。
You have to study yourself.
你要自己想。
You have to think yourself.
AI 可以帮你一点点。
AI can help you a little.
马耳他的小朋友也学中文吗？
Do Malta's children also learn Chinese?
马耳他的学校有英文。
Malta's schools teach English.
也有马耳他文。
They also teach Maltese.
有的学校也有中文。
Some schools teach Chinese too.
我想去马耳他。
I want to go to Malta.
你想去吗？
Do you want to go?
马耳他很远。
Malta is very far.
在大海里。
In the sea.
要坐很久的飞机。
You'd have to take a long plane ride.
可是马耳他很漂亮。
But Malta is beautiful.
有大海。
There's the sea.
有老的房子。
There are old buildings.
最后我问你一个问题：
Finally I'll ask you one question:
你的国家也想做这个吗？
Does your country want to do this?
所有人都用 AI，
Everyone uses AI,
不用钱。
for free.
你想一下。
Think about it.
好的，
Okay,
今天我们就说到这里。
that's all for today.
明天再聊。
Talk tomorrow.
Computer. The narrator introduces AI as 'something inside a 电脑' — anchoring an abstract idea to a familiar HSK 1 object.
China. The episode contrasts 中国 (lots of people) with 马耳他 (very few people) to show scale.
Beautiful, pretty. The narrator's pitch at the end: '马耳他很漂亮' — Malta is beautiful, with the sea and old buildings. One of the most useful HSK 1 adjectives.
Money. The headline phrase 不用钱 ('don't need money', i.e. free) is built from HSK 1 pieces — and is exactly the news.
Small. The whole story hinges on Malta being 小 — small population, small country, small enough to move fast.
To study. Two senses appear: (1) the Maltese have to 学习 before using ChatGPT; (2) some worry children will stop 学习 because of AI.
News (the kind on TV or a website). The opening line '今天我给你说一个新闻' — today I'll tell you a piece of news.
A company / firm. OpenAI is introduced as '美国的一个公司' (a company from the US) — a HSK 2 word every learner meets in modern news.
A country (as a political unit). 马耳他 is described as '一个小国家'. Built from 国 (state) + 家 (household) — country-as-household.
The first (one). The whole story is that 马耳他 is 第一个 — the first country in the world to do this. 第 is the ordinal marker; 第一 = number one.
To tell (someone something). Construction: 告诉 + person + content. 'AI 告诉你' = 'AI tells you.'
To help. The narrator's caution: 'AI 可以帮你一点点' — AI can help you a little, but it shouldn't do your work for you.
* beyond level超纲词
不用 + Verb
不用 = 'no need to.' The whole headline lives in this pattern: 不用钱 ('no need for money' = free). Distinct from 不要 (don't want to) and 不能 (can't). 不用 means the option is there but not required.
不用钱。
一年都不用钱。
所有 + N + 都...
所有 means 'all / every.' Usually paired with 都 (also/all): 所有人都 = everyone. The whole news depends on this — 所有人都可以用 = 'all people can use.'
所有人都可以用。
马耳他所有的人都可以用。
在 + place introduces location. The episode uses it for both physical places (在马耳他, 在大海里) and metaphorical 'places' (在电脑里 = inside a computer). One particle, two uses, both HSK 1.
马耳他在大海里。
AI 在电脑里。
可以 / 不可以
可以 marks permission/possibility. The story uses both: 'AI 可以帮你' (AI is allowed/able to help) and 'AI 不可以做你的工作' (AI shouldn't do your work). Distinct from 会 (capability) and 要 (want).
所有人都可以用 ChatGPT。
不可以让 AI 做你的工作。