A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels
6:15
世界杯：C罗无力回天，葡萄牙一比一被刚果逼平
World Cup: A Frustrated C-Ronaldo as Portugal Are Held 1-1 by Congo
中级中文世界杯战报：内维斯第5分钟头球破门，刚果前锋维萨上半场扳平，C罗下半场多次射门未果，葡萄牙一比一被刚果逼平，痛失好局。含生词、语法和全文英文翻译。
This is an HSK 3-4 Chinese listening episode that runs about 6 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 10 key vocabulary words such as 看好、差距、核心 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.
Read the complete story in Chinese. Reveal pinyin and English only when you need them.
Portugal were held to a one-all draw by the Democratic Republic of the Congo — a modest upset at this World Cup.
For convenience, from here on we'll shorten the Democratic Republic of the Congo to just Congo.
Before the match, almost everyone favored Portugal.
Portugal is a traditional power of world football, with a squad packed full of stars.
And the one drawing the most attention was, without question, C-Ronaldo.
As one of the greatest players in football history, C-Ronaldo's fame and drawing power are unmatched.
Many fans bought tickets just to see him play with their own eyes.
What's more, C-Ronaldo is no longer young, and this may well be one of his last World Cups.
For precisely this reason, fans especially cherish his every appearance on the World Cup stage.
And their opponents, Congo, are a team from Africa.
In reputation and overall quality, Congo lag some distance behind Portugal.
But in recent years, African football has improved fast, and Congo are by no means a team to take lightly.
The match was played in Houston, USA, with a large crowd of fans present.
In the stands there were both fans supporting Portugal and quite a few who'd come specially for C-Ronaldo.
For Congo, such an opponent and such a setting were themselves a huge test.
But they weren't intimidated by the atmosphere; on the contrary, they looked full of fight.
After kickoff, Portugal quickly seized the initiative.
They had more of the ball, using their passing to pin Congo back in their own half.
In just the 5th minute, they were the first to break the deadlock.
Portugal's young player Neves rose high and beat Congo's goalkeeper with a header.
One to nil — Portugal took an early lead.
This goal filled Portugal's fans with confidence; they felt victory was within sight.
However, Congo were not crushed by this conceded goal.
Although weaker in quality, they played very tenaciously, with everyone running their hearts out.
As the match went on, Congo gradually steadied themselves and began to create chances of their own.
And right as the first half was about to end, Congo seized a chance.
Their forward Wissa rose high and, likewise with a header, beat Portugal's goalkeeper.
One to one — Congo had tenaciously leveled the score.
This goal meant a great deal to Congo — breaking through Portugal's goal at the World Cup is itself something to be proud of.
More importantly, this goal made them believe: they were fully capable of going toe-to-toe with a strong team.
The Congo fans in the stands erupted, many shouting and jumping with excitement.
In that moment, what the score was seemed not to matter; this goal alone was enough to make it unforgettable for them.
Carrying a one-all scoreline, the two teams headed into the second half.
After the change of ends, Portugal clearly stepped up their attack.
They brought on more dynamic players and took on a determined, must-win posture.
Crosses, long shots, corners — Portugal used nearly every attacking method.
As the team's core, C-Ronaldo also shot several times, trying to break the deadlock.
However, Congo's defending was extraordinarily stubborn.
With everyone dropping back, they protected their goal with sheer numbers.
No matter how Portugal attacked, Congo's defensive line stood firm as a rock.
Congo's goalkeeper also performed heroically, making several crucial saves.
The minutes ticked away, and Portugal still couldn't score again.
With the match seemingly about to end, the faces of Portugal's players were full of anxiety.
And Congo's players, the longer they defended, grew more confident, and the harder they fought, the more spirited they became.
In the end, the match finished one to one, with each team taking a point.
Judging by the result, this draw meant entirely different things to the two teams.
For Congo, holding Portugal to a draw was almost a victory.
With tenacious defending and unbending fighting spirit, they held on to a precious point.
And for Portugal, this result was undoubtedly somewhat disappointing.
As one of the title favorites, they had wanted to open with a big win.
Instead, they were held by their opponent and took only one point.
Especially C-Ronaldo — eager for victory, his face after the match was full of regret.
For a veteran who craves the title like this, such a start was far from ideal.
After the match, people's discussion revolved around these two teams.
Some praised Congo for playing bravely and tenaciously, deserving everyone's respect.
Others felt Portugal's attacking efficiency today was too low, wasting too many chances.
Actually, this is exactly where the World Cup's magic lies: between strong and weak, there is never anything absolute.
In recent years, more and more African teams dare to go head-to-head with traditional powers, without backing down.
For Portugal, failing to win the opener sounded a warning bell for them.
The group stage has only just begun, and they still have a chance to adjust and to fight for qualification.
And for Congo, this point is a start full of hope.
With a draw, they proved their quality to the world.
Perhaps in many people's hearts, the weight of this point is no lighter than a victory.
For those who love watching football, it's precisely matches like this that make the World Cup more interesting.
And a superstar like C-Ronaldo — even without a win, the fighting spirit he showed on the pitch was still impressive.
One to one, with both a strong team's regret and an underdog's glory — this is the World Cup.
Alright, that's the whole story of Portugal versus Congo. See you next time.
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
赛前，几乎所有人都看好葡萄牙。
刚果都和葡萄牙有不小的差距。
作为球队的核心，C罗也多次起脚射门。
HSK 1-3. world.
HSK 1-3. chance.
考纲词。C罗的名气和号召力无人能及。
考纲词。能逼平葡萄牙，几乎就是一场胜利。
成语。无论葡萄牙怎么进攻，刚果的防线就是稳如磐石。
考纲词。刚果的门将做出了好几次关键扑救。
成语。尤其是C罗，他求胜心切。
* beyond level超纲词
更何况…
'what's more / let alone' — adds a stronger point.
更何况，C罗的年纪已经不小，这很可能是他最后的几届世界杯之一。
无论…，…
'no matter …, …'.
无论葡萄牙怎么进攻，刚果的防线就是稳如磐石。
即便…，也…
'even if …, still …'.
像C罗这样的巨星，即便没能取胜，他在场上那股拼劲，也依然让人印象深刻。
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