3:24
两个人，爬上了世界上最有名的大楼：没有绳子，在最高的地方求婚
Two People Climbed the World's Most Famous Building: No Rope, and a Proposal at the Very Top — A Beginner Story in Simple Chinese
HSK 1 Chinese listening practice. Two Russian climbers scaled the Empire State Building with no ropes, proposed at the top, and were arrested — a simple story about daring, romance, danger, and why you should never imitate it.
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 爬、大楼、危险 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.
今天我们说两个人。
Today we'll talk about two people.
他们是一个男的，一个女的。
One is a man, one is a woman.
这两个人，做了一件事。
These two did something.
一件很大的事。
A big thing.
一件，很多人都不敢做的事。
Something most people wouldn't dare to do.
他们做这件事的时候，很多人都在看。
As they did it, many people were watching.
有的人看了说：太厉害了！
Some watched and said: amazing!
也有的人说：太危险了，我都不敢看！
Others said: too dangerous, I can't even look!
还有的人说：他们是不是疯了？
And others said: are they crazy?
这件事，真的很危险，也真的很厉害。
This thing was truly dangerous, and truly impressive.
危险到，有的人看，都不敢看。
So dangerous that some couldn't bear to watch.
但是他们，真的做了。
But they really did it.
那么，他们到底做了一件什么事呢？
So, what exactly did they do?
我们慢慢说。
Let's take it slowly.
在一个城市里，有一座很高很高的大楼。
In a city, there is a very, very tall building.
比你见过的，所有的楼都高。
Taller than any building you've ever seen.
这两个人，要爬到这座大楼的最上面。
These two wanted to climb to the very top of it.
他们不坐电梯。
They didn't take the elevator.
他们用自己的手和脚，一点一点往上爬。
They used their hands and feet, climbing up bit by bit.
最吓人的是，他们身上，一根绳子也没有。
The scariest part: they had no rope at all.
你想一想，这有多危险。
Think about how dangerous that is.
只要一不小心，就会掉下来。
One slip, and they'd fall.
但是他们，真的爬上去了。
But they really climbed up.
他们爬到了，最高最高的地方。
They reached the very, very top.
下面，就是整个城市。
Below them was the whole city.
所有的车和人，都变得很小很小。
All the cars and people looked tiny.
到了最上面，他们又做了一件特别的事。
At the top, they did something special.
在那么高的地方，男的问女的：你愿意嫁给我吗？
Up that high, the man asked the woman: will you marry me?
就在这座大楼上，他们说，要结婚了。
Right there on the building, they said they would marry.
那么，这件事，是真的吗？
So, is this real?
是真的。
It's real.
这座大楼，在美国，叫帝国大厦。
This building, in America, is called the Empire State Building.
是世界上最有名的大楼之一。
It's one of the most famous buildings in the world.
爬楼的这两个人，是从俄罗斯来的。
The two climbers came from Russia.
他们不是第一次爬。
It wasn't their first climb.
以前，他们还爬过很多别的大楼。
Before, they had climbed many other tall buildings.
其中有一座，就在中国。
One of them was in China.
那么，爬完以后呢？
So, what happened after the climb?
他们下来的时候，警察已经在等他们了。
When they came down, the police were already waiting.
因为这样爬楼，是不可以的。
Because climbing buildings like this is not allowed.
太危险了。
It's too dangerous.
警察把他们两个，都抓了起来。
The police arrested them both.
说到这里，我想和你聊一聊。
At this point, I'd like to talk with you.
他们很勇敢，这是真的。
They are brave — that's true.
在那么高的地方求婚，也真的很浪漫。
Proposing up that high is truly romantic, too.
但是这么做，也真的很危险。
But doing this is also truly dangerous.
一个不小心，就没有命了。
One slip, and their lives would be gone.
所以，我们可以看，可以觉得很厉害。
So we can watch, and find it impressive.
但是我们自己，千万不要学。
But we ourselves must never imitate it.
最后我想问你。
Finally, I want to ask you.
为了做一件很酷的事，你愿意，拿自己的命去换吗？
To do something cool, would you trade your own life for it?
他们用自己的手和脚，一点一点往上爬 = they climbed up bit by bit with their hands and feet.
一座很高很高的大楼 = a very, very tall building.
你想一想，这有多危险 = think how dangerous this is. The recurring warning.
有的人看了说：太厉害了 = some watched and said: amazing!
他们身上，一根绳子也没有 = they had no rope at all — the scariest part.
他们不坐电梯 = they didn't take the elevator.
只要一不小心，就会掉下来 = one slip and they'd fall.
你愿意嫁给我吗 = will you marry me? What the man asks at the top.
他们说，要结婚了 = they said they were getting married.
这座大楼，在美国，叫帝国大厦 = this building, in America, is the Empire State Building.
警察已经在等他们了 = the police were already waiting.
他们很勇敢，这是真的 = they are brave, that's true.
* beyond level超纲词
不敢 + Verb (dare not)
Expresses not daring to do something.
很多人都不敢做的事。
我都不敢看！
比 ... 都 + Adj (more Adj than all...)
Superlative comparison.
比你见过的，所有的楼都高。
一点一点 + Verb (bit by bit)
Describes a gradual action.
他们用自己的手和脚，一点一点往上爬。
只要 ... 就 ... (as long as..., then...)
A minimal condition leading to a result.
只要一不小心，就会掉下来。
把 + Object + Verb 起来 (disposal + resultative)
Foregrounds what is done to the object.
警察把他们两个，都抓了起来。
千万不要 + Verb (must never...)
A strong warning.
但是我们自己，千万不要学。
为了 ... ，你愿意 ...吗？(for the sake of..., would you...?)
A trade-off question for the close.
为了做一件很酷的事，你愿意，拿自己的命去换吗？