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徒手爬上帝国大厦：一对俄罗斯情侣，在最高处求婚又被捕
Free-Climbing the Empire State Building: A Russian Couple Proposes at the Top — Then Gets Arrested
HSK 2 Chinese listening practice. A Russian rooftopper couple free-climbed the Empire State Building, got engaged at the top, and were arrested — the thrill, the fame, the danger, and the ethics of imitating deadly stunts.
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 14 key vocabulary words such as 刺激、帝国大厦、爬 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.
今天我们说一件，最近很多人都在看的新闻。
Today we'll talk about a piece of news many people have been watching lately.
这件事，又刺激，又让人有点担心。
It's both thrilling and a little worrying.
在美国的纽约，有一座非常有名的大楼，叫帝国大厦。
In New York, USA, there's a very famous building called the Empire State Building.
它很高很高，是纽约最有名的地方之一。
It's very tall, one of New York's most famous landmarks.
就在前几天，有两个人，爬到了这座大楼的最顶上。
Just a few days ago, two people climbed to the very top of it.
他们不是坐电梯上去的。
They didn't go up by elevator.
他们是用自己的手和脚，从外面一点一点爬上去的。
They used their hands and feet, climbing up the outside bit by bit.
最让人害怕的是，他们身上没有任何绳子。
The most frightening part: they had no rope at all.
一旦手一滑，后果不敢想。
One slip of the hand, and the consequences are unthinkable.
但他们还是爬到了最高的地方。
But they still climbed to the very top.
到了顶上，他们做了一件很特别的事。
At the top, they did something very special.
这两个人，是一对情侣，一个男的，一个女的。
The two are a couple — a man and a woman.
在那么高的地方，男的向女的求婚了。
Up that high, the man proposed to the woman.
女的答应了，两个人还戴上了戒指。
She said yes, and they put on rings.
他们说，要结婚了。
They said they were getting married.
你可能会问：他们到底是谁？
You might ask: who exactly are they?
其实，他们在网上很有名。
Actually, they're very famous online.
他们是一对来自俄罗斯的年轻人，专门爬世界各地的高楼。
They're a young Russian couple who specialize in climbing tall buildings around the world.
他们的故事，还被拍成了一部电影，很多人都看过。
Their story was even made into a film that many people have seen.
更有意思的是，他们以前爬过的高楼里，有一座就在中国的天津。
What's more interesting: among the towers they've climbed before, one is in Tianjin, China.
所以，这次爬帝国大厦，对他们来说，又是一次新的挑战。
So climbing the Empire State Building was another new challenge for them.
那么，爬完以后呢？
So, what happened after the climb?
等他们下来，警察已经在楼下等着了。
When they came down, the police were already waiting below.
两个人都被抓了起来。
Both were arrested.
警察说，这样爬楼，非常危险，也是违法的。
The police said such climbing is very dangerous, and illegal.
他们被告了很多条罪。
They were charged with many counts.
大楼那边也说，还好，楼里的客人，一直都很安全。
The building also said that, fortunately, the guests inside were safe the whole time.
说到这里，我想和你聊几句。
At this point, I'd like to say a few words to you.
这件事，说实话，有两面。
Honestly, this has two sides.
一面是：太酷了，太浪漫了，在世界最高的地方求婚。
One side: so cool, so romantic — proposing at the top of the world.
另一面是：太危险了，一个不小心，两条命就没了。
The other side: so dangerous — one slip, and two lives are gone.
在网上，看到这样的视频，我们会觉得很过瘾。
Online, watching videos like this feels exhilarating.
但也正是因为这样，才会有更多人，想去学，想去模仿。
But it's precisely for that reason that more people want to learn and imitate it.
最后，我想问你两个问题。
Finally, I want to ask you two questions.
第一，你觉得，这样的行为，是勇敢，还是太不要命了？
First, do you think such behavior is brave, or just reckless with one's life?
第二，为了让别人觉得自己很厉害，值得拿命去冒险吗？
Second, is it worth risking your life just to make others think you're impressive?
这两个问题，没有标准答案，但是值得我们想一想。
These two questions have no standard answer, but they're worth thinking about.
这件事，又刺激，又让人有点担心 = it's both thrilling and a bit worrying.
一座非常有名的大楼，叫帝国大厦 = a very famous building, the Empire State Building.
从外面一点一点爬上去 = climbing up the outside bit by bit.
身上没有任何绳子 = with no rope at all.
这两个人，是一对情侣 = the two are a couple.
男的向女的求婚了 = the man proposed to the woman.
两个人还戴上了戒指 = they put on rings.
又是一次新的挑战 = another new challenge.
这样爬楼，非常危险，也是违法的 = such climbing is very dangerous, and illegal.
才会有更多人，想去学，想去模仿 = more people will want to imitate it.
太浪漫了，在世界最高的地方求婚 = so romantic, proposing at the top of the world.
看到这样的视频，我们会觉得很过瘾 = watching such videos feels exhilarating.
值得拿命去冒险吗 = is it worth risking your life?
这样的行为，是勇敢，还是太不要命了 = is such behavior brave, or reckless?
* beyond level超纲词
又 A 又 B (both A and B)
Stacks two qualities.
这件事，又刺激，又让人有点担心。
一旦 ... ，后果不敢想 (once..., the consequences are unthinkable)
A conditional stressing danger.
一旦手一滑，后果不敢想。
专门 + Verb (specialize in / do exclusively)
Marks a dedicated activity.
专门爬世界各地的高楼。
被 + Verb (passive)
Marks the subject as acted upon.
两个人都被抓了起来。
还被拍成了一部电影。
正是因为 ... ，才 ... (precisely because..., only then...)
A strong causal link.
但也正是因为这样，才会有更多人，想去模仿。
X，还是 Y？(is it X, or Y?)
An either-or question.
这样的行为，是勇敢，还是太不要命了？
值得 ... 吗？(is it worth...?)
A value question for the close.
值得拿命去冒险吗？