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Sam's Club Thrives in China While Rivals Retreat — episode cover art
5:42

山姆商店在中国

Sam's Club Thrives in China While Rivals Retreat

About this story

A simple story about Sam's Club, the American store in China where things are expensive but shopping feels convenient. HSK 1 Chinese listening practice.

This is an HSK 1 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 17 key vocabulary words such as 商店、东西、觉得 and walks through 5 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.

说到买东西,我们可以去大商店看看。
今天我们去一个大商店。
这个商店很大。
非常大。
商店里有很多东西。
有吃的。
有喝的。
有用的东西。
这个商店叫山姆。
它在中国。
很多人都去那里。
你看,那里有很多人。
前面有人。
后面也有人。
大家都在买东西。
我也想去买东西。
我们要买什么呢?
我们看看吃的吧。
这里有水果。
有苹果。
苹果很大。
苹果很红。
看起来很好吃。
这里还有牛肉。
你看这个牛肉。
牛肉很新鲜。
以前,这里的牛肉很大。
一块牛肉非常大。
太大了。
我们吃不完。
家里人少。
只有三个人。
大块的牛肉不好。
但是现在不一样了。
现在的牛肉变小了。
你看这一块。
这一块不大。
也不小。
大小刚刚好。
我们一顿饭可以吃完。
爸爸能吃。
妈妈能吃。
我也能吃。
大家都高兴。
为什么变小了?
因为商店知道我们的想法。
商店知道中国人的家。
中国的家,人不多。
所以东西不能太大。
小的东西更好。
这叫懂我们。
商店里还有别的。
你看那些盒子。
红色的盒子。
很漂亮。
那是过年的东西。
中国人喜欢过年。
过年要买东西。
要买好吃的。
要送给朋友。
这里有很多这样的东西。
有坚果。
有糖果。
都是中国人喜欢的。
商店里的人说:“这些很好。
我也觉得很好。
所以很多人来买。
大家买了很多。
有的东西卖完了。
因为大家太喜欢了。
这个商店是美国的。
但是它卖中国的东西。
它卖我们喜欢的东西。
所以它现在很好。
在这个城市有这个商店。
在那个城市也有。
商店越来越多。
你看,那边在开新店。
这里也在开新店。
别的商店怎么样?
有的商店不好了。
有的商店关门了。
因为没有人去。
因为东西不好。
或者东西不适合我们。
但是山姆不一样。
山姆知道我们要什么。
它在学习。
它在看我们。
它知道我们喜欢吃什么。
它知道我们喜欢用什么。
所以它留下了。
它还在开新店。
很多人开车来买东西。
买了东西放在车里。
然后回家。
这很方便。
如果你不想来,也可以。
可以用手机买。
手机上点一下。
东西就送到家了。
很快。
真的很方便。
大家都很忙。
方便很重要。
所以大家喜欢这里。
这里的东西好。
这里的东西不贵。
这里的东西适合我们。
这就是为什么人这么多。
你看,排队的人很多。
每个人都买了东西。
我也买一点吧。
我要买那个牛肉。
小的牛肉。
回家做饭。
妈妈会很高兴。
现在我们来说说这个故事。
这个故事说的是什么?
说的是一家叫“山姆”的商店。
这是一家美国的大商店。
以前,它卖美国的东西。
东西很大。
现在,它变了。
它卖适合中国人的东西。
东西变小了。
更适合中国的家庭。
它还卖很多中国的好吃的。
虽然别的外国商店关门了。
但是山姆开了很多新店。
因为它做得好。
因为它懂中国市场。
这就是今天的故事。
我们要买适合自己的东西。
商店也要卖适合大家的东西。
English transcript reference

Speaking of buying things, we can go to a big store to have a look.

Today we are going to a big store.

This store is very big.

Extremely big.

There are many things inside the store.

There are things to eat.

There are things to drink.

And useful things.

This store is called Sam's Club.

It is in China.

Many people go there.

Look, there are many people there.

There are people in front.

There are also people behind.

Everyone is buying things.

I also want to go buy things.

What are we going to buy?

Let's look at the food.

There is fruit here.

There are apples.

The apples are very big.

The apples are very red.

They look very delicious.

There is also beef here.

Look at this beef.

The beef is very fresh.

Before, the beef here was very big.

One piece of beef was extremely big.

It was too big.

We couldn't finish eating it.

There are few people in the family.

Only three people.

Big pieces of beef are not good.

But now it is different.

The beef has become smaller now.

Look at this piece.

This piece is not big.

And not small.

The size is just right.

We can finish it in one meal.

Dad can eat.

Mom can eat.

I can also eat.

Everyone is happy.

Why did it become smaller?

Because the store knows our thoughts.

The store knows Chinese families.

Chinese families do not have many people.

So things cannot be too big.

Small things are better.

This is called understanding us.

There are other things in the store.

Look at those boxes.

Red boxes.

Very beautiful.

Those are things for Chinese New Year.

Chinese people like Chinese New Year.

We need to buy things for Chinese New Year.

Need to buy delicious food.

Need to give gifts to friends.

There are many such things here.

There are nuts.

There is candy.

They are all things Chinese people like.

The people in the store say: "These are very good."

I also think they are very good.

So many people come to buy.

Everyone bought a lot.

Some things are sold out.

Because everyone likes them too much.

This store is American.

But it sells Chinese things.

It sells things we like.

So it is doing very well now.

This store exists in this city.

It also exists in that city.

There are more and more stores.

Look, they are opening a new store over there.

They are also opening a new store here.

How about other stores?

Some stores are not doing well.

Some stores have closed down.

Because no one goes there.

Because the things are not good.

Or the things do not suit us.

But Sam's Club is different.

Sam's Club knows what we want.

It is learning.

It is watching us.

It knows what we like to eat.

It knows what we like to use.

So it stayed.

It is still opening new stores.

Many people drive cars to come buy things.

Buy things and put them in the car.

Then go home.

This is very convenient.

If you don't want to come, that's also fine.

You can buy using your mobile phone.

Tap once on the phone.

The things are delivered to your home.

Very fast.

Really very convenient.

Everyone is very busy.

Convenience is very important.

So everyone likes it here.

The things here are good.

The things here are not expensive.

The things here suit us.

This is why there are so many people.

Look, there are many people queuing.

Everyone bought things.

Let me buy a little too.

I want to buy that beef.

The small beef.

Go home and cook.

Mom will be very happy.

Now let's talk about this story.

What is this story about?

It talks about a store called "Sam's Club".

This is a big American store.

Before, it sold American things.

The things were very big.

Now, it has changed.

It sells things suitable for Chinese people.

Things have become smaller.

More suitable for Chinese families.

It also sells a lot of delicious Chinese food.

Although other foreign stores have closed.

But Sam's Club has opened many new stores.

Because it does well.

Because it understands the Chinese market.

This is today's story.

We need to buy things that suit us.

Stores also need to sell things that suit everyone.

Listen again

Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.

What vocabulary does this episode teach?

词汇
shāngdiànstore / shop

A common place to buy goods. Measure word is 家 (jiā).

dōngxithings / stuff

A general term for objects or items. Note the neutral tone on 'xi'.

juédeto feel / to think

Used to express an opinion or physical sensation.

shǒujīmobile phone

Literally 'hand machine'.

guìexpensive

The opposite of cheap (便宜 - piányi).

mángbusy

Adjective describing having a lot to do.

fāngbiànconvenient

Describes something that saves time or effort.

piàoliangbeautiful / pretty

Used for people or objects.

wèishénmewhy

Question word asking for the reason.

yīnwèibecause

Used to give a reason, often paired with 所以 (suǒyǐ - so).

shìhéto suit / to fit

A verb meaning something is right or appropriate for someone.

xīnxiānfresh

Used for food (fruit, meat) or air.

jiānguǒnuts

Specific food vocabulary.

tángguǒcandy / sweets

Specific food vocabulary.

xiǎngfǎidea / opinion / way of thinking

Noun form of 'to think' (想).

páiduìto queue / to line up

Common activity in busy shops.

shìchǎngmarket

Can refer to a physical market or the abstract economic market.

* beyond level超纲词

What grammar patterns appear in this episode?

语法

Place + 有 + Object

This structure is used to express existence, meaning 'There is/are [Object] in [Place]'.

商店里有很多东西。

前面有人。

这里有水果。

Verb / Adjective + 的 (Nominalization)

Adding '的' after a verb or adjective turns it into a noun phrase, meaning 'the one that is...' or 'things that are...'.

有吃的。

有喝的。

小的东西更好。

在 + Verb (Progressive Aspect)

Using '在' before a verb indicates an action is currently happening (present continuous tense).

大家都在买东西。

那边在开新店。

它在学习。

Verb + 完 (Result Complement)

The character '完' (to finish) is placed after a verb to indicate the action has been completed successfully.

有的东西卖完了。

我们一顿饭可以吃完。

我们吃不完。

虽然 ... 但是 ...

A conjunction pair meaning 'Although ..., but ...'. In Chinese, both parts of the pair are usually spoken.

虽然别的外国商店关门了,但是山姆开了很多新店。

Proper nouns

专有名词
山姆ShānmǔSam's Club (Sam)中国ZhōngguóChina美国MěiguóUSA / America

Sources

来源

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