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一个造火箭的公司，今天卖给了大家
A Rocket-Making Company Sold Itself to Everyone Today — A Beginner Story in Simple Chinese
HSK 1 Chinese listening practice. The story of a famous American rocket company going public in the biggest stock sale ever, and its boss Musk becoming the richest person in the world — told one slow step at a time using only beginner-level Chinese.
This is an HSK 1 Chinese listening episode that runs about 5 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 火箭、公司、上天 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.
今天我们说一个事。
Today we'll talk about a thing.
这个事，是一个公司的事。
This thing is about a company.
我们说这个公司。
Let's talk about this company.
这个公司，在美国。
This company is in America.
它不在中国。
It's not in China.
它在美国。
It's in America.
这个公司，很大。
This company is very big.
在美国，很多人都知道它。
In America, many people know it.
在中国，也有人知道它。
In China, some people also know it.
那这个公司，是做什么的呢？
So what does this company do?
我们慢慢说。
We'll go slowly.
这个公司，做一个东西。
This company makes a thing.
这个东西，可以上天。
This thing can go up to the sky.
什么是上天呢？
What is 'going up to the sky'?
你在下面。
You're down below.
天，在上面。
The sky is up above.
天很高很高。
The sky is very, very high.
这个东西，可以上去。
This thing can go up.
上到很高的天上。
Up to the very high sky.
这个东西，叫"火箭"。
This thing is called a 'rocket'.
火箭很大。
A rocket is very big.
比你的家，还要大。
Bigger than your house.
做一个火箭，要很多很多钱。
Making one rocket takes a lot, a lot of money.
这个公司，就做火箭。
This company makes rockets.
它做了很多火箭。
It has made many rockets.
它的火箭，都可以上天。
Its rockets can all go up to the sky.
它做了很多火箭。
It has made many rockets.
它的火箭，飞得很高。
Its rockets fly very high.
在美国，这个公司很有名。
In America, this company is very famous.
在中国，也有人知道它。
In China, some people know it too.
这个公司，还做了一个东西。
This company also made another thing.
这个东西，也在天上。
This thing is also in the sky.
它能让你上网。
It lets you get online.
你在很远的地方，也能上网。
Even in a faraway place, you can get online.
就算你的旁边没有别人，
Even if there's no one else beside you,
你也能上网。
you can still get online.
所以很多人，都喜欢这个公司。
So many people like this company.
好。
Okay.
现在你知道这个公司了。
Now you know this company.
这个公司，做火箭。
This company makes rockets.
火箭飞得很高。
Rockets fly very high.
那今天，这个公司做了什么事呢？
So today, what did this company do?
今天，这个公司做了一件大事。
Today, this company did a big thing.
以前，这个公司是一个人的。
Before, this company belonged to one person.
是几个人的。
To a few people.
别人不能买它。
Others couldn't buy it.
但是今天，不一样了。
But today, it's different.
今天，这个公司说：
Today, this company said:
"大家好。
'Hello everyone.
现在，你也可以买我们了。
Now, you can buy us too.
你可以买我们的一小块。
You can buy a little piece of us.
你买了一小块，
Once you buy a little piece,
这一小块，就是你的了。
that little piece is yours.'
什么意思呢？
What does that mean?
我们慢慢说。
We'll go slowly.
以前，这个公司很大，但是不卖。
Before, this company was big, but it wasn't for sale.
今天，公司把自己，分成很多很多小块。
Today, the company divided itself into many, many small pieces.
每一小块，都可以卖。
Every small piece can be sold.
你给钱，你就有一小块。
You give money, and you get a small piece.
很多人都想买。
Many people want to buy.
很多很多人，都来买。
Very, very many people come to buy.
大家都想要这个公司的一小块。
Everyone wants a small piece of this company.
为什么呢？
Why?
因为大家都觉得：
Because everyone thinks:
这个公司，以后会更好。
this company will be even better in the future.
火箭会越做越多。
It will make more and more rockets.
公司也会越来越大。
The company will also get bigger and bigger.
所以今天，买的人特别多。
So today, a huge number of people bought in.
这个公司，一下子卖了很多钱。
This company suddenly sold a lot of money's worth.
卖了多少呢？
How much did it sell?
卖了很多很多。
A lot, a lot.
是世界上，最多的一次。
The most ever in the world.
以前没有公司，卖过这么多。
No company before had ever sold this much.
还有一件事。
There's one more thing.
这个公司，有一个老板。
This company has a boss.
他的名字，你也许听过。
You might have heard his name.
他叫马斯克。
He's called Musk.
今天以后，马斯克的钱，特别特别多。
After today, Musk has a huge amount of money.
多到什么样呢？
How much?
他是世界上，钱最多的人。
He's the person with the most money in the world.
以前没有人，有过这么多钱。
No one before ever had this much money.
他是第一个。
He's the first.
最后，我们一起想一想。
Finally, let's think together.
一个公司，做的东西飞到天上。
A company whose product flies up into the sky.
今天，它把自己分成小块，卖给大家。
Today, it divided itself into small pieces and sold them to everyone.
很多人都来买。
Many people came to buy.
为什么大家都想买呢？
Why does everyone want to buy?
因为大家相信：
Because everyone believes:
天上的事，以后会越来越多。
in the future, there will be more and more things in the sky.
也许，他们想得对。
Maybe they're thinking right.
也许，不对。
Maybe not right.
以后才知道。
We'll only know later.
最后我想问你一下。
Finally, I want to ask you.
你看着天上的时候，
When you look up at the sky,
你会想什么呢？
what do you think about?
你想上去看一看吗？
Do you want to go up and take a look?
你想一想。
Think about it.
HSK 1 verb. Central to the IPO concept: 你可以买我们的一小块 = you can buy a small piece of us.
HSK 1 verb. 每一小块都可以卖 = every small piece can be sold. The company sells pieces of itself.
Glossed inline: 可以上到很高的天上的东西，比你的家还要大 = a thing that can go very high into the sky, bigger than your house. 火 (fire) + 箭 (arrow).
HSK 2. A company that makes rockets. The central organization in the story.
Glossed inline: 你在下面，天在上面，这个东西可以上去 = you're below, the sky is above, this thing can go up.
它能让你上网 = it lets you get online. The Starlink satellite idea, made concrete.
How the episode explains a share (股): 公司把自己分成很多小块 = the company divides itself into small pieces.
HSK 4. 这个公司有一个老板 = this company has a boss — Musk.
HSK 3. 以前，这个公司是几个人的 = before, this company belonged to a few people.
HSK 3. 这个公司，以后会更好 = this company will be better in the future.
HSK 3. 因为大家相信 = because everyone believes. Why people buy in.
HSK 3. 买的人特别多 = an especially large number of people bought; 马斯克的钱特别特别多 = Musk has an extreme amount of money.
* beyond level超纲词
Subject + 是 / 不是 + Noun
Basic identity: 'X is / is not Y'.
这个公司，在美国。
它不在中国。
他是世界上钱最多的人。
什么是 X 呢? + answer (gloss)
Rhetorical question used to define a new word, then answered.
什么是上天呢？
什么意思呢？
为什么呢？
可以 + Verb (can / be allowed to)
可以 marks possibility or permission, before the verb.
这个东西，可以上天。
现在，你也可以买我们了。
每一小块，都可以卖。
比 + Object + Adjective (comparison)
'more Adj than Object'. Basic comparison.
比你的家，还要大。
越 + Verb + 越 + Adjective
'the more... the more...'. Escalation.
火箭会越做越多。
公司也会越来越大。
以前 ... 今天 ... (before vs now)
Time contrast structuring the before/after of the IPO.
以前，这个公司是几个人的。
但是今天，不一样了。
因为 + Clause (because)
HSK 2 cause marker.
因为大家都觉得：这个公司，以后会更好。
因为大家相信。