A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels
5:18
佛得角守住了西班牙
Cape Verde Hold Off Spain
用最简单的中文听一场真实的世界杯大冷门：很小的佛得角零比零守住了很强的西班牙。适合零基础初学者，含拼音生词、语法和全文英文翻译。
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 10 key vocabulary words such as 喜欢、知道、高兴 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.
Lots of people love watching football.
I love watching football too.
Today, I want to talk about a football match.
A lot of people wanted to watch this match.
In this match, there were two teams.
One team was Spain.
The other team was Cape Verde.
Spain are very good at football.
Many people know Spain.
And many people love Spain.
Spain play football very well.
Cape Verde are a team too.
Cape Verde came to play football as well.
Both teams came to play this match.
Both teams wanted to play well.
Everyone wanted to watch this match.
Everyone wanted to watch Spain play football.
Some people wanted to watch Cape Verde play too.
The people who came to watch were many, many.
Everyone was very happy.
Both teams really wanted to play well.
Everyone wanted to know who would play better.
Many people said Spain play very well.
Everyone really wanted to watch Spain.
They all wanted to play very well.
The people coming to watch grew more and more.
Okay, let's watch this match.
Actually, Cape Verde is a very small place.
Many people don't really know Cape Verde.
This was Cape Verde's first time playing in such a big tournament.
So the people of Cape Verde were all very happy.
Before the match, everyone thought Spain would win.
Because Spain are too strong.
Cape Verde are small and new, and not many people favored them.
People thought: Spain will surely score many goals.
The match began, and Spain kept playing.
Spain really wanted to score.
"To score" means to kick the ball in.
Spain tried again and again, wanting to score again and again.
But a strange thing happened.
Spain tried many times, but didn't score a single goal!
Why?
Because Cape Verde defended too well.
Cape Verde's players all stood in front of their own goal.
Together they blocked Spain's shots.
Also, Cape Verde's goalkeeper was especially good.
A "goalkeeper" is the person who stands in front of the goal.
The balls Spain kicked over, he blocked one by one.
Today he blocked many, many shots.
Everyone said this goalkeeper was really good.
Spain really wanted to score, but just couldn't.
The more they played, the more anxious they got, but still couldn't score.
Cape Verde scored little, but defended well.
They wanted to score too, but wanted to defend first even more.
And so, neither team scored.
In the end, the match was over.
Zero to zero — the two teams drew.
"To draw" means no loss and no win.
Both teams got one point.
This zero to zero is a bit of a pity for Spain.
Because everyone had thought Spain would win by a lot.
But Spain didn't score a single goal.
And Cape Verde?
For Cape Verde, this was a big success!
Such a small, new team holding Spain to a draw.
That really is not easy.
Cape Verde's players and fans were overjoyed.
For them, this one point felt just like winning.
After the match, many people talked about Cape Verde.
Some said Cape Verde defended too well.
Others said Spain were a little unlucky today.
Actually, football is just like this.
It's not that the strong team always wins.
Defending well, with a good goalkeeper, can also be very powerful.
That's just how Cape Verde held off Spain.
Watching a match like this, everyone enjoys it too.
A small team holding a big team to a draw really makes people happy.
Alright, that's all for today's football match.
Spain and Cape Verde drew zero to zero.
Thanks for listening — see you next time.
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
HSK 1. 很多人都喜欢看足球.
HSK 1. 很多人不太知道佛得角.
HSK 1. 佛得角的球迷都高兴得不得了.
考纲词. 可是，奇怪的事发生了.
HSK 1. we; us.
Glossed: 进球，就是把球踢进去.
Glossed: 守门员，就是站在门前面的那个人.
他一个一个都把球挡住了.
Glossed: 踢平，就是没有输，也没有赢.
这个守门员，真厉害.
* beyond level超纲词
一次一次地…
'again and again' — a repeated action.
西班牙一次一次地踢，一次一次地想进球。
越…越…
'The more …, the more …'.
他们越踢越急。
不是…，就一定…
'it's not that … is necessarily …' — corrects an assumption.
不是强的队，就一定会赢。
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