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Summer Davos in Dalian Puts AI at Center — episode cover art
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什么是“夏季达沃斯”?这个夏天,全世界的大人物都来了大连

Summer Davos in Dalian Puts AI at Center

About this story

What is Davos, and why is there a 'Summer Davos' in China? The story of a small Swiss town that became the name of the world's top economic forum, the 1,700+ leaders gathering in Dalian, and this year's big topic: AI and robots. HSK 2 Chinese listening practice.

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 新闻、公司、问题 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.

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原文

Read the complete story in Chinese. Reveal pinyin and English only when you need them.

今天我们来聊一个你可能常常听到、但不太懂的词,叫"达沃斯"。
最近的新闻里经常说到它。
因为就在这几天,中国的大连正在开一个很大的会,这个会就叫夏季达沃斯。
那么,"达沃斯"到底是什么?
我们从头说起。
很多年前,在欧洲有一个很小的小镇,它的名字就叫达沃斯。
从那以后,每年冬天,全世界最有钱、最有名、最有权力的人都会去那里开一个会。
他们在那里聊全世界的经济,也聊未来。
慢慢地,达沃斯这个小镇的名字,就变成了这个大会的名字。
后来,这个会也来到了中国。
因为是在夏天开,所以大家就叫它夏季达沃斯。
它每年都在中国开,今年轮到了大连。
那么今年,都有谁来了呢?
来的人非常多,有一千七百多人,来自九十多个国家。
有大公司的老板,有政府的官员,也有大学里的聪明人。
这么多人聚在一起,今年最想聊的是什么呢?
答案你可能已经猜到了,是AI,是人工智能,还有机器人。
他们说,现在的AI和机器人越来越厉害。
比如,有的工厂里已经开始用机器人来工作。
还有人说,也许在未来,一个人加上几个AI,就能开一家公司。
当然,他们也聊到了担心的事。
比如,AI会不会让一些人丢了工作?
说到这里,你可能会觉得这些事离自己很远。
但其实并不远。
这些大人物今天聊的,正是我们明天就要面对的生活。
他们怎么看AI、怎么用AI,最后都会影响到我们每一个普通人。
最后我想问你一个问题,对于AI,你是更期待,还是更担心呢?
English transcript reference

Today we'll talk about a word you may often hear but not quite understand — 'Davos'.

It comes up a lot in the news lately.

Because in these very days, Dalian, China, is hosting a big meeting, and that meeting is called Summer Davos.

So what exactly is 'Davos'?

Let's start from the beginning.

Many years ago, in Europe there was a very small town named Davos.

Ever since, every winter, the world's richest, most famous, and most powerful people go there for a meeting.

There they discuss the world economy, and the future.

Slowly, the town's name, Davos, became the name of the meeting itself.

Later, this meeting also came to China.

Because it's held in summer, people call it Summer Davos.

It's held in China every year; this year it's Dalian's turn.

So this year, who came?

A great many came — over 1,700 people, from more than ninety countries.

There are big-company bosses, government officials, and brilliant minds from universities.

With so many people gathered, what do they most want to discuss this year?

You may have already guessed: AI — artificial intelligence — and robots.

They say today's AI and robots are more and more capable.

For example, some factories have already begun using robots to do the work.

Some even say that perhaps, in the future, one person plus a few AIs could run a company.

Of course, they also discussed their worries.

For example, will AI cause some people to lose their jobs?

At this point, you might feel these things are far from you.

But in fact they're not.

What these big figures discuss today is precisely the life we'll face tomorrow.

How they view and use AI will, in the end, affect every ordinary one of us.

Finally I want to ask you: about AI, are you more excited, or more worried?

Listen again

Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.

What vocabulary does this episode teach?

词汇
xīnwénnews

最近,新闻里,经常说到它 = lately the news mentions it a lot.

gōngsīcompany

HSK 1-2. company.

wèntíproblem / question

HSK 1-2. problem / question.

kāishǐto start / to begin

HSK 1-2. to start / to begin.

juédeto feel / to think

HSK 1-2. to feel / to think.

dānxīnto worry

HSK 1-2. to worry.

yīnwèibecause

HSK 1-2. because.

DáwòsīDavos

这个词,叫达沃斯 = this word is 'Davos'. Glossed as a Swiss town turned forum name.

ŌuzhōuEurope

在欧洲,有一个,很小的小镇 = in Europe there was a small town.

xiǎozhènsmall town

它的名字,就叫达沃斯 = the town was named Davos.

quánlìpower

最有权力的人 = the most powerful people.

jīngjìeconomy

聊全世界的经济 = they discuss the world economy.

wèiláithe future

聊未来 = they discuss the future.

guānyuánofficial

有政府的官员 = there are government officials.

* beyond level超纲词

What grammar patterns appear in this episode?

语法

从头说起 (to start from the beginning)

A storytelling device for going back to the origin.

我们,从头说起。

从那以后,每 ... 都 ... (ever since, every...)

Marks a recurring habit since a point in time.

从那以后,每年冬天,最有权力的人,都会去那里。

X 变成了 Y (X turned into Y)

Describes a transformation.

这个小镇的名字,就变成了,这个大会的名字。

轮到 + Someone/Place (it's X's turn)

Indicates rotation.

今年,轮到了大连。

正是 ... (is precisely...)

Emphatic identification.

今天聊的,正是,我们明天,就要面对的,生活。

会不会 + Verb?(will it / won't it...?)

A yes-no question about a possibility.

AI,会不会,让一些人,丢了工作?

你是更 X,还是更 Y?(are you more X or more Y?)

An either-or question for the close.

对于AI,你是,更期待,还是,更担心呢?

Proper nouns

专有名词
达沃斯DáwòsīDavos — the Swiss town and the forum named after it夏季达沃斯Xiàjì DáwòsīSummer Davos — the China-hosted version大连DàliánDalian — the host city this year欧洲ŌuzhōuEurope

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