A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels
特朗普要断军援，共和党败选怪以色列
Trump Moves to Cut Israel Military Aid as Republicans Blame Israel for Midterm Defeat
About this story
Trump says the US will cut off $3.8bn in annual military aid to Israel by year's end, as Democrats win Congress and Republicans blame Israel for their defeat. HSK 3 Chinese listening practice.
This is an HSK 3 Chinese listening episode that runs about 2 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 武器、已经、没有 and walks through 6 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.
English transcript reference
The US president said that America will stop the money it gives to Israel.
He said the stop date is the end of this year.
America gives Israel four billion dollars every year, used to buy weapons.
This money is called military aid, and Israel has received it for many years.
The president said this on election day, and many people did not expect it.
He also said that Israel is doing very well now.
He said that giving money is a bad topic.
In this election, the president's side lost.
The Democrats won and took both houses of Congress.
The day after the election, the US vice-president came out to speak.
He said they lost because of the war in Iran.
He also said it was because of America's relationship with Israel.
He wrote several measures; the first was to end the war.
The second was to change America's relationship with Israel.
In Michigan, a Democrat won.
The seat he won is very important.
He had long said that Israel should not get this money.
He also said that Israel's war in Gaza is very cruel.
He said this is genocide; Israel says it is not.
There is a very big organization in America that has always given money to help Israel.
In Michigan, this organization also spent a lot of money.
It spent more than thirty million dollars to oppose him.
Before this, this organization said it would no longer support candidates.
It also said it would not give money directly to candidates.
But it said it would still spend money in the future.
Israel's prime minister also had problems.
At the end of October, his party was not the majority in Israel's parliament.
He had always wanted to phase out America's money over several years.
The money America gives Israel was originally not due to run out for several more years.
So the president's words made Israelis very surprised.
Without this money, Israel will have seventy billion dollars less over two years.
The president said Israel can pay for itself and buy American weapons.
Listen again
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
What vocabulary does this episode teach?
词汇HSK 3. 买武器 = buy weapons.
HSK 2. 已经拿了很多年 = has already received it for many years.
HSK 1. 没有想到 = did not expect.
HSK 1. 现在过得很好 = is doing very well now.
HSK 2. 是因为伊朗的战争 = is because of the war in Iran.
HSK 3. 美国跟以色列的关系 = America's relationship with Israel.
HSK 3. 这个位子很重要 = this seat is very important.
HSK 2. 在这以前 = before this.
HSK 3. 美国总统 = US president.
HSK 3. 选举那天 = on election day.
HSK 2. 每年给 = give every year.
HSK 1. 很多人 = many people.
* beyond level超纲词
What grammar patterns appear in this episode?
语法要 + Verb (planned future action)
要 before a verb marks an intention or plan — 'is going to / will'.
美国总统说，美国要停掉给以色列的钱。
因为 + Clause (reason)
因为 introduces the cause; often paired with 所以 in the result clause.
他说，他们输了，是因为伊朗的战争。
所以总统的话，让以色列人很意外。
如果 + Condition, (就) + Result
Conditional 'if… then…'; the 就 in the result clause is often omitted.
如果没有这笔钱，以色列两年里会少七十亿美元。
让 + Person + Verb (causative)
让 means 'to make/let someone do something'.
所以总统的话，让以色列人很意外。
用 + Verb Phrase (purpose: 'used to')
用来 + verb means 'used for the purpose of'.
美国每年给以色列四十亿美元，用来买武器。
才 + Verb (only then / not until)
才 stresses that something happens later or with difficulty than expected.
本来还有几年才到期。
Proper nouns
专有名词Sources
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