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Why Are Chinese EVs Cheaper Than Tesla? — episode cover art
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Why Are Chinese EVs Cheaper Than Tesla?

About this story

A simple story about Xiao Ming asking why Chinese cars are cheap — comparing China's car shops with Tesla in America. HSK 1 Chinese listening practice.

This is an HSK 1 Chinese listening episode that runs about 7 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 商店、告诉、觉得 and walks through 4 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 at your level

原文

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

事情我们看看小明
小明一个学生
也是一个
他想一个东西
他想什么
他想一个
因为他想开车
开车学校
开车工作
所以小明商店
这个商店很大
商店很多东西
商店很多
小明高兴
他在商店
看见很多
前面一个
后面也有一个
左边一个
右边也有一个
小明看见一个红色
这个漂亮
这个
看见一个白色
那个漂亮
那个
小明很喜欢
他想红色
也想白色
但是只能一个
商店
你好
这个多少钱
商店你好
红色很少
白色很多
小明很想知道
为什么一样
很好
都很
为什么一个
为什么一个
小明为什么
商店坐下
小明告诉
这里有三原因
一个原因
红色我们很多
这里
这里很多红色
我们天天
上午下午
我们做了一百个
我们做了一千个
做得很快
做得
一个大道理
你想一想
苹果
一个苹果
苹果
很多苹果
苹果就不
也是一样
白色做得
所以白色
小明点了点头
明白
还有
商店还有
第二个原因东西
这个
什么
椅子
电脑
玻璃
红色一样
这些东西都是自己做的
椅子
电脑
他们不出去
他们自己
自己很少
白色
他们椅子
他们电脑
别的商店
买东西很多
所以白色
因为他们自己
小明真的
商店真的
自己做饭很少
饭馆吃饭很多
就是这个道理
小明懂了
还有
商店还有一个
第三个原因
需要
需要很多
红色很好
这里很多
他们很喜欢学习
他们
他们工作很快
但是他们不多
中国很多
大家都可以工作
白色一样
那里很少
那里很多
很多
就要很多
也是一个原因
小明想了
原来是这样
不是因为不好
因为做得
因为自己东西
因为一样
商店
还有一点
有人因为别人给钱
因为政府给钱
其实不对
很少
不是原因
原因自己
原因做得
小明高兴
觉得红色很好
觉得这个
他有很多
没有很多
所以喜欢
商店谢谢
喜欢红色
这个
这个漂亮
这个很好
这个
小明开车回家
高兴
告诉他的爸爸
告诉他的妈妈
一个
这个很少
因为做得
因为我们自己
因为很好
这个故事的是什么
的是汽车
就是不用
中国便宜
外国
比如特斯拉
为什么中国便宜
因为做得
因为东西自己做的
不是因为政府给钱
因为工厂厉害
English transcript reference

Speaking of buying cars, let's look at Xiao Ming.

Xiao Ming is a student.

He is also a person.

He wants to buy something.

What does he want to buy?

He wants to buy a car.

Because he wants to drive.

Drive to school.

Drive to work.

So, Xiao Ming goes to the store.

This store is very big.

There are many things in the store.

There are many cars in the store.

Xiao Ming is very happy.

He looks around inside the store.

He sees many cars.

There is a car in front.

There is also a car behind.

There is a car on the left.

There is also a car on the right.

Xiao Ming sees a red car.

This car is very beautiful.

This car is very new.

He also sees a white car.

That car is also very beautiful.

That car is also very new.

Xiao Ming likes both of them.

He wants to buy the red car.

He also wants to buy the white car.

But he can only buy one.

He asks the person at the store.

He says: "Hello."

"How much is this car?"

The store person says: "Hello."

"The red car costs very little."

"The white car costs a lot."

Xiao Ming hears this and really wants to know.

Why are they different?

Both cars are very good.

Both cars are very new.

Why does one cost little?

Why does one cost a lot?

Xiao Ming asks: "Why?"

The store person sits down.

He says to Xiao Ming: "I will tell you."

"There are three reasons here."

"The first reason is making the car."

"Making red cars, we make a lot."

"Look here."

"There are many red cars here."

"We make them every day."

"We make them in the morning, we make them in the afternoon."

"We made one hundred."

"We made one thousand."

"Making a lot makes it fast."

"Making a lot means the cost is low."

"This is a big principle."

"Think about it."

"You go buy apples."

"You buy one apple."

"The apple is expensive."

"You buy many apples."

"The apples are not expensive."

"Making cars is the same."

"White cars, we make few."

"So white cars are very expensive."

Xiao Ming listened and nodded.

He said: "I understand."

"Is there more?"

The store person said: "There is more."

"The second reason is the parts."

"Look at this car."

"What is inside the car?"

"There are seats in the car."

"There are computers in the car."

"There is glass in the car."

"Making red cars is different."

"These things are all made by ourselves."

"The people who make the car also make the seats."

"The people who make the car also make the computers."

"They don't go out to buy them."

"They make them themselves."

"Making them yourself costs very little."

"Look at the white car."

"Their seats are bought."

"Their computers are bought."

"Bought from other stores."

"Buying things costs a lot of money."

"So the white car is very expensive."

"Because they don't make it themselves."

Xiao Ming said: "Is this true?"

The store person said: "It is true."

"Cooking yourself costs very little."

"Eating at a restaurant costs a lot."

"That is the principle."

Xiao Ming said: "I understand."

"Is there more?"

The store person said: "There is one more."

"The third reason is people."

"Making cars needs people."

"Needs many people."

"For making red cars, the people are very good."

"There are many people here."

"They like to learn very much."

"They know how to make cars."

"They work very fast."

"But, they don't ask for much money."

"In China, there are many people."

"Everyone can work."

"Making white cars is different."

"The people there are few."

"The people there want a lot of money."

"If people want a lot of money."

"The car will cost a lot of money."

"This is also a reason."

Xiao Ming thought for a while.

He said: "So it is like this."

"It's not because the car isn't good."

"It is because they make a lot."

"It is because they make things themselves."

"It is because the people are different."

The store person says: "Correct."

"There is one more point."

"Some people say it's because others give money."

"It is because the government gives money."

"Actually, that's not right."

"The money given is very little."

"This is not the big reason."

"The big reason is making it oneself."

"The big reason is making a lot."

Xiao Ming is very happy.

He thinks the red car is very good.

He thinks this car is not expensive.

Does he have a lot of money?

He does not have a lot of money.

So he likes the car that costs little.

He says to the store person: "Thank you."

"I like the red car."

"I will buy this car."

"This car is very beautiful."

"This car is very good to drive."

"This car is not expensive."

Xiao Ming drove home.

He is very happy.

He tells his dad.

He tells his mom.

He says: "I bought a car."

"This car cost very little."

"Because we make a lot."

"Because we make it ourselves."

"Because the people are very good."

What is this story about?

It speaks of "electric cars".

That is, cars that don't use gas.

Chinese cars are very cheap.

Foreign cars are very expensive.

For example, Tesla.

Why are Chinese cars cheap?

Because they make a lot.

Because the parts are made by themselves.

This is not because the government gives money.

It is because the factories are very impressive.

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 where goods are sold.

gàosuto tell

Used to introduce information given to someone.

juédeto feel / to think

Used to express an opinion or physical sensation.

guìexpensive

Adjective describing something with a high price.

piányicheap

Adjective describing something with a low price.

yīnwèibecause

Conjunction used to introduce a reason.

dǒngto understand

Verb meaning to comprehend something.

yuányīnreason / cause

Noun referring to the explanation for why something happens.

dàoliprinciple / sense / reason

Refers to the logic or truth behind something.

bōliglass

Material used for windows; here refers to car windows.

zhèngfǔgovernment

The governing body of a nation or state.

gōngchǎngfactory

A place where goods are manufactured.

lìhaiawesome / impressive / severe

Adjective often used to praise someone's ability or describe something intense.

diàndòng qìchēelectric car

A specific term for vehicles powered by electricity rather than gasoline.

* beyond level超纲词

What grammar patterns appear in this episode?

语法
Place + 有 + Object

This pattern expresses existence, meaning 'There is/are [Object] in/at [Place]'.

商店里有很多车 (There are many cars in the store)

前面有一个车 (There is a car in front)

因为 ... 所以 ...

A conjunction pair meaning 'Because ... therefore ...'. It connects a cause with its result.

因为他想开车 ... 所以,小明去商店 (Because he wants to drive... so Xiao Ming goes to the store)

因为做得多 ... 苹果就不贵 (Because you buy a lot... the apples aren't expensive)

Verb + 得 + Adjective

The 'Complement of State' structure. It describes how an action is performed or the state resulting from the action.

做得多 (Make a lot / Made in large quantities)

工作很快 (Work very fast)

是 ... 的

This construction emphasizes a specific detail (like the agent, time, or manner) of an action or state that is already known to exist.

东西是自己做的 (The things were made by ourselves)

是因为做得多 (It is because we make a lot)

Proper Nouns

专有名词
小明Xiǎo MíngXiao Ming (a common Chinese name)中国ZhōngguóChina特斯拉TèsīlāTesla

Sources

来源

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