A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels

为什么中国突然卸载免费开源的AI助手Openclaw
Why China Is Suddenly Uninstalling the Free AI Assistant OpenClaw
About this story
Why Chinese offices and bosses are suddenly uninstalling the free open-source AI assistant OpenClaw — worry and safety. HSK 2 Chinese listening practice.
This is an HSK 2 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 16 key vocabulary words such as 新闻、聪明、安全 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
Speaking of news about computer programs.
Today we are going to talk about something.
This thing happened in China.
Many people use computers every day.
There are many small programs inside computers.
There is one program that is very famous.
Everyone knows this program.
It is a very new thing.
What can this program do?
It can help you do many things.
For example, if you want to write a new book.
It can help you finish writing the book.
If you want to find the answer to a question.
It will also answer you very quickly.
It is even smarter than an ordinary person.
So everyone likes it very much.
What is more important?
This program does not cost money.
You spend money when you buy things at a store.
But using this program doesn't cost money.
You can use it for free every day.
Because it costs no money, many people use it.
Everyone feels very happy using it.
They put it in their computers.
In addition, this program is very special.
How is it made?
The people who made it told everyone.
Everyone can see inside it.
This is just like a recipe for cooking.
Everyone knows how to cook it.
Everyone can work together to make it well.
This sounds like a great thing.
But now things have changed.
A strange thing happened.
Chinese people started to stop using it.
They take it out of their computers.
Yesterday everyone was still using this.
Today everyone doesn't want to use it anymore.
Everyone is doing the same thing.
Why has it become like this?
This is really a big question.
It obviously doesn't need money.
It is obviously very smart.
It helped everyone a lot.
Why suddenly not want it anymore?
There are many reasons for this.
We will now talk about them one by one.
The first reason is very important.
The first reason is related to safety.
What is computer safety?
For example, you have a lot of money at home.
You must close the doors of your house properly.
If the doors are not closed properly, it is not safe.
The things inside a computer are the same.
You have a lot of personal things.
You don't want them to be known by others.
But this program might look at them.
When it is helping you work.
It also sees your secrets.
It might take the secrets away.
And send the secrets to a faraway place.
Everyone thinks this is very bad.
Everyone is worried about their secrets.
Because of this worry, they don't want to use it anymore.
Earlier we mentioned one thing.
Everyone knows how it is made.
Good people knowing it can do good things.
But bad people also know the method.
Bad people might look for its problems.
Bad people use these to do bad things.
This makes everyone feel even more unsafe.
So everyone becomes more and more afraid.
Next, let's talk about the second reason.
This reason is related to work.
Many people go to work at a company every day.
There are very important documents in the company.
The boss thinks there is a problem with this program.
The boss tells everyone that it cannot be used anymore.
If used, the company will not be safe.
Everyone must listen to the boss.
What if you don't listen to the boss?
You might not have a job anymore.
So everyone is very obedient at work.
Everyone returns to the office in the morning.
Turns on their work computer.
And takes away this smart program.
The people in the company don't use it anymore.
This is also a very big reason.
There is also a very important third reason.
China is developing very fast now.
Chinese people have made smart programs.
These new programs are also very easy to use.
Some programs are even better than that one.
They run very fast on the computer.
They write Chinese characters very beautifully.
Chinese people like these programs very much.
Because these were made by Chinese people.
So they understand Chinese culture better.
When you ask questions about China.
The new programs answer very clearly.
That foreign program might not understand.
It doesn't know what you want to say.
So everyone prefers the new programs.
Everyone thinks the new programs are easier to use.
So everyone changed their habits.
Before, they used that foreign program.
Now they use China's own programs.
This change happened very quickly.
Everything changed in just a few months.
The old program was taken away by everyone.
The new programs were put in by everyone.
Everyone is learning to use new things.
Learning to use new programs takes time.
Although it felt a bit difficult at first.
But everyone slowly got used to it.
Everyone thinks this is a good thing.
Because one's own things are the safest.
No need to worry anymore about secrets being taken by others.
Everyone is very happy when working.
The company bosses are also very happy.
We just talked about three reasons.
First is because it is not safe enough.
Second is because of company requirements.
Third is because there are better ones.
Because of these three important reasons.
Everyone suddenly stopped using that program.
This matter surprised many people.
Many foreigners also feel it's strange.
The thing we just talked about is very important.
This program is called Openclaw.
It is an artificial intelligence program.
Which is what people call an AI assistant.
It is free and open-source.
Open-source means everyone knows the code.
Recently, China is uninstalling it in large numbers.
Uninstalling means deleting it from the computer.
Because everyone is paying more and more attention to safety.
And also because China has its own AI.
Listen again
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
What vocabulary does this episode teach?
词汇Noun meaning news. Often used with the measure word 条 (tiáo) for a piece of news.
Adjective used to describe someone or something that is highly intelligent.
Can be used as an adjective (safe) or a noun (safety/security).
Adjective describing something unusual or unexpected.
Verb meaning to feel anxious or concerned about something.
Can act as a noun (a habit) or a verb (to become accustomed to something).
Noun referring to a business owner, manager, or employer.
Noun referring to a room or building where administrative or professional work is done.
Noun referring to a computer program or software application.
Noun referring to something kept hidden or unexplained.
Tech vocabulary meaning to remove software or an application from a device.
Tech vocabulary denoting software for which the original source code is made freely available.
Noun phrase referring to computer systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence.
Noun referring to a helper or an AI application designed to assist users.
Noun referring to computer programming code.
Verb meaning to erase or remove data, files, or programs.
* beyond level超纲词
What grammar patterns appear in this episode?
语法把 (bǎ) Sentence Structure
Used to indicate an action applied to a specific object, usually resulting in a change of state or location. Structure: Subject + 把 + Object + Verb + Result/Direction.
它可以帮你把书写完。
他们把它从电脑里拿走。
把这个聪明的程序拿走。
比 (bǐ) for Comparison
Used to compare two entities. The structure is 'A + 比 + B + Adjective', meaning 'A is more [Adjective] than B'.
它比普通人还要聪明。
有的程序比那个还要好。
被 (bèi) Sentence for Passive Voice
Used to construct passive sentences. Structure: Receiver + 被 + (Doer) + Verb + Complement.
你不希望被别人知道。
旧的程序被大家拿走了。
新的程序被大家放进来了。
越来越 (yuè lái yuè) for Gradual Change
Means 'more and more'. It is placed before an adjective or psychological verb to indicate that a state is changing progressively over time.
所以大家变得越来越害怕。
因为大家越来越重视安全。
因为...所以... (yīn wèi... suǒ yǐ...) for Cause and Effect
A common conjunction pair used to link a cause (因为) and its effect/result (所以).
因为不要钱所以用的人多。
因为担心所以不想用了。
和...有关 / 和...有关系 (hé... yǒu guān / hé... yǒu guān xì)
Means 'to be related to' or 'to have something to do with'. Structure: A + 和 + B + 有关(系).
第一个原因和安全有关。
这个原因和工作有关系。
Proper Nouns
专有名词Free account
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