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中国的电动车，为什么比特斯拉便宜？
Why Are Chinese EVs Cheaper Than Tesla?
HSK 1 Chinese listening practice. A simple story about Xiao Ming asking why Chinese cars are cheap — comparing China's car shops with Tesla in America.
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.
说到买车的事情，我们看看小明。
Speaking of buying cars, let's look at Xiao Ming.
小明是一个学生。
Xiao Ming is a student.
他也是一个人。
He is also a person.
他想买一个东西。
He wants to buy something.
他想买什么？
What does he want to buy?
他想买一个车。
He wants to buy a car.
因为他想开车。
Because he wants to drive.
开车去学校。
Drive to school.
开车去工作。
Drive to work.
所以，小明去商店。
So, Xiao Ming goes to the store.
这个商店很大。
This store is very big.
商店里有很多东西。
There are many things in the store.
商店里有很多车。
There are many cars in the store.
小明很高兴。
Xiao Ming is very happy.
他在商店里看。
He looks around inside the store.
他看见了很多车。
He sees many cars.
前面有一个车。
There is a car in front.
后面也有一个车。
There is also a car behind.
左边有一个车。
There is a car on the left.
右边也有一个车。
There is also a car on the right.
小明看见了一个红色的车。
Xiao Ming sees a red car.
这个车很漂亮。
This car is very beautiful.
这个车很新。
This car is very new.
他也看见了一个白色的车。
He also sees a white car.
那个车也很漂亮。
That car is also very beautiful.
那个车也很新。
That car is also very new.
小明都很喜欢。
Xiao Ming likes both of them.
他想买红色的车。
He wants to buy the red car.
他也想买白色的车。
He also wants to buy the white car.
但是他只能买一个。
But he can only buy one.
他问商店的人。
He asks the person at the store.
他说：“你好。
He says: "Hello."
“这个车多少钱？
"How much is this car?"
商店的人说：“你好。
The store person says: "Hello."
“红色的车，钱很少。
"The red car costs very little."
“白色的车，钱很多。
"The white car costs a lot."
小明听了，很想知道。
Xiao Ming hears this and really wants to know.
为什么不一样？
Why are they different?
两个车都很好。
Both cars are very good.
两个车都很新。
Both cars are very new.
为什么一个钱少？
Why does one cost little?
为什么一个钱多？
Why does one cost a lot?
小明问：“为什么？
Xiao Ming asks: "Why?"
商店的人坐下来。
The store person sits down.
他对小明说：“我告诉你。
He says to Xiao Ming: "I will tell you."
“这里有三个原因。
"There are three reasons here."
“第一个原因是做车。
"The first reason is making the car."
“做红色的车，我们做很多。
"Making red cars, we make a lot."
“你看这里。
"Look here."
“这里有很多红色的车。
"There are many red cars here."
“我们天天做。
"We make them every day."
“上午做，下午做。
"We make them in the morning, we make them in the afternoon."
“我们做了一百个。
"We made one hundred."
“我们做了一千个。
"We made one thousand."
“做得多，就很快。
"Making a lot makes it fast."
“做得多，钱就少。
"Making a lot means the cost is low."
“这是一个大道理。
"This is a big principle."
“你想一想。
"Think about it."
“你去买苹果。
"You go buy apples."
“你买一个苹果。
"You buy one apple."
“苹果很贵。
"The apple is expensive."
“你买很多苹果。
"You buy many apples."
“苹果就不贵。
"The apples are not expensive."
“做车也是一样。
"Making cars is the same."
“白色的车，做得少。
"White cars, we make few."
“所以白色的车很贵。
"So white cars are very expensive."
小明听了，点了点头。
Xiao Ming listened and nodded.
他说：“我明白了。
He said: "I understand."
“还有吗？
"Is there more?"
商店的人说：“还有。
The store person said: "There is more."
“第二个原因是东西。
"The second reason is the parts."
“你看这个车。
"Look at this car."
“车里有什么？
"What is inside the car?"
“车里有椅子。
"There are seats in the car."
“车里有电脑。
"There are computers in the car."
“车里有玻璃。
"There is glass in the car."
“做红色的车，不一样。
"Making red cars is different."
“这些东西，都是自己做的。
"These things are all made by ourselves."
“做车的人，也做椅子。
"The people who make the car also make the seats."
“做车的人，也做电脑。
"The people who make the car also make the computers."
“他们不出去买。
"They don't go out to buy them."
“他们自己做。
"They make them themselves."
“自己做，钱很少。
"Making them yourself costs very little."
“你看白色的车。
"Look at the white car."
“他们的椅子是买的。
"Their seats are bought."
“他们的电脑是买的。
"Their computers are bought."
“去别的商店买。
"Bought from other stores."
“买东西，要很多钱。
"Buying things costs a lot of money."
“所以白色的车很贵。
"So the white car is very expensive."
“因为他们不自己做。
"Because they don't make it themselves."
小明说：“这是真的吗？
Xiao Ming said: "Is this true?"
商店的人说：“是真的。
The store person said: "It is true."
“自己做饭，钱很少。
"Cooking yourself costs very little."
“去饭馆吃饭，钱很多。
"Eating at a restaurant costs a lot."
“就是这个道理。
"That is the principle."
小明说：“我懂了。
Xiao Ming said: "I understand."
“还有吗？
"Is there more?"
商店的人说：“还有一个。
The store person said: "There is one more."
“第三个原因是人。
"The third reason is people."
“做车需要人。
"Making cars needs people."
“需要很多人。
"Needs many people."
“做红色的车，人很好。
"For making red cars, the people are very good."
“这里的人很多。
"There are many people here."
“他们很喜欢学习。
"They like to learn very much."
“他们会做车。
"They know how to make cars."
“他们工作很快。
"They work very fast."
“但是，他们要的钱不多。
"But, they don't ask for much money."
“在中国，人很多。
"In China, there are many people."
“大家都可以工作。
"Everyone can work."
“做白色的车，不一样。
"Making white cars is different."
“那里的人很少。
"The people there are few."
“那里的人要很多钱。
"The people there want a lot of money."
“人要很多钱。
"If people want a lot of money."
“车就要很多钱。
"The car will cost a lot of money."
“这也是一个原因。
"This is also a reason."
小明想了想。
Xiao Ming thought for a while.
他说：“原来是这样。
He said: "So it is like this."
“不是因为车不好。
"It's not because the car isn't good."
“是因为做得多。
"It is because they make a lot."
“是因为自己做东西。
"It is because they make things themselves."
“是因为人不一样。
"It is because the people are different."
商店的人说：“对。
The store person says: "Correct."
“还有一点。
"There is one more point."
“有人说，是因为别人给钱。
"Some people say it's because others give money."
“是因为政府给钱。
"It is because the government gives money."
“其实不对。
"Actually, that's not right."
“给的钱很少。
"The money given is very little."
“这不是大的原因。
"This is not the big reason."
“大的原因是自己做。
"The big reason is making it oneself."
“大的原因是做得多。
"The big reason is making a lot."
小明很高兴。
Xiao Ming is very happy.
他觉得红色的车很好。
He thinks the red car is very good.
他觉得这个车不贵。
He thinks this car is not expensive.
他有很多钱吗？
Does he have a lot of money?
他没有很多钱。
He does not have a lot of money.
所以他喜欢钱少的车。
So he likes the car that costs little.
他对商店的人说：“谢谢。
He says to the store person: "Thank you."
“我喜欢红色的车。
"I like the red car."
“我买这个车。
"I will buy this car."
“这个车很漂亮。
"This car is very beautiful."
“这个车很好开。
"This car is very good to drive."
“这个车不贵。
"This car is not expensive."
小明开车回家了。
Xiao Ming drove home.
他很高兴。
He is very happy.
他告诉他的爸爸。
He tells his dad.
他告诉他的妈妈。
He tells his mom.
他说：“我买了一个车。
He says: "I bought a car."
“这个车钱很少。
"This car cost very little."
“因为做得多。
"Because we make a lot."
“因为我们自己做。
"Because we make it ourselves."
“因为人很好。
"Because the people are very good."
这个故事说的是什么？
What is this story about?
说的是“电动汽车”。
It speaks of "electric cars".
就是不用油的车。
That is, cars that don't use gas.
中国的车很便宜。
Chinese cars are very cheap.
外国的车很贵。
Foreign cars are very expensive.
比如特斯拉。
For example, Tesla.
为什么中国的车便宜？
Why are Chinese cars cheap?
因为做得多。
Because they make a lot.
因为东西是自己做的。
Because the parts are made by themselves.
这不是因为政府给钱。
This is not because the government gives money.
是因为工厂很厉害。
It is because the factories are very impressive.
A common place where goods are sold.
Used to introduce information given to someone.
Used to express an opinion or physical sensation.
Adjective describing something with a high price.
Adjective describing something with a low price.
Conjunction used to introduce a reason.
Verb meaning to comprehend something.
Noun referring to the explanation for why something happens.
Refers to the logic or truth behind something.
Material used for windows; here refers to car windows.
The governing body of a nation or state.
A place where goods are manufactured.
Adjective often used to praise someone's ability or describe something intense.
A specific term for vehicles powered by electricity rather than gasoline.
* beyond level超纲词
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)
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)
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)
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)
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