A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels
人为什么喜欢玩游戏
C. Thi Nguyen Says Games Shape Everyday Life
About this story
A simple story about why people love video games — the joy of trying, leveling up, and seeing your progress count. 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 觉得、高兴、告诉 and walks through 5 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.
English transcript reference
Next, let's chat about why everyone likes playing games.
This is a very interesting topic.
Everyone likes playing games.
Men like it, women like it.
Adults like it, children also like it.
Today we will tell a small story.
There is a person in the story.
His name is Xiao Ming.
Xiao Ming is a student.
He is twelve years old this year.
He goes to school in Beijing.
Xiao Ming has many classmates.
He also has many friends.
Every day, Xiao Ming has to go to school.
He studies at school.
He studies Chinese.
He learns to write characters.
The teacher speaks at the front.
Xiao Ming listens at the back.
The teacher says: "Read this book."
Xiao Ming then reads this book.
The teacher says: "Write this character."
Xiao Ming then writes this character.
Xiao Ming cannot say "no".
He must do it.
This is his job.
At four in the afternoon, Xiao Ming goes home.
He finished his homework.
Now is his time.
What does he want to do?
He wants to play games.
He takes out a ball.
This is a soccer ball.
The ball is white.
The ball is round.
Xiao Ming goes to the grass outside.
The grass is green.
The weather is very good.
Not cold and not hot.
Xiao Ming is very happy.
How does he want to play?
He wants to kick the ball into the goal ahead.
That goal is not big.
That goal is very far.
This is a game.
Games have rules.
What are rules?
Rules mean you do it, and I do it too.
Everyone is the same.
In this game, the rule is you cannot use hands.
Xiao Ming cannot use hands to hold the ball.
He can only kick with his feet.
This is very difficult.
Feet are not as flexible as hands.
The ball runs around chaotically.
The ball is not obedient.
Xiao Ming kicked it once.
The ball ran away.
The ball did not go into the goal.
Is Xiao Ming unhappy?
No, he is very happy.
He runs over.
He kicks it once more.
This time the ball went in.
Xiao Ming shouts loudly.
He is so happy.
Why is he so happy?
Because this is hard.
If you use hands to take the ball and put it into the goal.
This is too easy.
Things that are too easy are not fun.
Hard things are actually fun.
In games, we like challenges.
We like doing difficult things.
There is another reason.
At school, the teacher tells Xiao Ming what to do.
In games, Xiao Ming chooses for himself.
If he wants to play soccer, he plays soccer.
If he wants to run, he runs.
He is his own master.
He can make decisions.
This feeling is very good.
We all like this feeling.
This is called "freedom".
Games make us feel free.
Let's look at things in games again.
There are scores in games.
Xiao Ming kicks a ball in.
He gets one point.
He kicks another ball in.
He gets two points.
Scores are very clear.
One is one.
Two is two.
You can see your score.
You know if you did well or not.
High score means good.
Low score means bad.
This is very simple.
But in life, it is not simple.
There are no scores in life.
Are you a good person?
Are you a bad person?
Is your job good?
We don't know.
Sometimes, we are very confused.
We don't know what is ahead.
We don't know if we are doing it right.
But in games, you know.
You can see the goal.
The goal is that door.
You can see the score.
The score is that number.
So we like games.
Games make us feel clear.
Games make us feel at ease.
Now, let's think about life.
Is life a game?
Sometimes, life is like a game.
At school, students have exams.
Exams have scores.
One hundred points is winning.
Fifty points is losing.
In companies, adults have jobs.
Jobs provide money.
Money is also a score.
Having lots of money is winning.
Having little money is losing.
Many people look at the score.
Many people look at money.
We think that having lots of money is good.
Having a high score is good.
This is just like playing a game.
But, there is a problem with this.
There is a big problem with this.
Mr. Ruan wrote a book.
He says in the book that games are games, and life is life.
In games, the score is the most important.
You play soccer for the score.
But in life, the score is not the most important.
Money is not the most important.
If you only look at money, you will be unhappy.
You will forget other things.
You will forget your friends.
You will forget your family.
You will forget love.
When Xiao Ming plays soccer, he is very happy.
Not because of the score.
It is because he is running.
It is because he is laughing.
It is because he is together with friends.
If Xiao Ming only looks at the score.
He will be very tired.
He will be unhappy.
If the ball doesn't go in, he will be angry.
This would not be fun anymore.
So, we must be careful.
Do not turn life into a game.
Do not only look at those numbers.
Numbers are cold.
People are warm.
We need to see people.
We need to see love.
What does this story tell us?
This story is about "why we play games".
Games are good.
Games let us learn.
Games let us know how to make decisions.
Games let us know how to face difficulties.
But, do not get lost in games.
Do not let scores control you.
Do not let money control you.
You are the person playing the game.
You are not a thing in the game.
We need to be a little smarter.
We need to know what is the most important.
The most important things often do not have scores.
The most important things are in your heart.
Listen again
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
What vocabulary does this episode teach?
词汇Used to express an opinion or a physical sensation.
Common adjective for temporary happiness or willingness to do something.
Used as 'Subject + tells + Object + something'.
Literally 'kick foot-ball'. A common sport verb-object construction.
Refers to abstract affairs or business, not physical objects.
Can be used as a verb or a noun.
HSK 1. we; us.
Refers to established standards or patterns of behavior.
Describes physical agility or the ability to adapt quickly.
To challenge someone or a difficult task itself.
The state of being free or having liberty.
Feeling lost or unsure about the future/direction.
The object of ambition or effort.
To exercise authoritative or dominating influence over.
* beyond level超纲词
What grammar patterns appear in this episode?
语法The 'Ba' construction is used to indicate how an action affects an object, moving or changing it.
他想把球踢进前面的门里。
不要把生活变成游戏。
Used to emphasize a detail about a past event or a characteristic of a subject (like color or shape).
球是白色的。
草地是绿色的。
Proper nouns
专有名词Sources
来源Free account
Keep learning from this story
Create a free account to keep saved words and your preferred level together.
- Keep words with their story context
- Remember your preferred level
- Build your vocabulary over time