The Exam | 考试

A student stays up all night preparing for a difficult exam. After a few anxious days of waiting, the results are in—success! A relatable story about hard work paying off.

Key Vocabulary Tag:

  • 考试 (kǎo shì): Exam
  • 难 (nán): Difficult
  • 准备 (zhǔn bèi): Prepare
  • 不错 (bú cuò): Not bad / Pretty good

Playing Basketball | 打篮球

On a beautiful sunny day, a group of friends heads to school to play basketball. After two hours of playing, everyone is tired but happy. A story about the joy of exercise and friendship.

Key Vocabulary:

  • 打篮球 (dǎ lán qiú): Play basketball
  • 晴天 (qíng tiān): Sunny day
  • 身体 (shēn tǐ): Body
  • 运动 (yù dòng): Exercise

Preparing Lunch | 准备午饭

Friends are coming over, so it’s time to prepare a feast. A trip to the store for fresh fish and eggs, followed by cooking with family. Good food and good company make for a happy afternoon.

Key Vocabulary:

  • 午饭 (wǔ fàn): Lunch
  • 鱼 (yú): Fish
  • 鸡蛋 (jī dàn): Egg
  • 好吃 (hǎo chī): Delicious

The Wrong Color | 颜色错了

Buying a phone online can be convenient, but mistakes happen. After ordering a beautiful red phone, a black one arrives instead. A quick message to the seller resolves the issue.

Key Vocabulary:

  • 手机 (shǒu jī): Mobile phone
  • 红色 (hóng sè): Red
  • 黑色 (hēi sè): Black
  • 错 (cuò): Mistake / Wrong

Living Together | 一起住

Living with a roommate can be difficult when schedules clash. One wants to sleep early, but the other watches TV until midnight. After a polite conversation, they solve the problem. A story about habits and communication.

Key Vocabulary:

  • 睡觉 (shuì jiào): To sleep
  • 电视 (diàn shì): TV
  • 累 (lèi): Tired
  • 早 (zǎo): Early

Finding the Way | 找路

Lost on the way to visit a friend, a traveler stops to ask for directions. With the help of a kind stranger, they learn to turn left and go straight, successfully finding the hotel. A practical lesson in asking for help.

Key Vocabulary:

  • 宾馆 (bīn guǎn): Hotel
  • 路 (lù): Road
  • 向 (xiàng): Towards
  • 左 (zuǒ): Left
  • 问 (wèn): To ask

The Birthday Gift | 生日礼物

It’s his wife’s birthday, but he has no idea what to buy. After looking at clothes, he settles on a beautiful red watch. A heartwarming story about finding the perfect gift.

Key Vocabulary:

  • 妻子 (qī zi): Wife
  • 生日 (shēng rì): Birthday
  • 礼物 (lǐ wù): Gift
  • 手表 (shǒu biǎo): Watch
  • 颜色 (yán sè): Color

A New Job | 新工作

Today is an important day for finding a new job. Dressed in their best clothes, the main character goes to meet the company manager. After answering a few easy questions, they get some very happy news.

Key Vocabulary:

  • 公司 (gōng sī): Company
  • 经理 (jīng lǐ): Manager
  • 衣服 (yī fu): Clothes
  • 容易 (róng yì): Easy
  • 上班 (shàng bān): To go to work

Buying a Train Ticket | 买火车票

Planning a trip to Beijing, a traveler arrives at the station only to find all tickets for the day are sold out. Faced with a choice, they decide to buy a more expensive ticket for the next morning. A practical story about travel complications and decision making.

Key Vocabulary

  • 火车站 (huǒ chē zhàn): Train station
  • 票 (piào): Ticket
  • 卖完 (mài wán): Sold out
  • 贵 (guì): Expensive

A Sick Day | 生病的一天

Waking up with a headache and fever, a worker decides to take a sick day. A trip to the doctor, some medicine, and plenty of rest lead to a quick recovery. A simple story about listening to your body and the process of getting better.

Key Vocabulary

  • 生病 (shēng bìng): To get sick
  • 舒服 (shū fu): Comfortable
  • 医院 (yī yuàn): Hospital
  • 休息 (xiū xi): To rest