README: How to use this recording

You'll hear the dialogue from Episode 4 twice.

The first time, there will be a short pause after each line. During the pause, try to repeat aloud exactly what you hear.

Repeating aloud is important, partly because you'll be training your speech muscles to make the sounds of Mandarin, and partly because you'll be getting feedback about how you sound (if you're listening with earbuds, I recommend practicing with one earbud out and one in, or else with both partially in, so that you can hear yourself better).

The second time, there won't be any pauses -- try to "shadow" the sounds simultaneously as they are spoken, again aloud.

This will help you practice stringing the sounds together and further reinforce the muscle memory speech patterns of Mandarin. If it feels way too fast, you can try shadowing only one of the two characters (A-Ming or Xiao-Li) each time you listen. However, even then, don't expect to be able to keep up with everything at first.  It takes regular daily practice to start training your ears to have a more nuanced perception of the sounds, and to train your speech muscles to speak at natural speed.

A transcript of the dialogue is available below. First, it is written out in only Chinese characters for those who are learning characters and want to practice reading along. Then it is written out with the translation and pinyin.

Dialogue transcript (Chinese characters only): 

• 阿明：我們到了！
• 小李：我真的好久沒有回家 
• 阿明：你會緊張嗎？
• 小李：有一點
• 阿明：你在擔心什麼？
• 小李：我擔心我家裡有很多蟑螂！
• 阿明：是哦。。。你家不是很乾淨嗎？ 
• 小李：是啊，蠻乾淨的，可是。。。
• 阿明：那應該沒問題吧 
• 小李：也是，可是。。。
• 阿明：那我們先進去吧，我幫你拿行李 
• 小李：好，麻煩你了
• 阿明：不會，你先去開門 
• 小李：天哪！
• 阿明：怎麼了？
• 小李：好多蟑螂！怎麼辦？

Dialogue transcript (w/ pinyin and translation): 

• 阿明：我們到了！
  • Wǒmen dàole!
  • We’ve arrived!
• 小李：我真的好久沒有回家。
  • Wǒ zhēn de hǎojiǔ méiyǒu huí jiā.
  • I really haven’t been home in a long time. 
• 阿明：你會緊張嗎？
  • Nǐ huì jǐnzhāng ma?
  • Are you nervous? 
• 小李：有一點
  • Yǒu yīdiǎn
  • A little. 
• 阿明：你在擔心什麼？
  • nǐ zài dānxīn shénme? 
  • What are you worried about? 
• 小李：我擔心我家裡有很多蟑螂！
  • Wǒ dānxīn wǒ jiālǐ yǒu hěnduō zhāngláng!
  • I’m worried my home has a lot of cockroaches! 
• 阿明：是哦。。。你家不是很乾淨嗎？
  • Shì ó... Nǐ jiā bùshì hěn gānjìng ma?
  • Oh… isn’t your house really clean? 
• 小李：是啊，蠻乾淨的，可是。。。
  • Shì a, mán gānjìng de, kěshì...
  • It is, it’s pretty clean, but...
• 阿明：那應該沒問題吧
  • Nà yīnggāi méi wèntí ba
  • Then it shouldn’t be a problem. 
• 小李：也是，可是。。。
  • yěshì, kěshì...
  • That’s true, but… 
• 阿明：那我們先進去吧，我幫你拿行李 
  • Nà wǒmen xiān jìnqù ba, wǒ bāng nǐ ná xínglǐ 
  • Well let’s go in first, I’ll help you carry your luggage. 
• 小李：好，麻煩你了
  • hǎo, máfan nǐle
  • Ok, sorry to trouble you. 
• 阿明：不會，你先去開門 
  • bù huì, nǐ xiān qù kāimén
  • No problem, go open the door first. 
• 小李：天哪！
  • tiān nǎ! 
  • Oh God! 
• 阿明：怎麼了？
  • Zěnmele?
  • What’s wrong? 
• 小李：好多蟑螂！怎麼辦？
  • Hǎoduō zhāngláng! Zěnme bàn?
  • So many cockroaches! What are we gonna do?

Thanks for listening! 

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