土耳其 3-2 美国 世界杯小组赛

World Cup: A Five-Goal Thriller, Ayhan's Stoppage-Time Winner — Turkey Beat the USA 3-2 to End a Long World Cup Drought

HSK 3-4 level · 4:30

• 先发制人 (xiān fā zhì rén) — to strike first to gain the upper hand
• 无所谓 (wúsuǒwèi) — it doesn't matter; of no consequence
• 暗线 (ànxiàn) — an undercurrent / hidden thread
• 动容 (dòngróng) — to be moved (emotionally)
• 患得患失 (huàn dé huàn shī) — to fret over gains and losses
• 轮休 (lúnxiū) — to rotate / rest (players)
• 取舍 (qǔshě) — a trade-off / choice of what to keep or give up

• 无论…，都… — 'No matter…, still…' — a conclusion holds in every case.
• 本就不只在于… — 'Was never only about…' — the meaning is broader than assumed.
• 在一定程度上 — 'To a certain extent' — qualifies a claim.

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塞内加尔 5-0 伊拉克 世界杯小组赛

World Cup: A 13th-Minute Red, Gueye's Brace — Senegal Sweep Iraq 5-0 to Advance

HSK 3-4 level · 4:22

• 横扫 (héngsǎo) — to sweep aside / thrash
• 求胜欲 (qiúshèngyù) — the will to win
• 雪上加霜 (xuě shàng jiā shuāng) — to add frost on top of snow; make a bad situation worse
• 梅开二度 (méi kāi èr dù) — to score a brace (two goals)
• 净胜球 (jìngshèngqiú) — goal difference
• 粒粒千金 (lìlì qiānjīn) — every one worth a fortune
• 纪律 (jìlǜ) — discipline

• 怎么强调都不为过 — 'However much you stress it, it's not too much' — emphasizes great importance.
• 并不等于 — 'Does not amount to / does not necessarily mean' — corrects a false equivalence.
• 何况 — 'Let alone / all the more so' — strengthens a point with a tougher case.

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巴拿马 0-2 英格兰 世界杯小组赛

World Cup: Bottled Up for an Hour, Bellingham and Kane Break Through — England Beat Panama 2-0 to Top the Group

HSK 3-4 level · 4:46

• 铁桶阵 (tiětǒngzhèn) — a packed defense / low block (lit. iron-bucket formation)
• 压上 (yāshàng) — to push up / press forward
• 撕开缺口 (sī kāi quēkǒu) — to tear open a gap (in a defense)
• 别扭 (bièniu) — awkward; uncomfortable (to deal with)
• 心浮气躁 (xīn fú qì zào) — restless and impatient
• 包袱 (bāofu) — a burden (psychological)
• 身价 (shēnjià) — (a player's) market value / worth

• 比的就不是…，而是… — 'What's being contested is not …, but rather…' — relocates the real point.
• 纵有…，也… — 'Even with…, still…' — a concessive (即使有).
• 正因如此 — 'Precisely because of this' — draws a consequence from the prior point.

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阿尔及利亚 3-3 奥地利 世界杯小组赛

World Cup: Mahrez's Stoppage-Time Turnaround, Kalajdžić's Last-Gasp Leveler — Algeria 3-3 Austria, and Through

HSK 3-4 level · 4:24

• 荡气回肠 (dàng qì huí cháng) — deeply stirring; soul-stirring
• 掰手腕 (bāi shǒuwàn) — to arm-wrestle (to go head to head)
• 炸开了锅 (zhà kāi le guō) — to erupt (like a boiling pot)
• 连锁反应 (liánsuǒ fǎnyìng) — a chain reaction
• 惊险过关 (jīngxiǎn guòguān) — to scrape through narrowly
• 功亏一篑 (gōng kuī yī kuì) — to fall short at the final step
• 保守 (bǎoshǒu) — conservative; cautious

• 偏偏在这个时候 — 'Yet at precisely this moment' — stresses dramatic, against-the-odds timing.
• 为什么…？其实… — Posing a 'why' and then answering with the real reason.
• 对…的意义却大不相同 — 'Yet means very different things to…' — same fact, opposite significance.

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约旦 1-3 阿根廷 世界杯小组赛

World Cup: Messi Seals It, Lautaro's Penalty — Argentina Beat Jordan 3-1 to Advance

HSK 3-4 level · 4:54

• 号召力 (hàozhàolì) — drawing power; appeal
• 卫冕冠军 (wèimiǎn guànjūn) — the defending champion
• 灵魂人物 (línghún rénwù) — the key figure / heart and soul
• 锁定 (suǒdìng) — to lock up / secure
• 主心骨 (zhǔxīngǔ) — the anchor / mainstay
• 龟缩 (guīsuō) — to shrink back (into defense)
• 缩影 (suōyǐng) — a microcosm / epitome

• 之所以…，是因为… — 'The reason … is that…' — states a cause for a stated fact.
• 终究是 — 'In the end / after all, is…' — an essential nature reasserts itself.
• 只要…，就… — 'As long as…, then…' — a sufficient condition.

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乌拉圭 0-1 西班牙 世界杯小组赛

World Cup: Baena Strikes Before the Break — Spain Beat Uruguay 1-0 to Top the Group as a Storied Side Crashes Out

HSK 3-4 level · 4:50

• 决定生死 (juédìng shēngsǐ) — do-or-die; deciding survival
• 招牌 (zhāopái) — signature; trademark
• 退路 (tuìlù) — a way out / fallback
• 倒脚 (dǎojiǎo) — to knock the ball around (between players)
• 唏嘘 (xīxū) — to sigh with regret / lament
• 新老交替 (xīn lǎo jiāotì) — generational change (old giving way to new)
• 棘手 (jíshǒu) — thorny; hard to handle

• 你越…，…就越… — 'The more you…, the more … becomes…' — one side's effort feeds the other's advantage.
• 并非…，而是… — 'It is not…, but rather…' — corrects an assumption with the real cause.
• 过得好…，过不好… — 'If you get through it well…, if not…' — two outcomes of one trial.

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新西兰 1-5 比利时 世界杯小组赛

World Cup: Trossard's Brace Headlines a Star Show — Belgium Rout New Zealand 5-1 to Top the Group

HSK 3-4 level · 4:24

• 悬殊 (xuánshū) — vastly disparate (of a gap)
• 星光熠熠 (xīngguāng yìyì) — studded with stars
• 防不胜防 (fáng bù shèng fáng) — impossible to defend against
• 缴械 (jiǎoxiè) — to lay down arms; give up
• 尊严 (zūnyán) — dignity
• 虽败犹荣 (suī bài yóu róng) — honorable even in defeat
• 客观 (kèguān) — objective; a matter of fact

• 一旦…，就… — 'Once…, then…' — as soon as a condition holds, a result follows.
• 不是只有…才… — 'It's not only … that …' — value isn't limited to one thing.
• 看似…，其实… — 'Seemingly…, but in fact…' — appearance versus reality.

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苏格兰 0-3 巴西 世界杯小组赛

World Cup: Vinícius Brace, Cunha Adds On — Brazil Beat Scotland 3-0 to Top the Group

HSK 3-4 level · 4:21

• 悬念 (xuánniàn) — suspense
• 奠定基调 (diàndìng jīdiào) — to set the tone
• 消耗 (xiāohào) — to wear down / drain
• 收放自如 (shōu fàng zì rú) — to control the pace at will
• 渺茫 (miǎománg) — slim; remote (of hopes)
• 耻辱 (chǐrǔ) — disgrace; humiliation
• 掉以轻心 (diào yǐ qīng xīn) — to take lightly / let one's guard down

• 不一定要…，而是… — 'Doesn't necessarily have to…, but rather…' — corrects toward the real point.
• 想…，又… — 'Want to…, yet…' — desire frustrated by reality.
• 本就不只是… — 'Was never merely…' — the meaning is broader than assumed.

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捷克 0-3 墨西哥 世界杯小组赛

World Cup: Three Second-Half Goals — Mexico Beat the Czech Republic 3-0 for a Record Perfect Group

HSK 3-4 level · 4:41

• 意义非凡 (yìyì fēifán) — of extraordinary significance
• 队史纪录 (duìshǐ jìlù) — a team-history record
• 锁定 (suǒdìng) — to lock up / secure
• 锦上添花 (jǐn shàng tiān huā) — to add a fine touch on top of something already good
• 酣畅淋漓 (hānchàng línlí) — thoroughly satisfying / exhilarating
• 颗粒无收 (kēlì wú shōu) — to score nothing at all
• 成熟 (chéngshú) — mature

• 不光…，还… — 'Not only…, but also…' — adds a stronger point (spoken).
• 并不代表 — 'Does not mean / doesn't imply' — corrects a wrong inference.
• 既…，又… — 'Both… and…' — two conditions at once.

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挪威 1-4 法国 世界杯小组赛

World Cup: Dembélé's Half-Hour Treble — France Sweep Norway 4-1 to Finish Group Perfect

HSK 3-4 level · 5:14

• 独中三元 (dú zhòng sān yuán) — to score all three goals oneself
• 目瞪口呆 (mù dèng kǒu dāi) — stunned; dumbfounded
• 软柿子 (ruǎn shìzi) — a pushover; an easy mark
• 打懵 (dǎ mēng) — to stun / daze (an opponent)
• 杀伤力 (shāshānglì) — lethal threat / firepower
• 争夺者 (zhēngduózhě) — a contender
• 励志 (lìzhì) — inspiring; motivational

• 不光…，还… — 'Not only…, but also…' — adds a stronger point (spoken).
• 再…，也… — 'However much…, still…' — concedes a degree but holds the result.
• 单靠…，很难… — 'Relying on … alone, it's hard to…' — one factor isn't enough.

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