Fluentide · Chinese Listening — Intermediate (HSK 4)

Top Chefs Cook Fine Food and Reach for Taco Bell After Work

Top Chefs Cook Fine Food and Reach for Taco Bell After Work

HSK 4 level · 5:09

• 做 (zuò) — to make; to cook; to do
• 菜 (cài) — dish; cuisine; vegetable
• 吃 (chī) — to eat
• 人 (rén) — person; people
• 什么 (shénme) — what
• 说 (shuō) — to say; to speak
• 喜欢 (xǐhuan) — to like
• 方便 (fāngbiàn) — convenient; convenience

• Place + 有 + Object — Used to say that something exists or is located in a place.
• 叫 + Name — Used to give the name of a person, place, or thing.
• 有……有……还有…… — Lists multiple things that exist or are present.

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Must You Walk 10,000 Steps? Research Finds Benefits Around 7,000

Must You Walk 10,000 Steps? Research Finds Benefits Around 7,000

HSK 4 level · 1:25

• 走 (zǒu) — to walk; to go
• 人 (rén) — person; people
• 多 (duō) — many; much; more
• 研究 (yánjiū) — research; study; to research
• 身体 (shēntǐ) — body; health
• 健康 (jiànkāng) — healthy; health
• 步数 (bùshù) — step count; number of steps
• 计步器 (jìbùqì) — pedometer

• 每 + Time/Unit + 都 — Expresses 'every... all...' or 'each... without exception'. 每 introduces each unit, and 都 in the following clause marks the inclusive meaning.
• 一定要 + Verb Phrase + 才 + Adjective/Verb — Means 'must... only then...' or 'it is necessary to... in order to...'. 一定要 marks a strong requirement, and 才 introduces the result that follows only if the requirement is met.
• 比 + Noun + Adjective + 低/高 + Percentage — A comparison structure meaning 'compared with..., the degree is lower/higher by...'. 比 introduces the comparison target, and the adjective plus percentage states the difference.

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A Hubei Man Copies Tomb-Robbing Novels and Gets Twelve Years in Prison

A Hubei Man Copies Tomb-Robbing Novels and Gets Twelve Years in Prison

HSK 4 level · 4:56

• 喜欢 (xǐhuan) — to like
• 告诉 (gàosu) — to tell
• 已经 (yǐjīng) — already
• 法律 (fǎlǜ) — law
• 历史 (lìshǐ) — history; historical
• 地方 (dìfang) — place
• 盗墓 (dàomù) — tomb robbing
• 古墓 (gǔmù) — ancient tomb

• 就是 (explaining a term) — Used to define or explain what something means, often in the pattern 'A 就是 B'.
• 是……的 (identifying time or period) — Used to state that something belongs to or happened in a certain time/period.
• 把 + object + verb + result — The 把 construction moves the object before the verb to emphasize the result or disposal of the object.

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A Runner Trains on a Gym Treadmill and Wins His First Marathon

A Runner Trains on a Gym Treadmill and Wins His First Marathon

HSK 4 level · 3:22

• 地方 (dìfāng) — place
• 小时 (xiǎoshí) — hour
• 分钟 (fēnzhōng) — minute
• 朋友 (péngyou) — friend
• 喜欢 (xǐhuan) — to like
• 知道 (zhīdào) — to know
• 第一 (dì yī) — first; number one
• 一边 (yìbiān) — while; at the same time

• Place + 有 + Object — Used to say that a place has or contains something, or that something exists in a place.
• 叫 + Name — Used to give the name of a person, place, or thing.
• 让 + Person + Verb Phrase — The causative pattern '让' means 'to let' or 'to make' someone do something.

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A Senator Pays a Bakery Bill After Six Years and a Viral Post

A Senator Pays a Bakery Bill After Six Years and a Viral Post

HSK 4 level · 2:02

• 说 (shuō) — to say; to speak
• 钱 (qián) — money
• 六 (liù) — six
• 年 (nián) — year
• 他们 (tāmen) — they; them
• 星期 (xīngqī) — week
• 参议员 (cānyìyuán) — senator
• 甜品店 (tiánpǐndiàn) — dessert shop

• 如果……就…… — Expresses a conditional: 'if..., then...'. Used to show a consequence.
• 是……的 — Emphasizes a fact or circumstance, often with 是 before the focus and 的 at the end.
• 一……就…… — Means 'as soon as... then...'. Shows immediate sequence.

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Hospital Booking Bots Lead to Convictions

Hospital Booking Bots Lead to Convictions

HSK 4 level · 3:39

• 医院 (yīyuàn) — hospital
• 医生 (yīshēng) — doctor
• 电脑 (diànnǎo) — computer
• 朋友 (péngyou) — friend
• 工作 (gōngzuò) — to work; work; to function
• 开始 (kāishǐ) — to start; beginning
• 挂号 (guàhào) — to register for a hospital appointment
• 抢号 (qiǎnghào) — to grab an appointment number

• 先……才…… — Expresses that one action must happen first before another can happen. 先 introduces the prerequisite, and 才 introduces the result that becomes possible only after it.
• 就是 — Used to explain or define something, often meaning 'that is' or 'means'. It introduces a simple explanation of the preceding term.
• 越来越 + Adj — Means 'more and more' as a change over time. It is followed by an adjective or a verb phrase describing an increasing degree.

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Walmart Robots Struggle With Everyday Goods

Walmart Robots Struggle With Everyday Goods

HSK 4 level · 1:50

• 东西 (dōngxi) — things; goods
• 搬 (bān) — to move; to carry
• 工作 (gōngzuò) — work; job; to work
• 商店 (shāngdiàn) — store; shop
• 公司 (gōngsī) — company
• 问题 (wèntí) — problem; issue; question
• 仓库 (cāngkù) — warehouse
• 机器人 (jīqìrén) — robot

• 让 + person/thing + verb phrase — The causative 让 means 'let' or 'make' someone/something do something.
• 先……再…… — This pattern shows sequence: first do one thing, then do another.
• 一边……一边…… — This pattern means doing two actions at the same time.

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Former NFL Player Proves a Maths Conjecture

Former NFL Player Proves a Maths Conjecture

HSK 4 level · 1:59

• 学习 (xuéxí) — to study; to learn
• 工作 (gōngzuò) — work; job
• 喜欢 (xǐhuan) — to like
• 觉得 (juéde) — to feel; to think
• 方法 (fāngfǎ) — method; way
• 帮助 (bāngzhù) — to help; help
• 兴趣 (xìngqù) — interest
• 改变 (gǎibiàn) — to change

• 以前 + Verb Phrase + 的人，现在成了 + Noun — Describes someone's past role contrasted with their present one, using 以前 (previously) and 成了 (became).
• 一边 + Verb1，一边 + Verb2 — Expresses doing two actions at the same time: 'while doing A, also doing B'.
• 在 + Time + 不再 + Verb — States that from a certain time onward someone no longer does something; 不再 means 'no longer'.

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Coffee Shops Turn Tote Bags Into Branding

Coffee Shops Turn Tote Bags Into Branding

HSK 4 level · 4:40

• 买 (mǎi) — to buy
• 小 (xiǎo) — small
• 商店 (shāngdiàn) — store; shop
• 喜欢 (xǐhuan) — to like
• 特别 (tèbié) — special; especially
• 觉得 (juéde) — to feel; to think
• 超市 (chāoshì) — supermarket
• 标价 (biāojià) — to list a price; asking price

• 因为……只好…… (because…, have no choice but to…) — Expresses that a situation forces an unavoidable action. 只好 means 'can only / have no choice but to'.
• 如果……就…… (if…, then…) — A conditional structure: the 就 clause gives the result that follows from the 如果 condition.
• 越来越 + Adj/V (more and more) — Shows a gradual ongoing change. It can modify adjectives (越来越看重) or verbs of mental attitude.

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Fast Plane Wi-Fi Brings Noisy Work Calls

Fast Plane Wi-Fi Brings Noisy Work Calls

HSK 4 level · 2:07

• 飞机 (fēijī) — airplane
• 电话 (diànhuà) — telephone; phone call
• 打电话 (dǎ diànhuà) — to make a phone call
• 公司 (gōngsī) — company
• 规定 (guīdìng) — rule; regulation
• 声音 (shēngyīn) — sound; voice
• 星链 (Xīngliàn) — Starlink
• 卫星 (wèixīng) — satellite

• 从 + Place A + 去 + Place B — Expresses movement from one place to another: 'from A to B'.
• 让 + someone/something + verb phrase — Causative pattern meaning 'make/let someone or something do something'.
• 如果 + condition, 可能/会 + result — Conditional pattern: 'if..., then possibly/will...'.

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