To express numbers and dates in Chinese, to buy airplane ticket and bargin

Basic communication conversations

第三课 有没有到北京的飞机票？lesson 3 Do you have a ticket to BeiJing?

这里是one minute Chinese, 中文一分钟，每天都不同！我们一起听一分钟，想一分钟，说一分钟，今天的话题是好事还是坏事？
很久以前，有个老人叫塞翁。他住在长城外面。有一天，塞翁养（yang3, raise）的马(ma3, horse)跑了。他的邻居(lin2ju,neighbour)们都为他感到(gan3dao4,feel)难过(nan2guo4,sad)。
“也许(ye3xu3,maybe)这会是件好事呢！”塞翁却这么说。
几个月后，塞翁的马自己跑回了家，还带了一匹好马回来。人们都很羡慕(xian4mu4, envy)他，和他说，你太幸运(xing4yun4,lucky)了。
塞翁却说：“也许这不是什么好事呢！”
没多久，塞翁的儿子就喜欢上了骑(qi2, to saddle)马，一天他从马上掉了下来，摔断(shuai1duan4, to break by falling)了腿。邻居们都替(ti4, stand in for)塞翁难过。
“也许这会是件好事呢！”塞翁却说。
一年后，战争(zhan4zheng1, warfare)爆发(bao4fa1, break out)了，年青人都必须参军(can1jun1,join the army)去打仗(da3zhang4, to fight)。死了很多人。塞翁的儿子却因为摔断了腿不能去当兵(dang1bin1,be a soldier)，而保住了性命(xing4ming4,life)。
这个故事说的就是一句很有名的中国成语(cheng2yu4,pharse)：塞翁失马，焉知非福(sai1weng1shi1ma3, yan1zhi1fei1fu2, the old man lost his mare, but it all turned out for the best)：意思是塞翁丢失了马，这有可能是一件幸运的事。在日常生活里，我们可以这样说，虽然你失去了之前的工作，但是你找到了一份更好的工作，这可真是塞翁失马呀。你有相同的经历吗，欢迎来和我分享。


One minute Chinese

Bad thing, or good thing? 中国成语-塞翁失马

Hello everyone!
In this episode you'll learn new words and practice your listening skills with a story about John from the US and a cookie he was offered at a coffee-shop - "Дивне печиво для Джона".

Let me know what you think about this story. What words were new? Did you like the story overall?

Easy Stories in Ukrainian (with Kyrylo)

Episode 2 - A Strange Cookie for John

Democracy, dictatorships and the modern world.  
Angela reads the basic text from this lesson, (transcript available when you take this lesson).

This topic is also available for intermediate and higher-level learners.


English with Angela -  conversation 

TASK 34 - IS DEMOCRACY DEAD? 

This episode describes the author's home in great detail, highlighting its cosy and welcoming atmosphere. The home is depicted as a warm, comfortable, and peaceful place. Key areas of the house are described, including the corridor, living room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.

Learn Russian with Marianna!

My home!

Un corvo aveva rubato un pezzo di formaggio e si era posato sul ramo di un albero per mangiarlo in tranquillità. Una volpe, che passava sotto quell’albero, lo vide e volle prendergli il formaggio. Così, gli disse che lui, il corvo, era il migliore tra gli uccelli e presto sarebbe diventato il loro Re: aveva delle piume meravigliose, un becco possente e delle belle zampette slanciate. 
«Peccato solo che tu sia muto!» aggiunse la volpe. Il corvo, pieno d’orgoglio per tutti i complimenti ricevuti, volle dimostrare alla volpe che anche lui aveva una bella voce: spalancò il becco e cominciò a cantare. 
La volpe, non appena il formaggio gli cadde dal becco, fece un gran balzo e lo afferrò con i suoi artigli.
«Caro corvo, potresti senza dubbio essere il Re degli uccelli, se solo tu avessi un po’ di cervello.»

Spesso, la verità ci acceca e ci porta a commettere delle sciocchezze.

Favole di Esopo 

Favole di Esopo - Il corvo e la volpe 

Silver and Ravine hate their hotel room and decide to try the science room and the sweet room. A witch shows up to scare them.

Vocabulary:
gurney: a table or stretcher with wheels, used to transport patients
cadaver: a dead body used for science
specimen: a part of a plant or animal used for scientific study
resurrect: to come alive again
racket: the tool used to hit the ball in tennis, it also means a lot of noise
picking a lock: opening a lock without a key