HSK 3Lesson 33
On a Sunday afternoon Teacher Wang asks Annie to talk to her son Xiaodong about middle school. You will hear a worried mother, a boy who only loves football, and how a clever idea about football scores brings them together.
You will learn to talk about a child's schooling, interests and ways of learning, and to say who you do something for, toward or about.
Part 1 · 11 new words
Contains 5 words
junior high school; middle school
interest; hobby
to be interested (in)
to love; to be fond of
method; way (of doing)
Contains 6 words
to answer; reply
to hear (it said that)
Part 2 · 9 phrases
孩子上了初中以后，作业比小学多多了。
After a child starts middle school, there's much more homework than in primary school.
周末我常常在家画画，这是我的兴趣。
At weekends I often draw at home, which is my hobby.
他对学外语很感兴趣，每天听一个小时。
He is very interested in learning foreign languages and listens for an hour every day.
这个电影，很多孩子都喜爱。
Many kids love this film.
每个人记字的方法不同，你可以试试别的方法。
Everyone has a different way of remembering characters; you can try another way.
老师问了三个问题，我只回答对了一个。
The teacher asked three questions, and I only answered one correctly.
Part 3 · 4 conversations
On Sunday afternoon Teacher Wang asks Annie into her kitchen. She tells her that Xiaodong will start middle school in two years and that she is worried about it.
王老师Teacher Wang
安妮，谢谢你今天来。我想请你帮个忙，是关于小东的。
Annie, thanks for coming today. I'd like to ask you a favor, about Xiaodong.
安妮Annie
可以啊。小东怎么了？
Of course. What's wrong with Xiaodong?
Part 4 · 1 point
为1、向1、关于
为wèi is for someone's benefit, 向xiàng is toward a person, and 关于guānyú introduces a topic.
Say toward whom
向xiàng + person + verb says the action is aimed at that person.
main; chief
different; not the same
relationship; connection
about; concerning
我们的关系很好，主要是因为常常聊天儿。
We get on very well, mainly because we often chat.
关于下个星期的运动会，我还有一个问题。
I have one more question about next week's sports meet.
为了考好，他每天晚上学习到十一点。
To do well in the exam, he studies until eleven every night.
他两年以后要上初中了。我听说初中的考试很难，学校也很重要。
He starts middle school in two years. I hear the exams are hard and the school matters a lot.
安妮Annie
您很担心吧？
You're worried, aren't you?
王老师Teacher Wang
是啊。为了他，我每天晚上都在查关于初中的事。
Yes. For his sake I look things up about middle schools every evening.
安妮Annie
小东知道吗？
Does Xiaodong know?
王老师Teacher Wang
他不想听，一说学校就走开。你能跟他聊聊吗？
He doesn't want to hear it. As soon as I mention school he walks away. Could you talk to him?
At the table Annie asks Xiaodong about his homework. He answers easily but says he is not interested in maths and loves only football.
安妮Annie
小东，你的外语作业我看了，第三个问题你怎么回答的？
Xiaodong, I looked at your foreign-language homework. How did you answer the third question?
小东Xiaodong
那个太容易了，我写得很快。
That was too easy. I wrote it fast.
安妮Annie
那数学呢？你对数学感兴趣吗？
And maths? Are you interested in it?
小东Xiaodong
一点儿也不。数学太没意思了！我只爱足球。
Not at all. Maths is so boring! I only love football.
安妮Annie
足球？你每天都踢吗？
Football? Do you play every day?
小东Xiaodong
对！我的兴趣就是足球，我每天踢，也每天看足球新闻。
Yes! Football is my hobby. I play every day and read football news every day.
安妮Annie
你真喜爱足球啊！
You really love football!
Annie tells Teacher Wang that a different way of learning might work for Xiaodong, and tries it out with football scores.
安妮Annie
王老师，我有一个方法。小东不喜欢数学作业，可是他爱足球。
Teacher Wang, I have an idea. Xiaodong doesn't like maths homework, but he loves football.
王老师Teacher Wang
足球和数学有什么关系？
What does football have to do with maths?
安妮Annie
小东，上个星期中国三比一，这个星期二比二，中国一共进了几个球？
Xiaodong, last week China won three to one and this week it was two all. How many goals did China score in all?
小东Xiaodong
三个和两个，五个！
Three and two, five!
王老师Teacher Wang
小东，你回答得这么快？
Xiaodong, you answered so fast?
小东Xiaodong
因为是足球啊！这跟学校的数学不同，这个有意思。
Because it's football! This is different from school maths. It's fun.
王老师Teacher Wang
我的方法跟安妮的方法不同，我总是让他做练习。
My method is different from Annie's; I always make him do exercises.
Before Annie leaves, Teacher Wang tells her the real problem. She talks to Xiaodong, and for the first time that afternoon he smiles.
王老师Teacher Wang
小东刚才那么高兴，我已经很多天没看到了。安妮，主要的问题不是他的成绩，是我跟他的关系。
I haven't seen Xiaodong so happy for days. Annie, the main problem isn't his marks but the relationship between him and me.
安妮Annie
您想对小东说什么吗？
Is there something you'd like to say to Xiaodong?
王老师Teacher Wang
小东，我想向你说对不起。我以前说得太多，听得太少。
Xiaodong, I want to say sorry to you. I used to talk too much and listen too little.
小东Xiaodong
妈妈……
Mom...
王老师Teacher Wang
以后我会多听你说关于足球的事。
From now on I'll listen to you more about football.
小东Xiaodong
真的吗？那下个星期天，你跟我一起去看足球吧！
Really? Then next Sunday, come and watch football with me!
王老师Teacher Wang
那我们就去！我为你准备水和面包。
Then let's go! I'll get water and bread ready for you.
Teacher Wang tells her son 我想向你说对不起wǒ xiǎng xiàng nǐ shuō duìbuqǐ.
In sentences
为
我为大家做了饺子。
I made dumplings for everyone.
为wèi + person + verb.
关于
这是一本关于足球的书。
This is a book about football.
关于guānyú + topic + 的de + noun.
妈妈为我准备了一个很大的蛋糕。
Mom prepared a very big cake for me.
A：你在看什么？ B：一本关于北京历史的书。
A: What are you reading? B: A book about the history of Beijing.
学生们向王老师借了很多书。
The students borrowed lots of books from Teacher Wang.
关于足球的新闻，小东每天都看。
Xiaodong reads the football news every day.
朋友们都为你高兴，你的成绩真好。
Your friends are all happy for you; your results are really good.
These three words introduce a phrase that goes before the verb or noun. 为wèi means "for the sake of": 我为你准备水wǒ wèi nǐ zhǔnbèi shuǐ. 向xiàng means "toward" and is used when the action is directed at a person: 我想向你说对不起wǒ xiǎng xiàng nǐ shuō duìbuqǐ. 关于guānyú means "about" and introduces a topic, either at the start of a sentence or before a noun with 的de: 关于足球的事guānyú zúqiú de shì. The key constraint is word order: 为wèi and 向xiàng phrases come before the main verb, while 关于guānyú either opens the sentence or sits before a noun with 的de. Compare 为wèi, which gives a benefit, with 向xiàng, which gives a direction; both differ from 对duì, which marks the person you talk about or feel something toward. Common mistake: leaving 的de and the noun off after 关于guānyú, as in ✗ 我们聊关于足球wǒmen liáo guānyú zúqiú; say ✓ 我们聊足球wǒmen liáo zúqiú or ✓ 我们聊关于足球的事wǒmen liáo guānyú zúqiú de shì, or start the sentence with it: ✓ 关于足球，我们聊了一个小时guānyú zúqiú, wǒmen liáo le yí ge xiǎoshí.
