HSK 4Lesson 53
From the whole planet to a single leaf, nature gives a lot to talk about. Teacher Wang shows Liu Ming a photo of the Earth, Anne and Liu Xiaoxue hike through a forest, Li Wen and Liu Ming cross a flooded river by bridge, and Bai Jiayue and Wang Yixue watch a bear and a tiger at the zoo.
You will learn to talk about the natural world: how much of the Earth is ocean, what grows in a forest, a fast river seen from a bridge, and wild animals such as bears and tigers.
Part 1 · 15 new words
Contains 2 words
the Earth
ocean; the seas
Contains 3 words
(large) river
bridge
Contains 6 words
forest
woods; grove
Contains 2 words
nature
natural
Contains 2 words
bear
tiger
Part 2 · 8 phrases
在照片上看，地球很蓝，因为海洋很大。
In photos the Earth looks very blue because the oceans are so big.
公园里有一片小树林，大森林要去山里才有。
The park has a small grove of trees, but a big forest only exists in the mountains.
过了那座桥，右边就是我们学校。
After you cross that bridge, our school is on the right.
院子里那棵树的叶子很大，夏天坐在下面不热。
The leaves on that tree in the yard are big, so it's not hot sitting under it in summer.
孩子应该多去大自然里玩儿，别总看手机。
Kids should spend more time playing in nature and not always look at their phones.
江水流得很快，小孩子不要走近。
Part 3 · 4 conversations
In class Teacher Wang shows Liu Ming a photo of the Earth and explains why, with so much sea, fresh water is still short.
王老师Teacher Wang
你看这张地球的照片，蓝的部分是什么？
Look at this photo of the Earth. What are the blue parts?
刘明Liu Ming
是海洋吧？蓝的比别的颜色多多了。
The oceans, right? There's much more blue than any other color.
to flow
plant
leaf
(measure word for trees and plants)
soil; earth
The river flows fast; children shouldn't go near it.
他的鞋上全是土，一看就是刚从山里回来。
His shoes are covered in dirt; you can tell he just came back from the mountains.
动物园里，熊和老虎我都看过，老虎更让人怕。
I've seen both the bear and the tiger at the zoo, and the tiger scares people more.
对，地球上大部分是海洋，只有一小部分是人和动物住的地方。
Right. Most of the Earth is ocean; only a small part is where people and animals live.
刘明Liu Ming
水这么多，为什么很多地方还缺水？
With so much water, why are many places still short of water?
王老师Teacher Wang
因为海水不能直接喝，人用的水大部分来自江河。
Because sea water can't be drunk directly. Most of the water people use comes from rivers.
刘明Liu Ming
可是江水最后不是也流进大海了吗？
But doesn't river water end up flowing into the sea too?
王老师Teacher Wang
对，流进大海就不能喝了，所以能喝的水其实很少，我们用水的时候更要注意。
Right, and once it flows into the sea it can't be drunk. So there is actually very little water we can drink, and we should be all the more careful how we use it.
Anne and Liu Xiaoxue hike through a large forest; Anne is surprised by the plants, and Xiaoxue explains why they grow so well.
安妮Anne
走了一个小时了，这片森林怎么这么大？
We've been walking for an hour. How can this forest be so big?
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
这只是一小部分。走过前面那片树林，才到山下。
This is only a small part. We won't reach the foot of the mountain until we go through those woods ahead.
安妮Anne
你看这棵树，叶子这么大，我从来没见过。
Look at this tree. I've never seen leaves this big.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
这里有很多植物是别的地方没有的。
There are lots of plants here that you won't find anywhere else.
安妮Anne
为什么这里的植物长得这么好？
Why do the plants grow so well here?
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
你看地上的土是黑色的，而且这里常常下雨。
Look, the soil is black, and it rains a lot here.
安妮Anne
原来是这样。我拍一张照片发给我妈妈看。
So that's why. I'll take a photo and send it to my mom.
Li Wen and Liu Ming planned to take a boat across the river, but after heavy rain they cross by the bridge and enjoy the view.
李文Li Wen
你看桥下的江水，流得真快！
Look at the river under the bridge. It's flowing really fast!
刘明Liu Ming
下了三天雨，江水比平时高多了。
After three days of rain, the river is much higher than usual.
李文Li Wen
本来我们打算坐船过江，看来今天不行了。
We were planning to take a boat across the river, but it looks like that's out today.
刘明Liu Ming
没关系，从桥上走过去，还能多看看风景。
Never mind. If we walk across the bridge, we can enjoy more of the view.
李文Li Wen
江边那些花真好看，是有人种的吗？
Those flowers by the river are lovely. Did someone plant them?
刘明Liu Ming
我看不是，应该都是自然长出来的。
I don't think so. They probably all grew naturally.
李文Li Wen
住在城市里，很难看到这么漂亮的自然风景。
Living in the city, it's hard to see natural scenery this beautiful.
Bai Jiayue and Wang Yixue watch a sleeping bear and a restless tiger, and agree that wild animals belong in nature.
白家月Bai Jiayue
你看，那只熊在树下睡觉呢。
Look, that bear is sleeping under the tree.
王一雪Wang Yixue
睡得真舒服。老虎在哪儿？我最想看老虎。
It looks so comfortable. Where's the tiger? The tiger is what I want to see most.
白家月Bai Jiayue
在那边，它一直走来走去。
Over there. It keeps walking back and forth.
王一雪Wang Yixue
老虎真大，离得这么近，我有点儿怕。
The tiger is so big. This close, I'm a little scared.
白家月Bai Jiayue
别怕，它出不来。可是它好像不太高兴。
Don't worry, it can't get out. But it doesn't look very happy.
王一雪Wang Yixue
我觉得老虎应该住在森林里，不应该住在这儿。
I think tigers should live in the forest, not here.
白家月Bai Jiayue
我也这么想，大自然才是它们的家。
I think so too. Nature is their real home.
