HSK 4Lesson 54
The weather decides what we wear and where we go. Liu Xiaoxue warns Anne that a cold spell is coming, Liu Ming asks Teacher Wang about winter in the Northeast, Bai Jiayue and Wang Yixue plan to watch the stars on a clear evening, and Li Wen and Liu Ming swap the car for the train because of snow.
You will learn to talk about the weather: understand a forecast of falling temperatures, describe a cold climate, plan a night of stargazing on a clear day, and change travel plans because of snow.
Part 1 · 15 new words
Contains 6 words
climate
air temperature
temperature
high temperature; hot weather
low temperature
below zero
Contains 3 words
to get colder; (of temperature) to drop
cold; frigid
Contains 4 words
cloud
sunshine; sunlight
Contains 2 words
night
night; nighttime
Part 2 · 8 phrases
我老家的气候很好，冬天不太冷，夏天也不太热。
The climate in my hometown is nice: winters aren't too cold and summers aren't too hot.
冬天的阳光很舒服，我喜欢坐在窗边看书。
Winter sunshine is comfortable; I like to sit by the window and read.
房间里的温度太高了，把窗户打开吧。
The temperature in the room is too high; open the window.
晚上要降温，明天早上气温会降到零下。
It will get colder tonight, and tomorrow morning the temperature will drop below zero.
夏天高温的时候，中午最好别出门。
When it's very hot in summer, it's best not to go out at noon.
冬天的北京很寒冷，风吹在脸上很疼。
Part 3 · 4 conversations
Liu Xiaoxue tells Anne the forecast says it will turn much colder tomorrow, and Anne realizes she has no warm clothes.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
安妮，你看天气了吗？明天要降温了。
Anne, have you checked the weather? It's going to get colder tomorrow.
安妮Anne
真的吗？今天还这么热呢。会降到多少摄氏度？
Really? It's still so hot today. How low will it go?
to fall; to drop
star
to fall; to go down
Beijing in winter is bitterly cold, and the wind hurts your face.
叶子落了一地，秋天已经到了。
Leaves have fallen all over the ground; autumn has come.
夜里山上没有灯，星星特别多。
At night there are no lights up in the mountains, so there are lots of stars.
明天最高气温十五摄氏度，比今天低了差不多二十摄氏度。
Tomorrow's high is fifteen degrees, nearly twenty degrees lower than today.
安妮Anne
一下子降这么多！前几天一直是高温，三十五摄氏度左右。
Such a big drop all at once! For the last few days it's been hot, around thirty-five degrees.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
夜里温度更低，只有六七摄氏度，你出门多穿点儿。
At night it'll be even colder, only six or seven degrees, so wear more when you go out.
安妮Anne
我去年冬天的外套已经送给别人了，看来得去买一件新的了。
I've already given last winter's coat away. Looks like I'll have to go and buy a new one.
Liu Ming, who grew up in the south, asks Teacher Wang what the winter climate in the Northeast is like before a winter-break trip.
刘明Liu Ming
王老师，寒假我想去东北看雪，那里冬天的气候怎么样？
Teacher Wang, I want to go to the Northeast to see the snow over winter break. What is the winter climate like there?
王老师Teacher Wang
很寒冷，也很干。一月的气温常常在零下十几摄氏度。
Bitterly cold, and dry too. In January it's often more than ten degrees below zero.
刘明Liu Ming
零下十几摄氏度！那么冷，人们晚上还出门吗？
More than ten below! When it's that cold, do people still go out in the evening?
王老师Teacher Wang
出门啊。最冷的时候，会有零下三十摄氏度的低温，可是房子里都很暖和。
They do. At the coldest, there can be lows of thirty below, but it's warm inside the houses.
刘明Liu Ming
我从小在南方长大，从来没见过那么冷的天。我得准备厚衣服了。
I grew up in the south and have never seen weather that cold. I'll need to get thick clothes ready.
王老师Teacher Wang
对，去看看也好，东北的冬天在别的地方看不到。
Yes. It's worth seeing; you can't find a northeastern winter anywhere else.
On a clear, sunny day Bai Jiayue and Wang Yixue plan to watch the stars from a nearby mountain and decide to stay the night.
白家月Bai Jiayue
今天阳光真好，一点儿云都没有。
It's lovely and sunny today; there isn't a single cloud.
王一雪Wang Yixue
那晚上一定能看到很多星星。我们去山上看星星吧？
Then we're sure to see lots of stars tonight. Shall we go up the mountain to watch them?
白家月Bai Jiayue
好啊！什么时候出发？
Sure! When do we leave?
王一雪Wang Yixue
太阳落山以后出发，到山上正好是夜里。
We'll leave after the sun sets and reach the top just as night falls.
白家月Bai Jiayue
山上的夜晚很冷吧？
Nights on the mountain must be cold, right?
王一雪Wang Yixue
有点儿冷，可是特别安静，星星也比城市里多得多。
A bit cold, but very quiet, and there are far more stars than in the city.
白家月Bai Jiayue
那我们在山上住一夜吧，早上还能看太阳出来。
Then let's stay the night on the mountain. In the morning we can watch the sun come up.
The news says heavy snow is coming to the Northeast, so Li Wen and Liu Ming give up driving and take the train instead.
李文Li Wen
新闻说，东北明天有降雪，气温会降到零下十摄氏度。
The news says there will be snow in the Northeast tomorrow, and the temperature will drop to ten below.
刘明Liu Ming
那我们明天还开车去吗？
Then are we still driving there tomorrow?
李文Li Wen
我看最好别开车了。雪落在地上，开车会很危险。
I think we'd better not drive. Once the snow is on the ground, driving will be dangerous.
刘明Liu Ming
可是火车票还买得到吗？
But can we still get train tickets?
李文Li Wen
我刚查了，下午三点那趟还有票。
I just checked. There are still tickets for the three o'clock train in the afternoon.
刘明Liu Ming
那就坐火车吧，安全第一。我现在就买。
Then let's take the train. Safety first. I'll buy the tickets now.
