[HSK 4] 老外也来过春节 - Foreigners Celebrate Spring Festival Too

A deputy to the National People’s Congress has proposed abolishing rigid tracking after the high school entrance exam, sparking discussion on educational fairness and talent development.中考分流要取消吗？ - Will the Rigid Tracking After the High School Entrance Exam Be Abolished? [HSK 5]Download the app here:Chinese Short Dialogue | App StoreChinese Short Dialogue | Google PlayAvailable in 8 languages on the app:Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية《English Translation》陈花: Everyone in the office was talking about a news story today. It said that an NPC deputy suggested abolishing the “tracking after the high school entrance exam,” and also banning schools from persuading students to give up the exam just to improve admission rates. As a teacher, I was quite shocked to hear that.黄刚: I saw that news too. The person who made the proposal was Yu Miaojie, president of Liaoning University. He believes that in many places, the idea of sending students to general high schools and vocational schools by a fixed ratio has turned into a rigid rule, as if people have to decide the direction of their whole lives at fifteen or sixteen.陈花: It really does feel a bit like moving the college entrance exam earlier. Some students with average grades have not fully matured yet, but because of just one high school entrance exam result, they get assigned to vocational schools, and their parents feel very anxious about it.黄刚: He also mentioned that China is now at a crucial stage of technological competition and industrial upgrading. If students are divided too early, it may affect the country’s talent reserves. After all, some children are late bloomers, and their potential has not shown yet.陈花: But vocational education is important too. We often used to say that all roads lead to Rome. If everyone crowds into general high schools, won’t that just turn into another kind of pressure?黄刚: So his idea is not to look down on vocational education. Instead, he wants to focus on vocational bachelor’s programs and technical universities, giving vocational education more room to grow, rather than passively channeling junior high graduates into it.陈花: The news also said that some schools, for the sake of admission rates, hint to students with poor grades that they should not take the high school entrance exam, so the statistics look better. To be honest, I’ve heard of that too.黄刚: That is exactly the kind of practice he wants to ban. Education should give every child a chance, not turn into a numbers game. In the long run, fairness and freedom of choice may be more important than a single exam.陈花: After hearing your analysis, I do think this issue deserves serious discussion. Maybe the real question is not the tracking itself, but when and how we decide a child’s future.

Young people use AI and digital methods to seek wealth, reflecting real-life pressures and psychological needs.AI财神真能带来好运吗？ - Can an AI God of Wealth Really Bring Good Luck? [HSK 5]Download the app here:Chinese Short Dialogue | App StoreChinese Short Dialogue | Google PlayAvailable in 8 languages on the app:Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية《English Translation》黄刚: Have you seen it? Young people don’t even go to temples anymore to pray for wealth. They just use AI to generate “get-rich talismans” or offer incense digitally on their phones. I was stunned watching the news last night.赵强: Yeah, I saw that. An intern in my department even set an AI-generated God of Wealth as their phone wallpaper, saying “tech makes it more effective.” Honestly, my first reaction was to laugh, but I kind of get it.黄刚: In the past, people lined up at Yonghe Temple during the New Year, offering incense and kneeling in prayer. It was a traditional ritual. Now it’s fridge magnets, phone cases, even social media photos. The form has changed, but the desire to get rich hasn’t.赵强: Exactly, the key is pressure. Housing prices and job competition are right there. Buying a lottery ticket or making an AI talisman costs little and gives some psychological comfort, like “I’ve at least done something.”黄刚: But I worry that some businesses are using the ‘God of Wealth Festival’ to aggressively market, turning belief into a product. Historically people said “sincerity brings results”; what mattered was the heart, not how much money you spent.赵强: Well said. Those ‘instant wealth’ toys in Yiwu are really just tapping into people’s emotions. It’s lively, sure, but if you really want to make money, you still need ability and market judgment.黄刚: Right. Technology makes it easier to seek wealth, but it also makes us think: when effort doesn’t bring results, why are people more willing to believe in ‘luck’?赵强: Maybe because luck gives people hope. But hope can’t replace action. Making wishes is fine, but doing things matters more. Otherwise, no matter how many AI Gods of Wealth you have, they’re just golden images on a screen.

The first few days of going home for the Spring Festival feel warm and comforting, but after a longer stay, generational differences and conflicts in daily habits gradually begin to appear.回家七天，为什么变味了？ - Why Does Going Home for Seven Days Start to Feel Different? [HSK 5]Download the app here:Chinese Short Dialogue | App StoreChinese Short Dialogue | Google PlayAvailable in 8 languages on the app:Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية《English Translation》陈花: Have you noticed that going home for the Spring Festival really seems to have a “seven-day rule”? In the first few days, your parents treat you like a treasure, but after a while they start complaining that you sleep too late and spend too much time on your phone.黄刚: That’s so true. When I first get home, I feel really relaxed. Someone cooks for me, someone washes my clothes. But after staying longer, little things like schedules, spending habits, and organizing stuff all turn into friction.陈花: Exactly. Sometimes I just want to sit quietly for a while, but my family keeps asking me questions. On the surface it’s concern, but after a while it just feels exhausting.黄刚: That’s what many people call “mental rent,” I guess. It looks like you save on actual rent, but in reality you pay a lot in emotional cost. Adults especially need their own space.陈花: And the most troublesome part is that parents always think you’re still a child. You want to arrange your own life, but they often think you’re not mature enough and can’t help interfering.黄刚: That’s why I increasingly feel that living independently is not just about moving out. It’s really the beginning of growing up. Even if it’s a bit hard, you gradually learn to take responsibility for yourself.陈花: Hearing you say that, I understand too. What we really miss is the warmth of going home, but if you live together for a long time, affection alone isn’t enough. You also need boundaries.黄刚: Exactly. Keeping a proper distance from your parents doesn’t mean you’re not close. It’s so both sides can get along more easily, and so love can last longer.

WeChat has introduced features like ignoring calls, voice translation, and video lock, making chatting more convenient.微信新功能引发好奇 - New WeChat Features Spark Curiosity [HSK 4]Download the app here:Chinese Short Dialogue | App StoreChinese Short Dialogue | Google PlayAvailable in 8 languages on the app:Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية《English Translation》小宝: Brother, Mom just called on WeChat. Why didn’t you answer?小刚: I saw it, but I used a new feature called “Ignore.” This way the phone doesn’t ring, and the caller won’t see that I declined.小宝: Wow, that’s amazing! Then will Mom think you didn’t see it?小刚: Exactly, that’s the point of this feature. Sometimes it’s not convenient to answer calls when in class or reading.小宝: I heard WeChat can turn speech into another language. Is that true?小刚: Yes, it is. After sending a voice message, you can tap “Translate.” Chinese speakers can make foreign friends understand too.小宝: Then can I chat with foreign kids in the future?小刚: Of course! And during video calls, you can lock the screen so you won’t accidentally hang up. Technology really makes the world smaller.

From ancient warhorses to modern toys, the horse has always been a symbol of the Chinese spirit.从甲骨文到哭哭马 - From Oracle Bone Script to Crying Horse [HSK 3]Download the app here:Chinese Short Dialogue | App StoreChinese Short Dialogue | Google PlayAvailable in 8 languages on the app:Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية《English Translation》刘娜: Xiaopan, have you seen the recently popular “Crying Horse”? It’s a little toy that has even been sold overseas.小潘: Yes, I have! Its expression is really cute. I want to know, why do Chinese people like “horses” so much?刘娜: Actually, the character for “horse” already appeared in oracle bone script more than three thousand years ago. At that time, horses were important tools for war and delivering messages.小潘: So it goes back that far! I read about the “Six Steeds of Zhaoling” in a history book. Emperor Taizong of Tang used them to commemorate his warhorses.刘娜: That’s right. Later, horses were not just tools anymore, they also came to represent a spirit. For example, the idioms “success comes the moment the horse arrives” and “the spirit of the dragon horse” both convey strength.小潘: Even though today we have cars and high-speed rail, horses have turned into cultural and creative products, like the “Crying Horse,” and they are still very popular.刘娜: Yes. From ancient times to today, the horse represents hard work, speed, and hope. Culture changes, but the spirit has not changed.小潘: I understand now. Reading history is like watching a horse run from ancient times to the present day.

李芳 takes 小美 to a “mock supermarket” to learn fruits and vegetables and practice measure words.超市里的语文课 - A Chinese Class in the Supermarket [HSK 3]Download the app here:Chinese Short Dialogue | App StoreChinese Short Dialogue | Google PlayAvailable in 8 languages on the app:Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية《English Translation》李芳: 小美, let’s play a mock supermarket game, okay? What do you want to buy?小美: I want to buy apples and bananas!李芳: For apples, we use the measure word “ge.” How many apples do you want?小美: I want three apples.李芳: For bananas, we often say “a bunch.” How many bunches of bananas do you want?小美: I want one bunch of bananas!李芳: What about vegetables? For example, for potatoes we often use “jin.” How many jin of potatoes do you want?小美: I want one jin of potatoes.李芳: Very good. Now say the whole list: how many, how many jin, how many bunches.小美: Three apples, one jin of potatoes, one bunch of bananas!

A high school student was advised to leave after impulsively injuring someone, raising discussion on how punishment and education should work together.被劝退就算结束吗 - Does Being “Advised to Leave” Mean It’s Over? [HSK 4]Download the app here:Chinese Short Dialogue | App StoreChinese Short Dialogue | Google PlayAvailable in 8 languages on the app:Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية《English Translation》小宝: Brother, I heard someone at school got into a fight. I’m a little scared.小刚: Don’t be scared. The news said a high school student got angry and hit a classmate with a chair.小宝: What happened after that? What did the teachers do?小刚: The school made him leave for more than a month—called “advised to leave.” It’s a very serious punishment.小宝: So did that make him better?小刚: Not necessarily. Being advised to leave just puts a stop to it. To truly resolve it, he still needs to apologize and learn to control his emotions.小宝: When I’m angry, what can I do?小刚: Take deep breaths first, then talk to a teacher and your family. Remember—impulses can hurt people.

Xinhua stresses the need to close loopholes so that disgraced artists who make improper comebacks have no market.劣迹艺人还能复出吗 - Can Disgraced Celebrities Make a Comeback? [HSK 5]Download the app here:Chinese Short Dialogue | App StoreChinese Short Dialogue | Google PlayAvailable in 8 languages on the app:Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية《English Translation》赵强: 老黄, did you read that Xinhua commentary? It said disgraced artists who make improper comebacks should have no market. The stance is pretty tough.黄刚: I did. In recent years, some artists have been jointly boycotted on one hand, yet on the other hand they go to small places for commercial shows or do livestream sales. The impact is really bad.赵强: From a market perspective, it comes down to people still giving them traffic and money. As long as there’s profit, some will take the risk.黄刚: Exactly. So the problem isn’t only the individual artists—it’s also platforms and regulation. In some places, online and offline standards differ, and that gets exploited.赵强: I noticed the commentary mentioned “we can’t just go through the motions and stamp approvals.” That’s a harsh line, but it’s on point.黄刚: The arts and entertainment industry has a guiding influence. If people with moral failings can easily return, it seriously affects social values.赵强: If platforms keep putting traffic first, they’re actually amplifying the problem—short-term clicks, long-term damage to the industry.黄刚: So we need a joint effort. Industry associations, platforms, and regulators all have to get tougher and truly enforce the red line.

Wearing makeup before an MRI scan may affect imaging and even pose safety risks.做检查前要卸妆吗 - Do You Need to Remove Makeup Before an Exam? [HSK 3]Download the app here:Chinese Short Dialogue | App StoreChinese Short Dialogue | Google PlayAvailable in 8 languages on the app:Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية《English Translation》优子: Teacher Liu, I saw a news story saying a girl had an MRI scan and the machine went black because she was wearing makeup. Is that true?刘娜: Yes, it’s true. Some cosmetics contain metal components, which can interfere with MRI scans.优子: I used to think light makeup was fine, and even more polite that way.刘娜: A lot of people think that, but MRI machines are very sensitive to metal, so wearing makeup can actually be unsafe.优子: So even just foundation or lipstick isn’t okay?刘娜: It’s best to remove everything. Glitter, eyeshadow, and setting spray need extra caution.优子: I see—this is really informative. Health checks are more important than looking good.刘娜: Exactly. In China people often say ‘health comes first.’ Keeping it simple and clean before an exam is being responsible to yourself.

Around the question of whether drug use should be criminalized, society and legal circles are calling for a more rational and nuanced approach.吸毒要不要入刑？ - Should Drug Use Be Criminalized? [HSK 5]Download the app here:Chinese Short Dialogue | App StoreChinese Short Dialogue | Google PlayAvailable in 8 languages on the app:Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية《English Translation》黄刚: Recently, the debate over whether drug use should be criminalized has been intense. I carefully read Luo Xiang’s article, and his views are quite complex.陈花: I saw the news too. He doesn’t seem to simply support or oppose it, but stresses analyzing specific situations case by case.黄刚: Exactly. From a legal perspective, many drug-related behaviors are already criminalized; it just can’t be handled with a one-size-fits-all approach.陈花: What impressed me most was his point that some substances are legally classified as drugs, but may actually be used for medical treatment.黄刚: Yes. If we impose heavy punishment without distinction, it could harm people who are already vulnerable, which wouldn’t be fair.陈花: He also mentioned the principle of proportionality—severe crimes deserve severe punishment, minor offenses lighter punishment. That sounds more rational.黄刚: As a public servant, I also think the law must strike a balance between combating illegal acts and protecting human rights.陈花: It seems that in public discussions, calm and careful thinking is more important than simply taking sides.