A second chance

Story

1. 三年前，邓强的饭店在城里很有名，可是他从来不听客人的意见。

   sān nián qián, Dèng Qiáng de fàndiàn zài chéngli hěn yǒumíng, kěshì tā cónglái bù tīng kèrén de yìjiàn.

   Three years ago Deng Qiang's restaurant was well known in the city, but he never listened to his customers.

   Words in this sentence

   三 sān

   three Dictionary

   年 nián

   year Dictionary

   前 qián

   front; before Dictionary

   邓强 Dèng Qiáng

   Deng Qiang (name)

   Learn to write

   的 de

   (possessive or describing particle) Dictionary

   饭店 fàndiàn

   restaurant Dictionary

   在 zài

   at, in; to be at Dictionary

   城里 chéngli

   in the city

   Learn to write

   很 hěn

   very Dictionary

   有名 yǒumíng

   famous Dictionary

   可是 kěshì

   but Dictionary

   他 tā

   he, him Dictionary

   从来 cónglái

   ever (从来不: never) Dictionary

   不 bù

   not Dictionary

   听 tīng

   to listen, to hear Dictionary

   客人 kèrén

   customer, guest Dictionary

   的 de

   (possessive or describing particle) Dictionary

   意见 yìjiàn

   opinion, criticism Dictionary

2. 一位美食作家在网上写了一篇文章，说他的菜越来越咸，服务也越来越差。

   yí wèi měishí zuòjiā zài wǎngshang xiě le yì piān wénzhāng, shuō tā de cài yuèláiyuè xián, fúwù yě yuèláiyuè chà.

   A food writer published an article online saying his dishes were getting saltier and the service worse.

   Words in this sentence

   一 yí

   one, a Dictionary

   位 wèi

   (polite measure word for people) Dictionary

   美食 měishí

   food, cuisine Dictionary

   作家 zuòjiā

   writer Dictionary

   在 zài

   at, in; to be at Dictionary

   网上 wǎngshang

   online Dictionary

   写 xiě

   to write Dictionary

   了 le

   (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary

   一 yì

   one, a Dictionary

   篇 piān

   (measure word for articles) Dictionary

   文章 wénzhāng

   article Dictionary

   说 shuō

   to say, to speak Dictionary

   他 tā

   he, him Dictionary

   的 de

   (possessive or describing particle) Dictionary

   菜 cài

   dish, food Dictionary

   越来越 yuèláiyuè

   more and more Dictionary

   咸 xián

   salty Dictionary

   服务 fúwù

   service Dictionary

   也 yě

   also, too Dictionary

   越来越 yuèláiyuè

   more and more Dictionary

   差 chà

   to differ by Dictionary

3. 邓强不但没有改，还在网上跟她吵了起来。半年以后，饭店就关门了。

   Dèng Qiáng búdàn méiyǒu gǎi, hái zài wǎngshang gēn tā chǎo le qǐlai. bàn nián yǐhòu, fàndiàn jiù guānmén le.

   Instead of changing anything, Deng Qiang started a row with her online. Six months later the restaurant closed.

   Words in this sentence

   邓强 Dèng Qiáng

   Deng Qiang (name)

   Learn to write

   不但 búdàn

   not only Dictionary

   没有 méiyǒu

   there is not; does not have Dictionary

   改 gǎi

   to change, to correct Dictionary

   还 hái

   also, in addition Dictionary

   在 zài

   at, in; to be at Dictionary

   网上 wǎngshang

   online Dictionary

   跟 gēn

   with; as Dictionary

   她 tā

   she, her Dictionary

   吵 chǎo

   noisy; to argue Dictionary

   了 le

   (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary

   起来 qǐlai

   (starting to …) Dictionary

   半 bàn

   half Dictionary

   年 nián

   year Dictionary

   以后 yǐhòu

   after, later Dictionary

   饭店 fàndiàn

   restaurant Dictionary

   就 jiù

   then, right away Dictionary

   关门 guānmén

   to close down Dictionary

   了 le

   (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary

4. 现在，他每天早上五点起床，在地铁站口卖煎饼。

   xiànzài, tā měitiān zǎoshang wǔ diǎn qǐchuáng, zài dìtiězhàn kǒu mài jiānbing.

   Now he gets up at five every morning and sells jianbing pancakes outside a metro station.

   Words in this sentence

   现在 xiànzài

   now Dictionary

   他 tā

   he, him Dictionary

   每天 měitiān

   every day Dictionary

   早上 zǎoshang

   morning Dictionary

   五 wǔ

   five Dictionary

   点 diǎn

   o'clock Dictionary

   起床 qǐchuáng

   to get up (out of bed) Dictionary

   在 zài

   at, in; to be at Dictionary

   地铁站 dìtiězhàn

   metro station Dictionary

   口 kǒu

   mouthful, sip Dictionary

   卖 mài

   to sell Dictionary

   煎饼 jiānbing

   jianbing (savoury pancake) Dictionary

5. 有一天，一位戴眼镜的女士吃了一口，皱着眉头说：“面糊太厚了，酱也太咸。”

   yǒu yì tiān, yí wèi dài yǎnjìng de nǚshì chī le yì kǒu, zhòu zhe méitóu shuō:“ miànhù tài hòu le, jiàng yě tài xián.”

   One day a woman in glasses took a bite, frowned and said, "The batter's too thick, and the sauce is too salty."

   Words in this sentence

   有 yǒu

   to have; there is Dictionary

   一 yì

   one, a Dictionary

   天 tiān

   day Dictionary

   一 yí

   one, a Dictionary

   位 wèi

   (polite measure word for people) Dictionary

   戴 dài

   to wear (glasses) Dictionary

   眼镜 yǎnjìng

   glasses Dictionary

   的 de

   (possessive or describing particle) Dictionary

   女士 nǚshì

   lady Dictionary

   吃 chī

   to eat Dictionary

   了 le

   (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary

   一 yì

   one, a Dictionary

   口 kǒu

   mouthful, sip Dictionary

   皱 zhòu

   to wrinkle, to frown Dictionary

   着 zhe

   (-ing: an ongoing state) Dictionary

   眉头 méitóu

   brows Dictionary

   说 shuō

   to say, to speak Dictionary

   面糊 miànhù

   batter Dictionary

   太 tài

   too, excessively Dictionary

   厚 hòu

   thick Dictionary

   了 le

   (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary

   酱 jiàng

   sauce Dictionary

   也 yě

   also, too Dictionary

   太 tài

   too, excessively Dictionary

   咸 xián

   salty Dictionary

6. 要是以前，邓强一定会跟她争几句；可是这次，他只是点点头，说：“谢谢，明天您再来尝尝。”

   yàoshi yǐqián, Dèng Qiáng yídìng huì gēn tā zhēng jǐ jù; kěshì zhè cì, tā zhǐshì diǎn diǎn tóu, shuō:“ xièxie, míngtiān nín zài lái chángchang.”

   In the old days Deng Qiang would certainly have argued. This time he just nodded: "Thank you. Come and try it again tomorrow."

   Words in this sentence

   要是 yàoshi

   if Dictionary

   以前 yǐqián

   before, ago Dictionary

   邓强 Dèng Qiáng

   Deng Qiang (name)

   Learn to write

   一定 yídìng

   definitely Dictionary

   会 huì

   can (a learned skill) Dictionary

   跟 gēn

   with; as Dictionary

   她 tā

   she, her Dictionary

   争 zhēng

   to argue Dictionary

   几 jǐ

   how many Dictionary

   句 jù

   (measure word for sentences) Dictionary

   可是 kěshì

   but Dictionary

   这 zhè

   this Dictionary

   次 cì

   time (occurrence) Dictionary

   他 tā

   he, him Dictionary

   只是 zhǐshì

   merely, just Dictionary

   点 diǎn

   o'clock Dictionary

   点 diǎn

   o'clock Dictionary

   头 tóu

   head Dictionary

   说 shuō

   to say, to speak Dictionary

   谢谢 xièxie

   thank you Dictionary

   明天 míngtiān

   tomorrow Dictionary

   您 nín

   you (polite) Dictionary

   再 zài

   again, any more Dictionary

   来 lái

   to come Dictionary

   尝尝 chángchang

   to have a taste

   Learn to write

7. 第二天，那位女士又来了，煎饼薄了，酱也刚刚好。

   dì-èr tiān, nà wèi nǚshì yòu lái le, jiānbing báo le, jiàng yě gānggāng hǎo.

   The next day the woman came back. The pancake was thinner and the sauce just right.

   Words in this sentence

   第二 dì-èr

   second Dictionary

   天 tiān

   day Dictionary

   那 nà

   that Dictionary

   位 wèi

   (polite measure word for people) Dictionary

   女士 nǚshì

   lady Dictionary

   又 yòu

   and also, on top of that Dictionary

   来 lái

   to come Dictionary

   了 le

   (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary

   煎饼 jiānbing

   jianbing (savoury pancake) Dictionary

   薄 báo

   thin Dictionary

   了 le

   (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary

   酱 jiàng

   sauce Dictionary

   也 yě

   also, too Dictionary

   刚刚 gānggāng

   just now Dictionary

   好 hǎo

   good; OK Dictionary

8. 她笑着说：“我认识你。三年前那篇文章，是我写的。”

   tā xiào zhe shuō:“ wǒ rènshi nǐ. sān nián qián nà piān wénzhāng, shì wǒ xiě de.”

   She smiled: "I know you. I wrote that article three years ago."

   Words in this sentence

   她 tā

   she, her Dictionary

   笑 xiào

   to laugh, to smile Dictionary

   着 zhe

   (-ing: an ongoing state) Dictionary

   说 shuō

   to say, to speak Dictionary

   我 wǒ

   I, me Dictionary

   认识 rènshi

   to know (a person), to meet Dictionary

   你 nǐ

   you Dictionary

   三 sān

   three Dictionary

   年 nián

   year Dictionary

   前 qián

   front; before Dictionary

   那 nà

   that Dictionary

   篇 piān

   (measure word for articles) Dictionary

   文章 wénzhāng

   article Dictionary

   是 shì

   to be Dictionary

   我 wǒ

   I, me Dictionary

   写 xiě

   to write Dictionary

   的 de

   (possessive or describing particle) Dictionary

9. 一个星期以后，她又写了一篇文章，题目是《第二次机会》。

   yí gè xīngqī yǐhòu, tā yòu xiě le yì piān wénzhāng, tímù shì《 dì-èr cì jīhuì》.

   A week later she wrote another article. It was called "A Second Chance".

   Words in this sentence

   一 yí

   one, a Dictionary

   个 gè

   (measure word for people and things) Dictionary

   星期 xīngqī

   week Dictionary

   以后 yǐhòu

   after, later Dictionary

   她 tā

   she, her Dictionary

   又 yòu

   and also, on top of that Dictionary

   写 xiě

   to write Dictionary

   了 le

   (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary

   一 yì

   one, a Dictionary

   篇 piān

   (measure word for articles) Dictionary

   文章 wénzhāng

   article Dictionary

   题目 tímù

   question (in an exam) Dictionary

   是 shì

   to be Dictionary

   第二 dì-èr

   second Dictionary

   次 cì

   time (occurrence) Dictionary

   机会 jīhuì

   chance Dictionary