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Mythic Mandarin

The first date

Preview version — Chinese review in progress.

HSK 2 About 6 minutes

第一次见面

Dì-yī cì jiànmiàn

The first date

Story

  1. ，。

    xīngqītiān xiàwǔ, Fāng Míng hé Yèzi zài yì jiā kāfēidiàn dì-yī cì jiànmiàn.

    On Sunday afternoon Fang Ming and Yezi met for the first time, in a cafe.

    Words in this sentence
    星期天 xīngqītiān
    Sunday Dictionary
    下午 xiàwǔ
    afternoon Dictionary
    方明 Fāng Míng
    Fang Ming (name)
    和 hé
    and Dictionary
    叶子 Yèzi
    Yezi (name) Dictionary
    在 zài
    at, in; to be at Dictionary
    一 yì
    one, a Dictionary
    家 jiā
    home, family Dictionary
    咖啡店 kāfēidiàn
    cafe Dictionary
    第一 dì-yī
    first Dictionary
    次 cì
    time (occurrence) Dictionary
    见面 jiànmiàn
    to meet Dictionary

  2. ，。

    liǎng gè rén dōu yǒu diǎnr jǐnzhāng, huà bù duō.

    They were both a bit nervous and didn't say much.

    Words in this sentence
    两 liǎng
    two Dictionary
    个 gè
    (measure word for people and things) Dictionary
    人 rén
    person, people Dictionary
    都 dōu
    all, both Dictionary
    有 yǒu
    to have; there is Dictionary
    点儿 diǎnr
    a little Dictionary
    紧张 jǐnzhāng
    nervous Dictionary
    话 huà
    words, what is said Dictionary
    不 bù
    not Dictionary
    多 duō
    many, a lot Dictionary

  3. ：“？”：“。”

    Fāng Míng wèn:“ nǐ hē shénme?” Yèzi shuō:“ gēn nǐ yíyàng.”

    Fang Ming asked, "What would you like to drink?" Yezi said, "The same as you."

    Words in this sentence
    方明 Fāng Míng
    Fang Ming (name)
    问 wèn
    to ask Dictionary
    你 nǐ
    you Dictionary
    喝 hē
    to drink Dictionary
    什么 shénme
    what Dictionary
    叶子 Yèzi
    Yezi (name) Dictionary
    说 shuō
    to say, to speak Dictionary
    跟 gēn
    with; as Dictionary
    你 nǐ
    you Dictionary
    一样 yíyàng
    the same Dictionary

  4. 。

    Fāng Míng yào le liǎng bēi hěn kǔ de kāfēi.

    Fang Ming ordered two cups of very bitter coffee.

    Words in this sentence
    方明 Fāng Míng
    Fang Ming (name)
    要 yào
    to need to, to be going to; to want Dictionary
    了 le
    (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
    两 liǎng
    two Dictionary
    杯 bēi
    cup, glass Dictionary
    很 hěn
    very Dictionary
    苦 kǔ
    bitter Dictionary
    的 de
    (possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
    咖啡 kāfēi
    coffee Dictionary

  5. ，。

    Yèzi hē le yì kǒu, jiù bù hē le.

    Yezi took one sip and stopped.

    Words in this sentence
    叶子 Yèzi
    Yezi (name) Dictionary
    喝 hē
    to drink Dictionary
    了 le
    (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
    一 yì
    one, a Dictionary
    口 kǒu
    mouthful, sip Dictionary
    就 jiù
    then, right away Dictionary
    不 bù
    not Dictionary
    喝 hē
    to drink Dictionary
    了 le
    (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary

  6. ，，：“。”

    guò le yíhuìr, tā xiào le xiào, shuō:“ qíshí wǒ bù xǐhuan hē kāfēi.”

    After a while she said with a smile, "Actually, I don't like coffee."

    Words in this sentence
    过 guò
    to celebrate, to spend (a holiday) Dictionary
    了 le
    (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
    一会儿 yíhuìr
    a while Dictionary
    她 tā
    she, her Dictionary
    笑 xiào
    to laugh, to smile Dictionary
    了 le
    (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
    笑 xiào
    to laugh, to smile Dictionary
    说 shuō
    to say, to speak Dictionary
    其实 qíshí
    actually Dictionary
    我 wǒ
    I, me Dictionary
    不 bù
    not Dictionary
    喜欢 xǐhuan
    to like Dictionary
    喝 hē
    to drink Dictionary
    咖啡 kāfēi
    coffee Dictionary

  7. ：“！。”

    Fāng Míng yě xiào le:“ wǒ yě bù xǐhuan! wǒmen huàn liǎng bēi chá ba.”

    Fang Ming laughed too: "Neither do I! Let's swap them for two teas."

    Words in this sentence
    方明 Fāng Míng
    Fang Ming (name)
    也 yě
    also, too Dictionary
    笑 xiào
    to laugh, to smile Dictionary
    了 le
    (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
    我 wǒ
    I, me Dictionary
    也 yě
    also, too Dictionary
    不 bù
    not Dictionary
    喜欢 xǐhuan
    to like Dictionary
    我们 wǒmen
    we, us Dictionary
    换 huàn
    to change, to swap Dictionary
    两 liǎng
    two Dictionary
    杯 bēi
    cup, glass Dictionary
    茶 chá
    tea Dictionary
    吧 ba
    (suggests or softens: "let's …", "OK") Dictionary

Grammar focus

  • 跟……一样 "the same as …"
  • 其实 "actually"

Vocabulary

Questions

1方明要了什么？Fāng Míng yào le shénme?What did Fang Ming order?
Show the answer and explanations

Answer: C. Sentence 4: 方明要了两杯很苦的咖啡.

  • A: Tea comes only at the end, when they swap (sentence 7).
  • B: Nobody orders milk.
2方明和叶子以前没有见过面。Fāng Míng hé Yèzi yǐqián méiyǒu jiàn guò miàn.Fang Ming and Yezi had never met before.
Show the answer and explanations

Answer: A. True. Sentence 1 says it is their 第一次见面, their first meeting.

  • B: 第一次见面 (sentence 1) means they are meeting for the first time.
3叶子为什么只喝了一口？Yèzi wèishénme zhǐ hē le yì kǒu?Why did Yezi take only one sip?
Show the answer and explanations

Answer: A. She says so in sentence 6: 其实我不喜欢喝咖啡.

  • B: The story says the coffee was bitter (苦), and the real reason is that she doesn't like it.
  • C: She stays and they order tea.
4“其实”是什么意思？"Qíshí" shì shénme yìsi?What does 其实 mean?
Show the answer and explanations

Answer: C. 其实 introduces what is really true, often after something that seemed different.

  • A: 因为 gives a reason; 其实 corrects an impression.
  • B: 以后 is about time.
5我们＿＿两杯茶吧。Wǒmen __ liǎng bēi chá ba.Let's ___ two teas.
Show the answer and explanations

Answer: B. 换 means to change one thing for another: coffee for tea (sentence 7).

  • A: They are customers; they don't sell tea.
  • C: 写 does not go with tea.

Speaking task

你和一个朋友在咖啡店。问他想喝什么。

Nǐ hé yí gè péngyou zài kāfēidiàn. Wèn tā xiǎng hē shénme.

You are in a cafe with a friend. Ask what they would like to drink.

Tips

  • A还是B asks "A or B?".
Try it yourself first, then show the model answer

你想喝什么？咖啡还是茶？

Nǐ xiǎng hē shénme? Kāfēi háishi chá?

What would you like to drink? Coffee or tea?

About the HSK 2 level