The honest answer

Preview version — Chinese review in progress.

HSK 3 About 7 minutes

一句真话

Yí jù zhēnhuà

The honest answer

Story

。
Luó Dān jīntiān yào qù yì jiā lǚxíng gōngsī miànshì.
Today Luo Dan has an interview at a travel company.
Words in this sentence
罗丹 Luó Dān
Luo Dan (name)
今天 jīntiān
today Dictionary
要 yào
to need to, to be going to; to want Dictionary
去 qù
to go Dictionary
一 yì
one, a Dictionary
家 jiā
home, family Dictionary
旅行 lǚxíng
travel Dictionary
公司 gōngsī
company, office Dictionary
面试 miànshì
interview Dictionary
，。
tā tíqián bàn gè xiǎoshí jiù dào le, zuò zài ménkǒu yí biàn yí biàn de liànxí zhǔnbèi hǎo de huídá.
She arrives half an hour early and sits by the door going over her prepared answers again and again.
Words in this sentence
她 tā
she, her Dictionary
提前 tíqián
early, in advance Dictionary
半 bàn
half Dictionary
个 gè
(measure word for people and things) Dictionary
小时 xiǎoshí
hour Dictionary
就 jiù
then, right away Dictionary
到 dào
to arrive Dictionary
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
坐 zuò
to sit; to travel by Dictionary
在 zài
at, in; to be at Dictionary
门口 ménkǒu
doorway, gate Dictionary
一 yí
one, a Dictionary
遍 biàn
time (from start to finish) Dictionary
一 yí
one, a Dictionary
遍 biàn
time (from start to finish) Dictionary
地 de
(turns a description into how something is done) Dictionary
练习 liànxí
to practise Dictionary
准备 zhǔnbèi
to prepare Dictionary
好 hǎo
good; OK Dictionary
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
回答 huídá
answer Dictionary
，：“？”
jìn le bàngōngshì, jīnglǐ xiān wèn:“ nǐ wèishénme xiǎng zuò zhè gè gōngzuò?”
In the office the manager's first question is, "Why do you want this job?"
Words in this sentence
进 jìn
into; to enter Dictionary
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
办公室 bàngōngshì
office Dictionary
经理 jīnglǐ
manager Dictionary
先 xiān
first Dictionary
问 wèn
to ask Dictionary
你 nǐ
you Dictionary
为什么 wèishénme
why Dictionary
想 xiǎng
to want to, would like to; to think Dictionary
做 zuò
to make, to do Dictionary
这 zhè
this Dictionary
个 gè
(measure word for people and things) Dictionary
工作 gōngzuò
to work; job Dictionary
，。
Luó Dān yíxiàzi jǐnzhāng le, zhǔnbèi hǎo de huà yí jù yě xiǎng bu qǐlái le.
Luo Dan suddenly gets nervous and can't remember a single word she prepared.
Words in this sentence
罗丹 Luó Dān
Luo Dan (name)
一下子 yíxiàzi
all of a sudden Dictionary
紧张 jǐnzhāng
nervous Dictionary
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
准备 zhǔnbèi
to prepare Dictionary
好 hǎo
good; OK Dictionary
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
话 huà
words, what is said Dictionary
一 yí
one, a Dictionary
句 jù
(measure word for sentences) Dictionary
也 yě
also, too Dictionary
想不起来 xiǎng bu qǐlái
cannot remember
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
：“，。”
tā zhǐhǎo shuō zhēnhuà:“ wǒ nǎinai niánqīng de shíhou qù guò hěn duō dìfang, wǒ cóngxiǎo jiù ài tīng tā jiǎng lǚxíng de gùshi.”
She has no choice but to tell the truth: "My grandma travelled a lot when she was young. Ever since I was little, I've loved listening to her travel stories."
Words in this sentence
她 tā
she, her Dictionary
只好 zhǐhǎo
have no choice but to Dictionary
说 shuō
to say, to speak Dictionary
真话 zhēnhuà
the truth
我 wǒ
I, me Dictionary
奶奶 nǎinai
grandma (father's mother) Dictionary
年轻 niánqīng
young Dictionary
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
时候 shíhou
time, moment (……的时候: when …) Dictionary
去 qù
to go Dictionary
过 guò
to celebrate, to spend (a holiday) Dictionary
很 hěn
very Dictionary
多 duō
many, a lot Dictionary
地方 dìfang
place Dictionary
我 wǒ
I, me Dictionary
从小 cóngxiǎo
since childhood Dictionary
就 jiù
then, right away Dictionary
爱 ài
to love Dictionary
听 tīng
to listen, to hear Dictionary
她 tā
she, her Dictionary
讲 jiǎng
to tell, to explain Dictionary
旅行 lǚxíng
travel Dictionary
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
故事 gùshi
story Dictionary
，。
jīnglǐ tīng le, xiào zhe diǎn le diǎn tóu.
The manager listens, smiles and nods.
Words in this sentence
经理 jīnglǐ
manager Dictionary
听 tīng
to listen, to hear Dictionary
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
笑 xiào
to laugh, to smile Dictionary
着 zhe
(-ing: an ongoing state) Dictionary
点 diǎn
o'clock Dictionary
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
点 diǎn
o'clock Dictionary
头 tóu
head Dictionary
，：。
dì-èr tiān, Luó Dān jiē dào le gōngsī de diànhuà: tā kěyǐ xià gè xīngqī lái shàngbān le.
The next day Luo Dan gets a call from the company: she can start work next week.
Words in this sentence
第二 dì-èr
second Dictionary
天 tiān
day Dictionary
罗丹 Luó Dān
Luo Dan (name)
接 jiē
to meet, to pick up (someone arriving) Dictionary
到 dào
to arrive Dictionary
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
公司 gōngsī
company, office Dictionary
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
电话 diànhuà
phone call, telephone Dictionary
她 tā
she, her Dictionary
可以 kěyǐ
can, may; all right Dictionary
下 xià
next; down Dictionary
个 gè
(measure word for people and things) Dictionary
星期 xīngqī
week Dictionary
来 lái
to come Dictionary
上班 shàngbān
to go to work Dictionary
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary

Grammar focus

只好 "have no choice but to"
想不起来 "can't remember"

Vocabulary

旅行lǚxíngtravel Dictionary
面试miànshìinterview Dictionary
提前tíqiánearly, in advance Dictionary
练习liànxíto practise Dictionary
准备zhǔnbèito prepare Dictionary
回答huídáanswer Dictionary
经理jīnglǐmanager Dictionary
上班shàngbānto go to work Dictionary

Questions

Speaking task

面试的时候，经理问你“为什么想做这个工作”。你怎么回答？

Miànshì de shíhou, jīnglǐ wèn nǐ "wèishénme xiǎng zuò zhè gè gōngzuò". Nǐ zěnme huídá?

At an interview the manager asks why you want the job. How do you answer?

Tips

我觉得……适合我 means "I feel … suits me".

Try it yourself first, then show the model answer

我喜欢和人说话，也喜欢学习新东西，我觉得这个工作很适合我。

Wǒ xǐhuan hé rén shuōhuà, yě xǐhuan xuéxí xīn dōngxi, wǒ juéde zhè gè gōngzuò hěn shìhé wǒ.

I like talking to people and learning new things. I think this job suits me.

About the HSK 3 level