chinese

hsk2-4

Written by

Per Johansson

in

English summary: It rains heavily, so the narrator cannot go exercise and must stay home. In the morning they clean the room and wash clothes. In the afternoon they work on the computer and watch a Chinese movie. The day is quiet and comfortable even without going outside.

LEVEL/WORDCOUNT: HSK 2 / ~300 characters

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下雨的一天

今天下大雨，我本来想去运动，可是只好呆在家里。

早上我先打扫房间，把桌子、椅子都擦干净，然后洗衣服。

下午我在电脑前工作一会儿，又看了一部中文电影。虽然不能出去，但是这一天也很安静、很舒服。

A Rainy Day at Home

It rained heavily today. I originally wanted to exercise, but I had no choice but to stay at home.

In the morning I first cleaned the room and wiped the table and chairs clean, and then I washed clothes.

In the afternoon I worked at the computer for a while and watched a Chinese movie. Although I couldn’t go out, the day was quiet and comfortable.

Help

How to Use the Audio

The audio is designed to help you improve your Mandarin Chinese listening skills and pronunciation. You can use it in two ways:

  • Before reading: Listen to understand rhythm, tones, and natural speech.
  • After reading: Listen again to compare pronunciation and improve fluency.

Vocabulary

  • 本来 (běnlái) – originally
  • 运动 (yùndòng) – exercise
  • 只好 (zhǐhǎo) – have no choice but to
  • 打扫 (dǎsǎo) – to clean
  • 房间 (fángjiān) – room
  • 擦 (cā) – to wipe
  • 干净 (gānjìng) – clean
  • 然后 (ránhòu) – then
  • 一会儿 (yīhuìr) – a while
  • 安静 (ānjìng) – quiet

Grammar

Grammar rule #1: “本来…可是…” (original plan vs. reality)
Use 本来 to describe an original plan or intention.
Use 可是 to show a change or contrast with what actually happens.
Structure: 本来 + 想/要…，可是…
This is common in HSK 2 stories about daily plans.

Examples:
我本来想去运动，可是只好呆在家里。
本来想去运动，可是只好呆在家里。

Grammar rule #2: “先…然后…” (sequence)
Use 先 for the first action and 然后 for the next action.
Structure: 先 + 动作1，(然后) + 动作2。
This is useful for describing routines step by step.
It makes instructions and stories easy to follow.

Examples:
早上我先打扫房间…然后洗衣服。
把桌子、椅子都擦干净，然后洗衣服。

Idiomatic Expressions

  • 下大雨 – meaning
    Example: 今天下大雨。
  • 只好… – meaning
    Example: 只好呆在家里。
  • 把…擦干净 – meaning
    Example: 把桌子、椅子都擦干净。
  • 工作一会儿 – meaning
    Example: 在电脑前工作一会儿。
  • 虽然…但是… – meaning
    Example: 虽然不能出去，但是这一天也很安静、很舒服。

Cultural Insights

  • Rainy-day routines
    When the weather is bad, staying home and doing chores is a common routine.
    Beginner stories often use this situation to practice daily verbs like 打扫 and 洗衣服.
    It also provides a natural reason to use 本来…可是…
  • Chores vocabulary
    Cleaning words like 打扫, 擦, and 干净 are practical and appear early in learning materials.
    They describe actions that many people do regularly at home.
    This makes vocabulary immediately useful for daily life.
  • Relaxing at home
    Watching a movie at home is an easy, realistic activity for stories at this level.
    It helps learners practice time phrases like 下午 and 一会儿.
    These quiet scenes are good for reading fluency practice.

10 Questions

  1. What is the weather like today? (answer)
  2. What does the narrator originally want to do? (answer)
  3. What must the narrator do instead? (answer)
  4. What does the narrator do first in the morning? (answer)
  5. What does the narrator wipe clean? (answer)
  6. What does the narrator do after cleaning? (answer)
  7. What does the narrator do in the afternoon? (answer)
  8. Can the narrator go outside? (answer)
  9. How is the day described? (answer)
  10. Is the narrator unhappy all day? (answer)

Multiple Choice

  1. 今天的天气怎么样？ (answer)
    a) 下大雨
    b) 天气很好
    c) 下雪
  2. 我本来想做什么？ (answer)
    a) 去买菜
    b) 去运动
    c) 去上课
  3. 我只好： (answer)
    a) 去公园
    b) 去公司
    c) 呆在家里
  1. 早上我先做什么？ (answer)
    a) 打扫房间
    b) 看电影
    c) 睡觉
  2. 然后我做什么？ (answer)
    a) 买衣服
    b) 洗衣服
    c) 听音乐会
  3. 下午我还做了什么？ (answer)
    a) 去旅行
    b) 去医院
    c) 看了一部中文电影

True or False

  1. 今天下大雨。 (answer)
  2. 我本来想去运动。 (answer)
  3. 我去了公园。 (answer)
  4. 早上我打扫房间，擦桌子和椅子。 (answer)
  5. 下午我没有工作。 (answer)
  6. 这一天很安静、很舒服。 (answer)

Retell the Story

Rewrite the story in your own words.

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