English summary: The narrator’s younger sister learns to cook because she wants to help at home. At first her food doesn’t taste good, but she keeps practicing and asking their mom for advice. Now she can cook tomato and egg, soup, and simple noodles. The family is happy because she has improved a lot.
LEVEL/WORDCOUNT: HSK 2 / ~320 characters
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我妹妹最近开始学做菜，因为她想帮妈妈做家务。刚开始她做的菜不好吃，不是太咸，就是没味道。
后来她每天练习，还常常问妈妈：“盐和糖应该放多少？”妈妈一边教她，一边让她自己试。
现在她已经会做西红柿炒鸡蛋、简单的汤和面条了。我们都说她进步很大。
My Sister Learns to Cook
My younger sister recently started learning to cook because she wants to help our mom with housework. At first her dishes didn’t taste good—either too salty or with no flavor.
Later she practiced every day and often asked our mom, “How much salt and sugar should I add?” Mom taught her while letting her try by herself.
Now she already knows how to make stir-fried tomato and eggs, simple soup, and noodles. We all say she has improved a lot.
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
- 最近 (zuìjìn) – recently
- 开始 (kāishǐ) – to start
- 做菜 (zuò cài) – to cook (dishes)
- 家务 (jiāwù) – housework
- 咸 (xián) – salty
- 味道 (wèidào) – flavor; taste
- 练习 (liànxí) – to practice
- 应该 (yīnggāi) – should
- 盐 (yán) – salt
- 进步 (jìnbù) – progress; improve
Grammar
Grammar rule #1: “不是…就是…” (either… or…)
Use 不是…就是… to show two possible situations or results.
Structure: 不是 + A，就是 + B。
It’s common when describing problems or repeated outcomes.
Here it describes the two main cooking problems at the beginning.
Examples:
不是太咸，就是没味道。
不是…就是…
Grammar rule #2: “已经…了” (already)
Use 已经 before the verb to show something has already happened or been achieved.
Structure: 主语 + 已经 + 动词 + 了。
This is very common in HSK 2 for showing progress and changes.
In this story it shows the sister can cook now.
Examples:
现在她已经会做…了。
她已经会做西红柿炒鸡蛋…了。
Idiomatic Expressions
-
学做菜 – meaning
Example: 我妹妹最近开始学做菜。 -
帮…做家务 – meaning
Example: 她想帮妈妈做家务。 -
放多少 – meaning
Example: 盐和糖应该放多少？ -
一边…一边… – meaning
Example: 妈妈一边教她，一边让她自己试。 -
进步很大 – meaning
Example: 我们都说她进步很大。
Cultural Insights
- Learning to cook at home
Learning basic home cooking is a common life skill and often happens through family teaching.
This makes “妈妈教我” style stories feel natural and relatable.
It also supports practical vocabulary for daily life. - Common beginner dishes
西红柿炒鸡蛋 is a very common “first dish” because it’s simple and fast to make.
It’s also a frequent example in teaching materials for food vocabulary like 盐 and 味道.
This helps learners connect language to real meals. - Talking about taste
Words like 咸 and 味道 are useful because they describe food quickly and clearly.
Many beginner conversations include comments like “太咸了” or “没味道”.
These phrases are easy to reuse in restaurants or home meals.
10 Questions
- Who starts learning to cook? (answer)
- Why does she learn to cook? (answer)
- How does her food taste at the beginning? (answer)
- How often does she practice later? (answer)
- Who does she ask questions to? (answer)
- What does she ask about? (answer)
- What does mom do while teaching? (answer)
- What dish can she cook now? (answer)
- How do the family feel? (answer)
- What do they say about her? (answer)
Multiple Choice
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True or False
- 妹妹最近开始学做菜。 (answer)
- 她学做菜是因为她不喜欢妈妈。 (answer)
- 刚开始她做的菜不是太咸，就是没味道。 (answer)
- 她后来每天练习。 (answer)
- 现在她还不会做任何菜。 (answer)
- 我们都说她进步很大。 (answer)
Retell the Story
Rewrite the story in your own words.
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