A commuter misses the bus and learns how to adjust their morning routine to avoid being late.
LEVEL/WORDCOUNT: HSK2 / 452 characters
错过公交车
今天早上我差点迟到。我平时坐公交车去公司，车站离我家很近，走路只要五分钟。可是我起床晚了，又在家里找钥匙，出门的时候已经七点五十了。
我跑到车站时，刚好看到公交车开走。我只好站在那儿等下一班。可是下一班要等二十分钟，我心里很着急。旁边有一个人告诉我，前面两站有地铁，走过去也不远。我想了想，决定先走到地铁站，再坐地铁去公司。
路上我一直看时间，怕又错过。到了地铁站，我买票、过安检，上车以后才松了一口气。地铁虽然很拥挤，但是速度快。最后我还是按时到了公司。
下班以后，我在手机里设置了两个闹钟，还把钥匙放在门口的盒子里。以后我一定要早一点起床，提前准备，这样就不会再错过公交车了。
Cuòguò Gōngjiāochē
Jīntiān zǎoshang wǒ chàdiǎn chídào. Wǒ píngshí zuò gōngjiāochē qù gōngsī, chēzhàn lí wǒ jiā hěn jìn, zǒulù zhǐyào wǔ fēnzhōng. Kěshì wǒ qǐchuáng wǎn le, yòu zài jiā lǐ zhǎo yàoshi, chūmén de shíhou yǐjīng qī diǎn wǔshí le.
Wǒ pǎo dào chēzhàn shí, gānghǎo kàn dào gōngjiāochē kāi zǒu. Wǒ zhǐhǎo zhàn zài nàr děng xià yì bān. Kěshì xià yì bān yào děng èrshí fēnzhōng, wǒ xīnli hěn zháojí. Pángbiān yǒu yí gè rén gàosu wǒ, qiánmiàn liǎng zhàn yǒu dìtiě, zǒu guòqù yě bù yuǎn. Wǒ xiǎng le xiǎng, juédìng xiān zǒu dào dìtiě zhàn, zài zuò dìtiě qù gōngsī.
Lùshang wǒ yìzhí kàn shíjiān, pà yòu cuòguò. Dào le dìtiě zhàn, wǒ mǎi piào, guò ānjiǎn, shàng chē yǐhòu cái sōng le yì kǒu qì. Dìtiě suīrán hěn yōngjǐ, dànshì sùdù kuài. Zuìhòu wǒ háishi ànshí dào le gōngsī.
Xiàbān yǐhòu, wǒ zài shǒujī lǐ shèzhì le liǎng gè nàozhōng, hái bǎ yàoshi fàng zài ménkǒu de hézi lǐ. Yǐhòu wǒ yídìng yào zǎo yìdiǎn qǐchuáng, tíqián zhǔnbèi, zhèyàng jiù bù huì zài cuòguò gōngjiāochē le.
Missing the Bus
This morning I almost was late. I usually take the bus to my company, and the bus stop is very close to my home—only a five-minute walk. But I got up late, and I also looked for my keys at home, so when I left it was already 7:50.
When I ran to the stop, I happened to see the bus drive away. I had to stand there and wait for the next one. But the next bus would take twenty minutes, so I felt very anxious. Someone next to me told me that two stops ahead there is a subway station, and it’s not far to walk. I thought about it and decided to walk to the subway station first, then take the subway to the company.
On the way I kept checking the time, afraid I would miss it again. After arriving at the subway station, I bought a ticket, passed security, and only then relaxed a little after getting on. Although the subway was crowded, it was fast. In the end, I still arrived at the company on time.
After work, I set two alarms on my phone, and I also put my keys in a box by the door. In the future I must get up earlier and prepare in advance, so I won’t miss the bus again.
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, intonation, and natural speech.
- After reading: Listen again to compare pronunciation and improve fluency.
Vocabulary
| Characters | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 公交车 | gōngjiāochē | bus |
| 车站 | chēzhàn | station; stop |
| 迟到 | chídào | be late |
| 起床 | qǐchuáng | get up |
| 钥匙 | yàoshi | key(s) |
| 着急 | zháojí | anxious; worried |
| 地铁 | dìtiě | subway; metro |
| 安检 | ānjiǎn | security check |
| 拥挤 | yōngjǐ | crowded |
| 闹钟 | nàozhōng | alarm clock |
Grammar
差点… (chàdiǎn…)
Use 差点 to say “almost” (something bad nearly happened). It’s common for being late, missing something, or making a mistake.
Examples:
我差点迟到
只好… (zhǐhǎo…)
Use 只好 to express “have no choice but to…” when the situation forces you to do it.
Examples:
我只好等下一班
先…再… (xiān…zài…)
Use this to describe a sequence: do A first, then do B.
Examples:
先走到地铁站，再坐地铁
Idiomatic Expressions
刚好
Means “just (in time)” or “happened to,” often used when something occurs at the exact moment you arrive or look.
Example: 刚好看到公交车开走
松了一口气
A very common expression meaning “to feel relieved.”
Example: 上车以后才松了一口气
提前准备
A practical everyday phrase meaning “prepare in advance,” often used for commuting and planning.
Example: 我一定要提前准备
Cultural Insights
Bus and subway habits
In many Chinese cities, people combine buses and subways depending on traffic, distance, and schedule. Missing one bus can easily add 20 minutes, so commuters often switch to the metro when they need a more predictable arrival time.
“Two alarms” strategy
Setting more than one alarm (两个闹钟) is a common modern habit for people with early commutes. Many also keep keys and essentials in a fixed place to avoid the classic “looking for keys in the morning” problem.
Security checks
Passing security (过安检) is a normal part of taking the subway in China. It can affect timing, especially during rush hour, so people often leave home earlier to avoid delays.
10 Questions
- 他今天早上差点做什么？ (答案)
- 他平时坐什么去公司？ (答案)
- 车站离他家远吗？ (答案)
- 他为什么出门晚了？ (答案)
- 他跑到车站时看到什么？ (答案)
- 下一班要等多久？ (答案)
- 别人告诉他什么？ (答案)
- 他最后怎么去公司？ (答案)
- 他上车以后感觉怎么样？ (答案)
- 他下班以后做了什么？ (答案)
Multiple Choice
-
他为什么错过公交车？
(答案)
a) 下雨了
b) 起床晚了，还找钥匙
c) 公交车太慢 -
下一班要等多久？
(答案)
a) 五分钟
b) 十分钟
c) 二十分钟 -
他最后做了什么决定？
(答案)
a) 先走到地铁站，再坐地铁
b) 回家睡觉
c) 一直等公交车 -
他上车以后感觉怎么样？
(答案)
a) 更着急
b) 松了一口气
c) 很生气 -
他下班以后怎么做？
(答案)
a) 买新手机
b) 不用闹钟
c) 设置两个闹钟，把钥匙放好
True or False
- 他今天早上迟到了。 (答案)
- 车站离他家很远。 (答案)
- 他看到公交车开走。 (答案)
- 他决定等二十分钟。 (答案)
- 他最后按时到了公司。 (答案)
Retell the Story
请用你自己的话重写这个故事。
Hints: 公交车, 车站, 迟到, 起床晚, 找钥匙, 着急, 地铁, 松了一口气, 闹钟, 提前准备
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