PART 1 · LESSON 2 OF 30 · 33 MINUTES Free
Auntie Ma
It's half past nine at night in Auntie Ma's courtyard, and Owen still hasn't put the box down. She asks where he's from and if he speaks Chinese, then tells him everything at once, much too fast. And before he can go to bed, her phone rings, and it's for him. Say where you're from, say you speak a little Chinese, wave away a compliment, ask someone to speak more slowly or say it again, and hear how a tone changes a word.
Audio instruction: English
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Mandarin Chinese · 33 minutesYour browser needs a tap before audio can start. Press play to begin.
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THE STORY
It's Thursday, half past nine at night, in Auntie Ma's little guesthouse near West Lake, four rooms round a courtyard with a plum tree. Auntie Ma is polite with her new guest, and full of questions. Then she tells him everything he needs to know, all at once. And before Owen can go to bed, her phone rings, and it's for him. This is the conversation you'll be able to say by the end of the lesson.
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Flashcards
The words and phrases of this lesson, one card each. Best after you’ve listened.
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Words and phrases
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Words and phrases
The lesson is for your ears. Open this afterwards, to see what you learned.