↶ Graded Readers

A New Beginning (Part 1)

↶ HSK 3 reading practice

A New Beginning (Part 1)

早上zǎo shang六点liù diǎn,小xiǎo农nóng来到lái dào自己的zì jǐ de小xiǎo农场nóng chǎng。

At six in the morning, Xiao Nong arrived at his little farm.

他tā看看kàn kan土tǔ,问wèn自己zì jǐ:“土tǔ有yǒu多duō干gān?”

He looked at the soil and asked himself, "How dry is it?"

太阳tài yang慢慢màn màn升起shēng qǐ,空气kōng qì很hěn清新qīng xīn。

The sun slowly rose, and the air was fresh.

他说tā shuō:“天气tiān qì多duō好啊hǎo a!今天jīn tiān可以kě yǐ好好hǎo hǎo工作gōng zuò。”

He said, "What a nice day! I can get some real work done today."

小xiǎo农nóng开始kāi shǐ浇水jiāo shuǐ,让ràng土地tǔ dì变得biàn de湿shī湿shī的de。

Xiao Nong began watering, soaking the soil through.

他tā看着kàn zhe农场nóng chǎng里lǐ的de小树xiǎo shù苗miáo,心里xīn li想xiǎng:“第一次dì yī cì种地zhòng dì,我wǒ多duō紧张jǐn zhāng啊ā!”

He looked at the little saplings and thought, "My first time farming — how nervous I am!"

不久bù jiǔ,小鸟xiǎo niǎo飞来fēi lái停tíng在zài树shù上shàng。

Before long, birds flew over and settled in the tree.

小xiǎo农nóng觉得jué de,这样zhè yàng的de早晨zǎo chén真zhēn美měi。

Xiao Nong felt that a morning like this was truly beautiful.

Hover a word for its pinyin & meaning; click to pin it.

Vocabulary 58 words

ChinesePinyinEnglish
早上 zǎo shangmorning; early morning
六点 liù diǎnsix o'clock
小 xiǎosmall; little
农 nóngagriculture, farming; farmer; also a surname
来到 lái dàoto arrive; to come to
自己的 zì jǐ deone's own
农场 nóng chǎngfarm
他 tāhe; him
看看 kàn kanto take a look at; to examine; to survey; (coll.) pretty soon
土 tǔearth; soil
问 wènto ask
自己 zì jǐoneself; one's own
有 yǒuto have; there is, there are
多 duōmany; much
干 gāndry
太阳 tài yangthe sun
慢慢 màn mànslowly
升起 shēng qǐto raise; to hoist; to rise
空气 kōng qìair; atmosphere
很 hěnvery
清新 qīng xīnfresh and clean; refreshing
他说 tā shuōhe says
天气 tiān qìweather
好啊 hǎo aokay, sure
今天 jīn tiāntoday
可以 kě yǐcan; may; possible; allowed
好好 hǎo hǎoproperly; well; carefully
工作 gōng zuòto work; job
开始 kāi shǐto begin; to start
浇水 jiāo shuǐto water (plants etc)
让 ràngto let; to allow; to cause (someone) to feel something
土地 tǔ dìland; soil; territory
变得 biàn deto become
湿 shīwet; moist
的 depossessive particle
看着 kàn zheLooking at; watching
里 lǐinside; interior; within
小树 xiǎo shùshrub; small tree; sapling; measure word: 棵 (kē)
苗 miáosprout; seedling
心里 xīn liinside (one’s heart)
想 xiǎngto think; to want
第一次 dì yī cìthe first time; first; number one
种地 zhòng dìto farm; to work the land
我 wǒI; me
紧张 jǐn zhāngnervous; tense
啊 āAh!; interjection expressing surprise or agreement
不久 bù jiǔsoon; shortly
小鸟 xiǎo niǎosmall bird; young bird (hatchling, nestling, fledgling, chick); (fig.) penis (kiddie term); (golf) birdie
飞来 fēi láito fly over; to come flying
停 tíngto stop; to halt
在 zàito be (located); at; in
树 shùtree
上 shàngup; on
觉得 jué deto think; to feel
这样 zhè yàngin this way; like this
早晨 zǎo chénearly morning
真 zhēnreally; truly
美 měibeautiful; (abbr. for America)