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The Dirty Window

↶ HSK 4 reading practice

The Dirty Window

一yī对duì年轻nián qīng夫妇fū fù对面duì miàn搬来bān lái了le新xīn邻居lín jū。

New neighbors moved in across from a young couple.

第二dì èr天tiān早上zǎo shang,他们tā men吃chī早饭zǎo fàn时shí,年轻nián qīng的de妻子qī zi看到kàn dào新xīn邻居lín jū正在zhèng zài外面wài miàn晾liàng洗好xǐ hǎo的de衣服yī fu。

The next morning, while they were having breakfast, the young wife saw the new neighbor hanging out the washed clothes outside.

妻子qī zi对duì丈夫zhàng fu说shuō:“那些nà xiē衣服yī fu洗得xǐ de不bù干净gān jìng,可能kě néng她tā不bù懂得dǒng de怎么zěn me洗xǐ衣服yī fu,也许yě xǔ她tā需要xū yào用yòng更好gèng hǎo的de洗衣粉xǐ yī fěn。”

The wife said to her husband: “Those clothes aren’t washed clean; maybe she doesn’t know how to wash clothes, perhaps she needs better laundry detergent.”

丈夫zhàng fu看kàn了le妻子qī zi一眼yī yǎn,默默mò mò不语bù yǔ。

The husband glanced at his wife and remained silent.

从cóng那nà以后yǐ hòu,每当měi dāng邻居lín jū晾liàng衣服yī fu,妻子qī zi总会zǒng huì作出zuò chū类似lèi sì的de评论píng lùn。

From then on, whenever the neighbor hung out clothes, the wife would always make similar comments.

大约dà yuē一个yī gè月yuè后hòu,年轻nián qīng妻子qī zi惊讶jīng yà地dì发现fā xiàn,邻居lín jū晾出liàng chū的de衣服yī fu居然jū rán很hěn干净gān jìng。

About a month later, the young wife was surprised to find that the clothes the neighbor hung out were actually very clean.

她tā高兴gāo xìng地dì对duì丈夫zhàng fu说shuō:“你nǐ快kuài看kàn!她tā终于zhōng yú学会xué huì洗xǐ衣服yī fu了le。我wǒ真zhēn想xiǎng知道zhī dào是shì谁shuí教jiāo她的tā de!”

She happily said to her husband: “Look! She finally learned how to wash clothes. I really want to know who taught her!”

丈夫zhàng fu回答huí dá说shuō:“我wǒ今天jīn tiān一大早yī dà zǎo起来qǐ lái,把bǎ我们wǒ men的de窗户chuāng hu擦cā干净gān jìng了le。”

The husband replied: “I got up early this morning and cleaned our window.”

在zài我们wǒ men评判píng pàn别人bié rén之前zhī qián,先xiān看看kàn kàn自己zì jǐ的de“窗户chuāng hu”是shì不bù是shì干净gān jìng。

Before we judge others, we should first check if our own “window” is clean.

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

Vocabulary 90 words

ChinesePinyinEnglish
一 yīone
对 duìright; correct
年轻 nián qīngyoung
夫妇 fū fùmarried couple
对面 duì miànacross; opposite
搬来 bān láito move here; to move in
了 le(particle indicating completed action or change of state)
新 xīnnew
邻居 lín jūneighbor
第二 dì èrsecond; number two; next; secondary
天 tiānday; sky
早上 zǎo shangmorning; early morning
他们 tā menthey
吃 chīto eat
早饭 zǎo fànbreakfast
时 shítime; hour; period
的 depossessive particle
妻子 qī ziwife (formal)
看到 kàn dàoto see
正在 zhèng zàiin the middle of (an action)
外面 wài miànoutside; exterior
晾 liàngto dry in the air; (fig.) to cold-shoulder
洗好 xǐ hǎoto finish washing; to wash completely
衣服 yī fuclothes
丈夫 zhàng fuhusband
说 shuōto speak; to say
那些 nà xiēthose
洗得 xǐ deto wash in a certain way (used with complements)
不 bùno; not
干净 gān jìngclean
可能 kě néngpossible; might; perhaps
她 tāshe
懂得 dǒng deto know how to; to understand
怎么 zěn mehow?; what?
洗 xǐto wash
也许 yě xǔperhaps; maybe
需要 xū yàoto need; to require; need; requirement
用 yòngto use
更好 gèng hǎobetter
洗衣粉 xǐ yī fěnlaundry detergent; washing powder
看 kànto look; to watch; to see
一眼 yī yǎna glance; a quick look; a glimpse
默默 mò mòsilently; without speaking
不语 bù yǔ(literary) not to speak
从 cóngfrom
那 nàthat; those
以后 yǐ hòuin the future; later
每当 měi dāngwhenever; every time
总会 zǒng huìalways will; eventually will
作出 zuò chūto make (a decision, response, or comment)
类似 lèi sìsimilar; resembling
评论 píng lùnto comment; commentary
大约 dà yuēapproximately; about
一个 yī gèa; an; one; the whole (afternoon, summer vacation etc)
月 yuèmoon; month
后 hòubehind; after
惊讶 jīng yàto be astonished; to be surprised
地 dìearth; ground; land; soil; place; field
发现 fā xiànto discover; to find out
晾出 liàng chūto hang out to dry
居然 jū ránunexpectedly; to one's surprise
很 hěnvery
高兴 gāo xìnghappy
你 nǐyou
快 kuàifast; quick; soon
终于 zhōng yúfinally; at last
学会 xué huìto learn; to master
我 wǒI; me
真 zhēnreally; truly
想 xiǎngto think; to want
知道 zhī dàoto know; to be aware
是 shìto be; correct
谁 shuíwho
教 jiāoto teach
她的 tā deher; hers
回答 huí dáto reply; to answer
今天 jīn tiāntoday
一大早 yī dà zǎoat dawn; at first light; first thing in the morning
起来 qǐ láito rise; to get up
把 bǎto hold; (structural particle indicating the object before the verb)
我们 wǒ menwe; us
窗户 chuāng huwindow
擦 cāto wipe; to rub; to scratch
在 zàito be (located); at; in
评判 píng pànto judge; to evaluate
别人 bié rénother people; others
之前 zhī qiánbefore; previously
先 xiānfirst; before
看看 kàn kànto take a look at; to examine; to survey; (coll.) pretty soon
自己 zì jǐoneself; one's own