On a sunny day in the park, a child named Emily rode her bike for the very first time. She had been looking forward to this moment for weeks and was filled with excitement as she climbed onto the seat and began to pedal.
At first, Emily wobbled and swerved, her little legs struggling to keep up with the spinning wheels. But as she gained dòng lì (momentum) and confidence, her movements became smoother, and a feeling of freedom and kuài lè (joy) filled her heart.
Soon her dòng lì slowed and the bike came to a rest. But the kuài lè in her heart didn’t fade.
As Emily rode around the park, the wind in her hair and the sun on her face, she couldn’t help but feel proud of herself. She had overcome her fears and learned a new skill, and she knew that this was just the beginning of many more mào xiǎn (adventure) to come. But for ages this would be her favorite mào xiǎn of all.
So the words we learned were:
mào xiǎn – adventure
kuài lè – joy
dòng lì – momentum
Are these words going to be the most useful? Maybe not! But they are a start to something great. Let’s keep on reading, shall we?
Chinese Story II
Learning Chinese through Reading Stories
Here is a story in English and the story includes the words “adventure”, “joy”, and “momentum” at least twice each word:
Title: The Adventures of Lily and Max
Remember: The words are “adventure”, “joy”, and “momentum”. Think about what the Chinese words you encounter could mean.
Lily and Max were best friends who loved to go on mào xiǎn together. They would explore the woods behind their house, climb trees, and make mud pies in the creek. Lily loved the feeling of gaining dòng lì as she ran down the hill into the forest, the leaves crunching under her feet. Max loved the kuài lè of discovering something new, whether it was a hidden treasure or a secret spot to build a fort.
One day, they decided to take their adventures to the next level and go on a camping trip. Lily begged her parents to let her borrow their old RV, and Max packed a backpack full of snacks and supplies. They hit the road, excited for this next mào xiǎn that awaited them.
As they drove through the countryside, the scenery around them changed. They felt the dòng lì of the wheels going down hills as they travelled through the valleys. At last, they arrived at their campsite and set up their tent. Lily built a fire while Max explored the area, searching for signs of wildlife.
That night, as they sat around the fire roasting marshmallows, they felt the kuài lè of being away from home and all their usual routines. They took turns telling ghost stories and laughing until their sides hurt. The stars twinkled above them, and they felt a sense of wonder and joy that they had never felt before.
The next day was filled with the spirit of mào xiǎn. They went hiking, saw a waterfall, and even spotted a family of deer. As they climbed to the top of a hill, they felt their dòng lì pushing them forward, and they knew that they could conquer anything.
As the sun set on their last night of camping, they lay in their tent, listening to the sounds of the forest outside. They knew that their adventure was coming to an end, but they also knew that there would be many more to come. They had discovered the kuài lè of exploring, the dòng lì of pushing forward, and the kuài lè of experiencing the world together. And as they drifted off to sleep, they knew that they would always be ready for the next great mào xiǎn.