老了还能学好中文吗？

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Note: The text is pasted here in case you want to copy/paste one of the words into a dictionary app, but the above video and zip file download are best inputting the content as they have audio and text-tracking.

A: 听说你最近开始学汉语了？

B: 是的，上个月开始学的。

A: 可是你都快七十岁了，你还想学一门新的语言吗？

B: 中国有一句老话：“活到老，学到老。”意思是不管你多老了，只要你还想学，你就应该开始。

A: 但是我的朋友说汉语太难了！

B: 对我们说英文的人来说，学汉语比学别的语言难一点，但是只要用对方法，也能学好。

A: 有什么好的方法呢？

B: 汉语的语法不难，但是记住汉字很难。如果想提高口语的话，就应该多和中国人说话，也不要怕说错。因为错了才能进步。

A: 那去学校学习好还是自学好呢？

B: 让老师教你或者自学都可以。不过开始的时候最好能找到好的汉语老师来教你，等你学会好的方法后再自学。

A: 那我去哪儿可以找到好的老师？

B: Mandarin Blueprint, 中文叫做汉语蓝图，里面的老师都很不错。我一直在听他们的课，我觉得非常有用，我的进步很大。

A: 我听说过汉语蓝图！我别的朋友们也都说很好！里面的两位老师也都是外国人，对吧？

B: 对！一个是美国人，另一个是英国人，他们自己的汉语就学得很好，说汉语说得和中国人一样！因为他们是外国人，也自己学过汉语，所以他们比中国老师更知道我们该学什么，该怎么学。对了，还有中国老师，那位女老师长得很好看。

A: 我一定要去试试汉语蓝图的课！

Top-Down Words

新 xīn - new
意思 yìsi - meaning
不管 bùguǎn - no matter…
就 jiù- then
英文 yīngwén - English
难 nán - difficult
方法 fāngfǎ - method
呢 ne - (particle emphasizing inquisitiveness)
提高 tígāo - to improve
老师 lǎoshī - teacher
时候 shíhòu - moment
汉语蓝图 hànyǔlántú - Mandarin Blueprint
里面 lǐmiàn - inside
非常 fēicháng - very
位 wèi - (MW) people (respectful)
吧 ba - (part. suggestion)
英国 yīngguó - England
就  jiù- exactly, just
所以 suóyǐ - so
更 gèng -  even more
知道 zhīdào - to know
怎么 zěnme - how

How to Use This Lesson

Step One

Watch the video here on the course platform. Feel free to take as much time as you'd like to understand the content, but don't feel obligated to understand the text right now fully. You'll download the video and return to it later. 

Step Two

Download the zip file from the sidebar (desktop/laptop) or below this description (Mobile APP). That zip file contains the following:

• Text tracking video(s) MP4 file(s)
• Audio MP3 file(s)
• Image file of the text & top-down words for your reference

Dialogues contain one text-tracking video file at 80% speed followed by native speed. 

Opinions & Short Stories contain two text tracking video files, one female voice, and one male voice. Both start at 80% speed, followed by native speed.

Step Three

At a time of your choosing, use the video files to practice shadowing. If you need a reminder, this lesson explains how to shadow. These video files are ideal for shadowing, especially if you download them to your phone because you can walk around while doing it.

Click Here to Navigate to All Phase 4 Dialogues, Opinions & Stories

Member Comments from 2019-mid-2020

Do you also want to leave a comment? You can do so below！

Dom Thomson

Love this one - very meta!
It's great to be at a stage where we can read genuinely enjoyable content, and not just 'the cat sat on the chair' etc.

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Ija

还有中国老师，那位女老师长得很好看。
You can hear the smile in Anny 老师's voice when she said "我一定要去试试汉语蓝图的课！“ :)

Petteri Nakamura

Yeah. You really can. :D