Ever catch yourself daydreaming about where you’d live if you could choose anywhere? City lights, countryside quiet, or somewhere in between? This text walks you through the classic dilemma of picking your perfect home – and spoiler alert, there’s no perfect answer.
Think Columbus was the ultimate explorer? Well, a Chinese admiral beat him to the high seas by nearly a century – and he did it with a fleet so massive it would make any European navy look like a bathtub toy collection. Get ready to meet Zheng He and his legendary treasure ships that sailed from Southeast Asia all the way to Africa.
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Essay: 我想我的吵邻居 – I miss my noisy neighbor
Ever wished your annoying neighbor would just disappear? Be careful what you wish for! This short story follows someone who gets exactly what they wanted – and discovers that silence isn’t always golden.
Join Li Hong and Wang Ming as they hash out the age-old debate: is a boring job with good perks worth sticking around for?
Ever told someone their cooking was ‘delicious’ when it really wasn’t? Congratulations, you’re a liar – but maybe that’s not such a bad thing! This intermediate text explores the tricky moral territory of lying.
Ever wondered how birds manage to fly thousands of kilometers without ever stopping to ask for directions? No Google Maps, no compass, no ‘turn left at the next cloud’ – and yet they never get lost. Let’s explore the mind-blowing ways these feathered travelers find their way across the planet.
In this non-fiction essay, we learn why dinosaurs disappeared from the earth.
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Dialogue: 小蚂蚁的大力量 – The Strong Little Ant
Two friends in a park become captivated by a tiny ant carrying something way bigger than itself.
Isn’t it weird that most cultures have an ancient flood myth? China actually has a couple of them, but this one is the most well-known.
In this short story, Li Ming finally scores a seat on public transport after a long day at work.
This is the story of Xu Wei, the tragic genius who has been likened to China’s Van Gogh.
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Essay: 素食者的朋友 – The vegetarian friend
In this story, Wang Ming (王明) keeps forgetting that his friend Li Hong (李红) is a vegetarian.
Sometimes the best connections happen when we’re just trying to get from point A to point B. In this quick dialogue, we join Li Ming (李明) on a train ride that turns into something more than just a commute.
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Geography: 霍尔木兹海峡 – The Strait of Hormuz
In today’s reading, we’ll tackle an encyclopedia-style passage about the geography and history of the Strait of Hormuz.
This is the fable that sits at the heart of the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival – sort of like how the story of Santa sits at the heart of Christmas.
This childhood story – which needs no introduction, and which you no doubt heard growing up – is famous all over the world, including in China.
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Dialogue: 我想要一只宠物 – I want a pet!
Xiao Ming is about to learn that persistence (and maybe some puppy-dog eyes) might just be the secret weapon to getting what you want.
This is one of several famous fables about military strategist Zhuge Liang, a real historical figure who has become legend due to his loyalty and tricky tactics.
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Dialogue: 电视争夺战 – Battle for the TV
Ever had to share a TV with someone who has completely opposite taste? In this contentious back-and-forth, Li Ming wants to watch one thing, while Wang Hua wants to watch another.
In this advanced read for sports lovers, we learn that Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup yet again.