2StoryTravel1 min

Lost in Shanghai

A student goes looking for a famous park, and his phone gives up on the way.

A travel story in the past. 了(le) after a verb says that something happened and is finished: 下(xià)了(le)地铁(dìtiě), 走(zǒu)了(le)很(hěn)长(cháng)时间(shíjiān). Watch also for 没(méi)找到(zhǎodào): the second verb says whether the first one worked.

马克(Mǎkè)是(shì)美国(Měiguó)留学生(liúxuéshēng)。上(shàng)个(ge)星期六(xīngqīliù)，他(tā)第一次(dìyīcì)一个人(yígerén)去(qù)上海(Shànghǎi)玩儿(wánr)。

下午(xiàwǔ)，他(tā)想(xiǎng)去(qù)一(yí)个(ge)有名(yǒumíng)的(de)公园(gōngyuán)。他(tā)下(xià)了(le)地铁(dìtiě)，走(zǒu)了(le)很(hěn)长(cháng)时间(shíjiān)，可是(kěshì)没(méi)找到(zhǎodào)那(nà)个(ge)公园(gōngyuán)。他(tā)迷路(mílù)了(le)。他(tā)的(de)手机(shǒujī)也(yě)没电(méidiàn)了(le)。

马克(Mǎkè)进(jìn)了(le)一(yí)个(ge)小(xiǎo)商店(shāngdiàn)。他(tā)问(wèn)商店(shāngdiàn)里(lǐ)的(de)阿姨(āyí)：“请问(qǐngwèn)，公园(gōngyuán)怎么(zěnme)走(zǒu)？”阿姨(āyí)笑(xiào)了(le)：“你(nǐ)走(zǒu)错(cuò)了(le)！公园(gōngyuán)在(zài)后面(hòumiàn)，你(nǐ)往(wǎng)回(huí)走(zǒu)一会儿(yíhuìr)就(jiù)到(dào)了(le)。”

阿姨(āyí)也(yě)给(gěi)了(le)他(tā)一(yì)张(zhāng)地图(dìtú)。马克(Mǎkè)很(hěn)高兴(gāoxìng)，在(zài)那儿(nàr)买(mǎi)了(le)一(yì)瓶(píng)水(shuǐ)。五(wǔ)点(diǎn)，他(tā)到(dào)了(le)公园(gōngyuán)。公园(gōngyuán)里(lǐ)有(yǒu)很(hěn)多(duō)花(huā)，非常(fēicháng)漂亮(piàoliang)。

More sentences on this in “Language in use”: Chinese for travelling

Words: 110
Sentences: 14
Words per sentence: 7.9
in the vocabulary: 100 %
measured level: 2
Reading time: 1 min

Grammar in this text

These forms appear in the text in real use. Switch on “Show grammar” above the text to highlight them.

下(xià)了(le)地铁(dìtiě) · 走(zǒu)了(le)很(hěn)长(cháng)时间(shíjiān) · 买(mǎi)了(le)一(yì)瓶(píng)水(shuǐ)
了(le) right after the verb: the action happened and is complete — 下(xià)了(le)地铁(dìtiě), 买(mǎi)了(le)一(yì)瓶(píng)水(shuǐ). Verb + le: completed action →
没(méi)找到(zhǎodào) · 走(zǒu)错(cuò)了(le)
A second verb gives the result: 找到(zhǎodào) is “look for and find”, 走(zǒu)错(cuò) is “walk the wrong way”. Result complements →
他(tā)迷路(mílù)了(le) · 没电(méidiàn)了(le)
了(le) at the end of a sentence marks a new situation: 他(tā)迷路(mílù)了(le), “now he was lost”. Sentence-final le: a change →

The words from 2 up in this text

Not the hard words in general, but those at your level: all 13 of the 66 words in this text are at 2 or above. You will know everything else by the time you get here.

一会儿
a little while; in a moment
2
可是
but
2
地图
map
2
地铁
underground; metro
2
往
towards; in the direction of
2
有名
famous, well known
2
没电
(of a battery) to be flat
2
玩儿
to play; to have fun; to go out
2
瓶
bottle (of)
2
第一次
the first time
2
花
flower
2
迷路
to get lost
2
非常
extremely, very
2

The word lists for this text

The words in this text appear in 21 lists on this site; the number after each says how many come from that list. Having read the text, you have just needed these very words — and can practise exactly them.

Comprehension questions

4 questions on the text. With each answer the sentence it comes from appears — a question whose answer you cannot find in the text tests nothing.

1. What happened to Mark’s phone?

2. Where was the park, according to the woman in the shop?

3. Whom did Mark ask the way?

4. When did Mark get to the park?