1StoryWork1 min

Teacher Zhang’s Day

A school day from seven in the morning to ten at night — and one empty chair.

A day at work, told hour by hour. Time words such as 早上(zǎoshang) and 晚上(wǎnshang) stand at the front of the sentence or right after the subject — never at the end.

张(Zhāng)老师(lǎoshī)是(shì)英语(Yīngyǔ)老师(lǎoshī)。她(tā)每天(měitiān)早上(zǎoshang)七(qī)点(diǎn)去(qù)学校(xuéxiào)。她(tā)上午(shàngwǔ)上课(shàngkè)，下午(xiàwǔ)也(yě)上课(shàngkè)。学生(xuésheng)很(hěn)喜欢(xǐhuan)她(tā)。

今天(jīntiān)一(yí)个(ge)学生(xuésheng)没(méi)来(lái)。张(Zhāng)老师(lǎoshī)给(gěi)他(tā)妈妈(māma)打电话(dǎdiànhuà)。他(tā)妈妈(māma)说(shuō)：“他(tā)在(zài)医院(yīyuàn)。不(bú)是(shì)大(dà)问题(wèntí)，明天(míngtiān)他(tā)来(lái)学校(xuéxiào)。”

下午(xiàwǔ)五(wǔ)点(diǎn)，张(Zhāng)老师(lǎoshī)回家(huíjiā)。晚上(wǎnshang)她(tā)很(hěn)累(lèi)，可是(kěshì)她(tā)还(hái)看(kàn)学生(xuésheng)的(de)本子(běnzi)。十(shí)点(diǎn)她(tā)睡觉(shuìjiào)。

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

Words: 66
Sentences: 11
Words per sentence: 6.0
in the vocabulary: 100 %
measured level: 1
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.

每天(měitiān)早上(zǎoshang)七(qī)点(diǎn)去(qù)学校(xuéxiào) · 十(shí)点(diǎn)她(tā)睡觉(shuìjiào)
Time comes before the verb: 每天(měitiān)早上(zǎoshang)七(qī)点(diǎn)去(qù)学校(xuéxiào), “goes to school at seven every morning”. Time words before the verb →
没(méi)来(lái) · 不(bú)是(shì)大(dà)问题(wèntí)
没(méi) says something did not happen: 没(méi)来(lái), “did not come”. 不(bù) denies a fact or a habit: 不(bú)是(shì)大(dà)问题(wèntí). Negation with bù and méi →

The words from 1 up in this text

Not the hard words in general, but those at your level: all 28 of the 44 words in this text are at 1 or above. You will know everything else by the time you get here.

上午
morning (until noon)
1
上课
to have class; class begins
1
下午
afternoon
1
今天
today
1
医院
hospital
1
去
to go
1
可是
but
2
喜欢
to like
1
回家
to go home, come home
1
大
big; old (in age)
1
妈妈
mum; mother
1
学校
school
1
学生
student; pupil
1
打电话
to make a phone call
1
早上
(early) morning
1
明天
tomorrow
1
晚上
evening; night
1
本子
notebook; exercise book
1
来
to come
1
每天
every day
1
点
o'clock
1
看
to look; to watch; to read
1
睡觉
to sleep; to go to bed
1
累
tired
1
老师
teacher
1
英语
English (the language)
1
说
to speak; to say
1
问题
question; problem
1

The word lists for this text

The words in this text appear in 10 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.

Clock and calendar 7 School and study 6 Basic verbs 5 Basic adjectives 2 Daily routine 2 Places in town 2 Adverbs and connecting words 1 Feelings 1 People and family 1 The phone and the internet 1

Comprehension questions

3 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 does Teacher Zhang teach?

2. Why is one student not at school today?

3. What does Teacher Zhang do in the evening?