Explains why wild birds cannot be casually captured or traded.

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Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية

小宝: Brother, I saw a little bird and really want to catch it to play. Can I?
小刚: No. The news says many birds are nationally protected, and catching them is illegal.
小宝: Huh? Even such a small bird can’t be caught?
小刚: Yes. Birds like the huamei and lark, and even bird eggs, must not be touched casually.
小宝: Why? I just think they’re cute.
小刚: Because they’re important to nature. Taking one away messes up the bird’s home.
小宝: Then I’ll just look and not touch. That makes the bird happy, right?
小刚: Right! Not catching or harming them is how we protect them.

An in-depth analysis of the motives, strategic considerations, and future market impact behind Starbucks selling controlling stakes of its China business to the local investor Boyu Capital.

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赵强: Old Huang, have you followed Starbucks China's big deal? Handing over controlling stakes to Boyu Capital for 4 billion USD—this move is quite meaningful.
黄刚: I’ve been following it closely. On the surface it’s a financial deal, but fundamentally it’s driven by pressure from local brands. Its market share has been eroded heavily, forcing it to seek change.
赵强: Exactly. Local players like Luckin and Cotti have rewritten the rules with rapid expansion and digital strategies. Starbucks simply couldn’t keep pace.
黄刚: So bringing in Boyu this time has a very clear intention—to introduce a strategic partner who understands the Chinese consumer market and can operate more locally to rebuild competitiveness.
赵强: Some in the industry think the 4-billion-dollar valuation is low, but looking closely at the terms, Starbucks keeps 40% equity and can still collect considerable brand-licensing fees. The structure is cleverly designed.
黄刚: Right, this is a classic shift to a ‘light-asset’ strategy. It transfers part of the operational burden and market risk while locking in a more stable profit source—giving itself room to advance or retreat.
赵强: The coming battleground will only be tougher. Starbucks has set an ambitious goal of 9,000 stores, but its competitors have not slowed down their expansion at all.
黄刚: The key to victory lies in product innovation and flexible pricing. Today’s consumers, especially young people, are extremely price-sensitive. Starbucks must lower its stance and respond more proactively.
赵强: I actually think this partnership is a ‘strategic reboot’ for Starbucks in China. Whether it can find a second growth curve through local capital—we’ll see.
黄刚: Agreed. But for us consumers, fiercer brand competition means more choices and better prices, which isn’t a bad thing at all.

Xiaomei goes shopping, and Li Fang teaches her how to ask for prices in Chinese and correctly express currency units.

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小美: Teacher Li, how much is this apple?
李芳: This apple costs three yuan each.
小美: So two of them are six yuan, right?
李芳: Yes, you calculated that quickly.
小美: How much is this bottle of milk?
李芳: Five yuan fifty. You can also say 'five yuan and five jiao'.
小美: What if it’s one yuan eighty?
李芳: Then you say 'one yuan and eight jiao'.
小美: So when shopping, I need to know how to ask prices and understand numbers.
李芳: Yes, that way you can shop by yourself in stores!

A woman brought her pet frog into a restaurant, and it was mistaken for an ingredient, leading to a funny incident.

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优子: Teacher Liu, I saw a really funny piece of news. A girl brought her pet frog to a restaurant, and the staff thought she wanted the chef to cook it!
刘娜: Really? Was it one of those tiny frogs?
优子: Yes, it’s a small pet called a 'horned frog'. When the staff saw it, they immediately asked, 'Is this for cooking?' They almost even called the police.
刘娜: Haha, that’s such a huge misunderstanding. Actually, many people now keep frogs as pets, just like cats and dogs.
优子: Yes. The news also said that not long ago a restaurant was fined because it had 'toad soup' on the menu, since toads are protected animals.
刘娜: So the wording of names is also very important. People who keep pets should learn more about these things, and it’s best to explain clearly when taking pets out.
优子: I think Chinese pet culture is very interesting. Next time if I take a pet out, I’ll also tell everyone in advance.
刘娜: Right, that way no one will misunderstand and life will be more harmonious.

International student 郝某 was recruited by foreign intelligence and infiltrated a core department. He was ultimately sentenced to life imprisonment, reminding the public to raise national security awareness.

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赵强: Huang Gang, did you see the news about that international student who became a spy? It's terrifying. After returning to China, he even slipped into a core department to steal intelligence, and in the end he got life imprisonment.
黄刚: I saw it. 郝某 was targeted by foreign intelligence personnel. At first they pretended to care about him under the identity of a visa officer, then step by step dragged him in. In the end, it shows that many people’s awareness of security is still too weak.
赵强: The scariest part is that after returning to China he was still able to get into a critical position and work as a spy for years. National security is really no small matter.
黄刚: Exactly. The tricks of foreign spies run very deep. They don’t just target international students—they’re also very good at ‘emotional tactics’ and setting ‘honey traps’. Sometimes just one meal or one favor can pull someone into the trap.
赵强: Looks like everyone needs to stay sharp, especially those who may come into contact with important information. National security isn’t just a slogan—you really have to stay alert at all times.
黄刚: Yeah, there was even a recent case where someone was approached by a stranger and then recruited as a spy—fortunately they reported it in time and avoided greater losses. Actually, as long as someone turns back in time and voluntarily confesses, there’s still a chance for leniency.
赵强: Whether abroad or at home, we must watch what we say and choose friends carefully. The National Security Law and Counter-Espionage Law are definitely not for show.
黄刚: Right. Everyone has to raise their security awareness—only then can we build a stronger ‘Great Wall of Steel’.

A café converted from an old public toilet sparked controversy and was sealed by urban management.

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小宝: Brother, have you heard? A café used to be a public toilet. So amazing!
小刚: Yes, that place used to be an old public toilet, and later someone renovated it into a café.
小宝: Wouldn't it smell inside? Do people dare drink coffee there?
小刚: I heard the renovation was very good, but some people still felt strange about it.
小宝: Then why is the café closed now?
小刚: Because they turned it into a café without government approval, so urban management sealed it.
小宝: So you need to apply for permits to open a shop.
小刚: Yes, you can’t just change the use of public places like public toilets.

Li Fang and Xiaomei count objects in the classroom using numbers and measure words to help Xiaomei become familiar with quantity expressions.

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李芳: Xiaomei, shall we count the things in the classroom?
小美: Sure! I’ll start with the chairs. One, two, three… ten chairs.
李芳: Very good. Remember to say ‘ten chairs’. How about the tables?
小美: There are five tables.
李芳: Correct. How many blackboards are there?
小美: There is only one blackboard.
李芳: And what about the windows?
小美: There are four windows.
李芳: Excellent, you used measure words like ‘ba’, ‘zhang’, ‘kuai’, and ‘shan’.
小美: I see! Different things need different measure words!

Exploring the humor and social psychology behind using the word ‘dog’ in Chinese internet self-deprecating expressions.

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优子: Teacher Liu, I often see young people online calling themselves ‘single dogs’ and ‘overtime dogs’. Are they insulting themselves? I don’t really understand.
刘娜: It’s not an insult, but a humorous way of laughing at oneself! ‘Single dog’ is used by single people to playfully describe not having a partner. It sounds pitiful yet cute and makes people smile.
优子: So that’s how it is! Then what about ‘overtime dog’? My husband often works very late, and he says that too.
刘娜: ‘Overtime dog’ describes office workers who work very hard and often do overtime. Using ‘dog’ shows how tiring the work is but also adds humor, making it lighter and more fun than directly complaining.
优子: This way of expressing things is really interesting! Why do Chinese people like this kind of self-deprecating way of speaking?
刘娜: Self-deprecation is a smart way to express yourself. When facing pressure and setbacks in life, using humor to dissolve them can improve your mood and also easily win others’ empathy and understanding.
优子: I understand! It’s like wrapping bitter medicine in a sugar coating so people can accept it more easily.
刘娜: Your metaphor is very accurate! This self-deprecating culture shows young Chinese people’s optimistic attitude in the face of difficulties. If you learn these expressions, you’ll be able to fit into modern Chinese internet culture better.