矛 máo：spear; lance; pike，A type of ancient Chinese weapon
盾 dùn：A shield for protecting the body
自相矛盾[zì xiāng máo dùn]：oneself/each other/spear/shield，to contradict oneself 
夸赞kuā zàn：praise;commend 
质问 zhì wèn：query;inter pellate;question;call to account
哑口无言 yǎ kǒu w yán：Have nothing to say for oneself; be dumbfounded

乐读中文 (Lè Dú Zhōngwén) - "Joyful Chinese Stories"

自相矛盾[zì xiāng máo dùn]

        这个星期六，白雪和我一起去看看她喜欢的那套公寓，那套公寓价格一个月1800，包括水电费。对她来说挺便宜。

        我们是坐地铁去的，一路上，白雪想她以后的生活：她可以在公寓的大阳台上种一些花花草草，而且这个公寓离公司很近，工作日的早上，她可以多睡一个小时的懒觉！
        
        下了地铁站，我们按照地图来到公寓附近，但这个地方并不是很容易找到。
        
        不一会儿，介绍人就来了，他带我们上去。白雪并不知道，这个公寓竟然在九楼，而且还没有电梯！
        到了九楼，我们都累坏了。介绍人开了门，我们发现客厅比照片上小很多，沙发也不是新的，卧室和阳台不很大。从阳台上看，小公园里非常多人，一些人在放音乐非常吵。

        这个公寓在照片上看起来很漂亮，但是实际上，一点儿也不！这不是照片，这是照骗，骗人的骗！白雪太失望了。

包括Bāo kuò  to include
睡懒觉 shuì lǎn jiào to sleep in(late)
按照 àn zhào according to ; in accordance with
不一会儿 bù yí huìr  in a moment ; in a little while
竟然jìng rán unexpectedly; to one's surprise
发现 fā xiàn  find out ; discover
实际上shí jì shang  actually ; in fact ; in reality 
一点儿也不 yīdiǎn er yě bù 
骗 piàn to deceive; to fool; to cheat
失望shīwàng  disappointment



This Saturday, Baixue and I went to see the apartment she liked. The price of the apartment was 1800 yuan a month, including water and electricity fees. It's cheap for her.

We went there by subway. On the way, Bai Xue thought about her future life: she could plant some flowers on the balcony of the apartment. Moreover, the apartment is very close to the company. On weekdays, she could sleep in for an extra hour!

After getting off the subway station, we followed the map to the apartment, but this place is not easy to find.

Soon, the introducer came and took us up. Baixue doesn't know that this apartment is on the ninth floor, and without an elevator!

Arrived at the ninth floor, we were all exhausted. When the introducer opened the door, we found that the living room is much smaller than the photo shows, the sofa is not new, and the bedroom and balcony is not large. From the balcony, we saw there are many people in the small park. Some people are playing music and making a lot of noise.

The apartment looks beautiful in the photos, but in fact it's not at all! This is not a photo, this is a photo cheat! (骗人 and 照片 are having same piàn骗, 片) Bai Xue was so disappointed.

HSK4 Vocab Based - Short Story Podcast

03. 白雪被骗啦！Báixuě bèi piàn la! Baixue got cheated!

        上星期，白雪在网上看到了一套漂亮的公寓，有一房一厅，还有一个厨房、洗手间和一个大阳台。价格也不贵，她能接受。

        从照片上看，卧室和客厅看起来又大又干净，客厅有沙发、电视，卧室的床也看起来很舒服。

        阳台的外面可以看到一个小公园，如果住在这里，还可以每天去公园散散步。

       最重要的是，这个公寓离地铁很近，走路5分钟就到了，她只要坐一个地铁站就可以到公司，或者，她可以走路半个小时到公司。

        她高兴极了，约我周末的时候一起去看看这套公寓。


一套公寓 yī tào gōng yù  an apartment
厨房 chú fáng  kitchen
阳台 yáng tái  balcony
价格 jià gé  price
接受 jiē shòu to accept
卧室wò shì bedroom
重要 zhòng yào important


Last week, Báixuě saw a beautiful apartment online, with one room and one living room, a kitchen, a bathroom and a large balcony. The price is not expensive, she can accept it. The bedroom and living room look big and clean in images. The living room has a sofa and TV. The bed in the bedroom also looks very comfy. You can see a small park not far outside the balcony. You can go to the park for a walk every day if living here.
The most important thing is that this apartment is very close to the subway, and it is only 5 minutes' walk away. Only one subway station to the company, or, she can walk half an hour to the company. She was so happy that she asked for my company to visit this apartment in person at the weekend.

02. 一套漂亮的公寓！Yī tào piàoliang de gōngyù! A pretty apartment!

大家好，您正在收听中文播客《丹霞说》，我是丹霞。最近白雪想搬家，我们来听听为什么吧。

最近，白雪想换一个公寓，因为她现在住着的公寓离公司太远了，每天坐地铁 来回 花在路上的时间需要两个小时，特别不方便。

早上七点出门儿，她需要六点半起床，晚上六点半下班，她回到家都差不多八点了。
天天这样，她觉得很累，尤其是白天工作的时候，她也总是想睡觉。

她想租一个离公司近点儿的地方，那么她可以有更多自己的时间。于是，白雪这几天一直在网上找找看 公司附近有没有合适的公寓，如果找到了，她就马上搬家！


这些词语您明白吗？
最近 zuì jìn  adj.adv. recent, recently
公寓 gōng yù  n. apartment
离   lí       v. to leave
地铁 dì tiě    n. subway
花   huā     v. spend; n. flower
方便 fāngbiàn  adj. convenient
差不多chàbùduō  adv. almost     
尤其yóuqí    adv. especially
总是zǒng shì  adv. always
于是yúshì    conj. so then, thereupon, as a result...
一直yīzhí   adv. continuously; always; all along
附近fùjìn   n. nearby
合适héshì  adj. suitable; appropriate
搬家bānjiā v.o. move house



Recently, Bai Xue wants to move her house. Let's see why.

Recently, Bai Xue wants to change an apartment, because the apartment she now lives in is too far away from the company. It takes two hours to travel back and forth by subway every day, which is particularly inconvenient.

Going out at seven in the morning, she needs to get up at six thirty and get off work at six thirty in the evening. It's almost eight o'clock when she gets home.

Every day like this, she feels very tired, especially when working during the day, she always wants to sleep.

She wants to rent a place close to the company, so she can have more time of her own. So, Bai Xue has been looking online these days to see if there is a suitable apartment near the company. If she finds it, she will move immediately!