"Big thanks for the software! I just started learning Chinese here at the UN,
and your program is just what I need. It lets me follow up what I
learn in the classroom and then explore further."
—Nikolai Galkin, United Nations
Stepping Stones Lesson Three
Three in the Morning, Four at Night
The third lesson in the Stepping Stones series uses another short, simple narrative about a Daoist priest who takes care of several monkeys and has to decide how many chestnuts to feed them. It introduces twenty six more commonly used characters.
朝 三 暮 四
有 一 个 道 士
养 了几 只 猴 子，
猴 子 每 天 要 吃 很 多 食 物。
有一天，
道 士 对 猴 子 说：
“以 后 每 天 早 上
每 只 猴 子
给 三 个 栗 子，
晚上给四个栗子。
”猴 子 听 了 很 生 气，
于 是 道 士 说：
“那 就 每 天 早 上
给 四 个 栗 子，
晚 上 给 三 个 栗 子。”
猴 子 一 听
早 上 多 了 一 个 栗 子
就 高 兴 了。
To study this lesson, just follow the seven numbered steps in the Study Guide below. Click on the link for each step to find everything you'll need.
Study Guide:
1. Audio immersion - Familiarize yourself with the sound of the story
2. Audio practice - Learn to recite the story, one line at a time
3. Vocabulary study - Learn the sound and meaning of each character and how it is written
4. Vocabulary review - Test yourself on the characters you've learned
6. Reading practice - Read the story in Chinese (you can do this!)
7. Exercises - Apply what you've learned
Once you have completed all of these steps and you can read the story comfortably, you are ready to go on to Lesson 4.
