"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 Four
The Foolish Old Man Moves the Mountain
The fourth lesson in the Stepping Stones series uses a narrative about a man who wished to dig away two inconvenient mountains at the doorstep of his house. He realizes he cannot dig the mountains himself, but with the help of his sons and grandsons it could be achieved. It introduces twenty five new characters.
愚公移山
愚公家门口
有两座大山，
方圆六百里,
进出很不方便。
他决定把山挖走。
有一个老人笑愚公，
愚公说:
“我一个人挖不走这两座山，
我的儿子、孙子还会挖，
我的儿孙的儿孙还会挖。
山不会长高，
总会有挖走的一天。”
天上的神听了，
很敬重愚公，
就让大力神
把山移走了。
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 5.
