Intermediate - Hamsters, Snakes, and Owls (C2029)

A: 给你看照片,我的仓鼠生宝宝了!
gěi nǐ kàn zhàopiàn, wǒ de cāngshǔ shēng bǎobao le!
Look at these photos. My hamster had babies!
B: 哇,这么小!1,2,3,4……8只!
wā, zhème xiǎo! yī, èr, sān, sì…… bā zhī!
Wow, they're so little! One, two, three, four...eight!
A: 嗯,这次生了8只!
ng, zhècì shēng le bā zhī!
Yeah, there were eight this time!
B: 仓鼠好养吗?臭不臭?咬人吗?
cāngshǔ hǎoyǎng ma? chòu bu chòu? yǎo rén ma?
Are hamsters easy to raise? Do they smell? Do they bite?
A: 好养,有点儿臭。不过我被咬过两次。
hǎoyǎng, yǒudiǎnr chòu. bùguò wǒ bèi yǎo guo liǎng cì.
They're easy to raise and a little bit stinky. But I've been bitten twice.
B: 那你不怕啊?
nà nǐ bù pà a?
Then aren't you afraid of them?
A: 不怕。
bù pà.
No.
B: 仓鼠还好,这么小。还有人养蛇,猫头鹰之类的宠物。
cāngshǔ hái hǎo, zhème xiǎo. hái yǒu rén yǎng shé, māotóuyīng zhīlèi de chǒngwù.
Hamsters aren't so bad because they're so little. Some people keep snakes and owls and stuff as pets.
A: 是啊,有个性,刺激!比养猫养狗有趣多了。你想养什么?
shì a, yǒu gèxìng, cìji! bǐ yǎng māo yǎng gǒu yǒuqù duō le. nǐ xiǎng yǎng shénme?
Yeah. That's special and exciting! It's much more interesting than keeping cats or dogs as pets. What kind of pet do you want?
B: 我啊,我只养我自己!
wǒ a, wǒ zhǐ yǎng wǒ zìjǐ!
Me? I just take care of myself!

Key Vocabulary

仓鼠 cāngshǔ hamster
shēng to give birth
zhī [measure word]
yǎng to raise
hǎo good
chòu stinky
yǎo to bite
bèi [passive marker]
shé snake
猫头鹰 māotóuyīng owl
之类 zhīlèi sort of thing
宠物 chǒngwù pet
个性 gèxìng personality
刺激 cìji exciting
more than
有趣 yǒuqù interesting

Supplementary Vocabulary

同事 tóngshì coworker
老鹰 lǎoyīng hawk
容易 róngyì easy
老婆 lǎopó wife
孩子 háizi child
小三 xiǎosān 'the third man or woman'
情人 qíngrén lover
植物 zhíwù plant
兔子 tùzi rabbit
仓库 cāngkù warehouse
老鼠 lǎoshǔ mouse

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