家乡的变化 How My Hometown Changed

春节Chūnjié回家huíjiā，我wǒ差点儿chàdiǎnr认不出rènbuchū自己zìjǐ的de家乡jiāxiāng。

Going home for Spring Festival, I almost failed to recognize my own hometown.

小时候xiǎoshíhou，我wǒ家jiā门口ménkǒu是shì一yì条tiáo土路tǔlù，下雨xiàyǔ的de时候shíhou到处dàochù都dōu是shì泥ní。

When I was little, in front of our house was a dirt road, and whenever it rained there was mud everywhere.

现在xiànzài那里nàli变成biànchéng了le一yì条tiáo宽宽kuānkuān的de马路mǎlù，晚上wǎnshang路灯lùdēng亮liàng得de像xiàng白天báitiān一样yíyàng。

Now it has become a wide paved road, and at night the streetlights make it as bright as day.

以前yǐqián村cūn里li的de年轻人niánqīngrén都dōu去qù大dà城市chéngshì打工dǎgōng，只zhǐ剩下shèngxià老人lǎorén和hé孩子háizi。

In the past, the young people of the village all went to big cities to work, leaving only the elderly and children behind.

这zhè几jǐ年nián，不少bùshǎo人rén回来huílai了le，有人yǒurén开kāi网店wǎngdiàn卖mài家乡jiāxiāng的de苹果píngguǒ，生意shēngyi好hǎo得de不得了bùdéliǎo。

In recent years quite a few people have come back; some run online shops selling hometown apples, and business is incredibly good.

我wǒ表哥biǎogē就是jiùshì其中qízhōng一yí个gè，他tā说shuō：“与其yǔqí在zài大dà城市chéngshì给gěi别人biéren打工dǎgōng，不如bùrú回家huíjiā做zuò自己zìjǐ的de事业shìyè。”

My cousin is one of them; he says, "Rather than working for someone else in a big city, it's better to come home and build a career of your own."

当然dāngrán，也yě有yǒu让ràng我wǒ难过nánguò的de变化biànhuà：我wǒ读过dúguo的de小学xiǎoxué关门guānmén了le，因为yīnwèi孩子háizi越来越yuèláiyuè少shǎo。

Of course, there are changes that make me sad too: the primary school I attended has closed, because there are fewer and fewer children.

村口cūnkǒu那nà棵kē老lǎo树shù还hái在zài，树shù下xià下棋xiàqí的de老人lǎorén却què换huàn了le一yì批pī。

The old tree at the village entrance is still there, but the old folks playing chess under it are a different group now.

家乡jiāxiāng变biàn得de更gèng方便fāngbiàn、更gèng漂亮piàoliang了le，可是kěshì有些yǒuxiē东西dōngxi一旦yídàn失去shīqù，就jiù再也zàiyě找不回来zhǎobuhuílai了le。

My hometown has become more convenient and more beautiful, but some things, once lost, can never be found again.

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

土路tǔlùdirt road

泥nímud

路灯lùdēngstreetlight

网店wǎngdiànonline shop

事业shìyècareer; undertaking

一旦yídànonce; in case

与其…不如… (rather than A, better B)

Compares two options and prefers the second: 与其在大城市给别人打工，不如回家做自己的事业。

与其在家等着，不如出去找找他。— Rather than waiting at home, it's better to go out and look for him.

一旦…就… (once…, then…)

一旦 marks a condition that, once it happens, brings an irreversible result: 有些东西一旦失去，就再也找不回来了。

一旦决定了，就不要后悔。— Once you have decided, don't regret it.

1. What was the road in front of the writer's house like in their childhood?

2. How does the writer's cousin make a living now?

3. Which change made the writer sad?