Read-Out-Loud Stories: A Penguin and a Parrot [故事朗读:一只小企鹅和一只鹦鹉]

Submitted by KiasuEditor

Greetings to all parents and kids! This is 小安妈妈 from ‘Storykiddy’, a Mandarin-centric story-telling platform dedicated to the promotion of Chinese picture books. We firmly believe in the magic of stories as an interface to help kids understand the world around them. Reading stories in Mandarin also can draw kids close to the language at an early age.

In this KiasuParents series, we will be featuring original stories that aim to promote the learning and appreciation of Mandarin. Listen to our audio recordings of the story , then read the story out loud with your kids.
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 Photo by Savannah Koomen on Unsplash
 
Photo by Dan Hadfield on Unsplash 
 

() (zhī) (xiǎo) () (é) () () (zhī) (yīng) ()
A Penguin and a Parrot

(yǒu) () (tiān)() (zhī) (yīng) () () (zhī) (zěn) (de) (jiù) () (dào) (le) () (zhī) (xiǎo) () (é)() (zhī) (xiǎo) (xiǎo) (de)(féi) (féi) (de) () (é)

(hēi) , () (shì) (shuí)?” 鹦鹉好奇地问道(yīngwǔhàoqídewèndào)

()() (shì) (xiǎo) (lán) () (é)*, () (shì) () (zhǒng) (niǎo)。” () (é) (mǎn) () (zài) () (de) () (dào)

() () (shì) (niǎo)() () () (huì) (fēi)?” (yīng) () (xīng) (fèn) () (lái)
(fēi)() () (huì) (fēi) , () (guò) () (huì) (yóu) (yǒng)() (yào) (bu) (yào) (kàn) (kan) () (yóu) (yǒng)?” () (é) (shuō) (dào)
(hái) (méi) (děng) (yīng) () (huí) ()(xiǎo) () (é) () (jīng) () () (měng) (zi) () (jìn) (le) (shuǐ) ()

(děng) (xiǎo) (lán) () (é) (zài) (huí) (dào) (àn) (shàng) (de) (shí) (hou)(zuǐ) () (hái) (diāo) (le) () (tiáo) (xiǎo) ()。“ () (kàn)() (hái) (huì) (zhuā) ()(sòng) (gěi) ()。” () (é) (hán) (hu) () (qīng) (de) (shuō) (zhe) 。

 

 * 小蓝(xiǎolán) 企鹅(qǐé) (shì) 世界(shìjiè) (shàng) 最小(zuìxiǎo) (de) 企鹅(qǐé) 种类(zhǒnglèi)他们(tāmen) 身高(shēngāo) 大约(dàyuē)33 里面(lǐmiàn) (zhòng) (yuē)1 公斤(gōngjīn)雄性(xióngxìng) () 雌性(cíxìng) (lüè) (zhòng) 一些(yìxiē)小蓝(xiǎolán) 企鹅(qǐé) 主要(zhǔyào) 栖息(qīxī) (zài) 大洋洲(dàyángzhōu) (de) 南部(nánbù) 海岸线(hǎiànxiàn)其中(qízhōng) 维多利亚州(wéiduōlìyàzhōu) (de) 菲利普(fēilìpǔ) (dǎo) (shàng) 大约(dàyuē) (jiù) 生活(shēnghuó) (zhe)32,000 (zhī) 成年(chéngnián) 小蓝(xiǎolán) 企鹅(qǐé)

 

One day, a parrot happened to bump into a chubby little penguin.

“Hello, but who are you?” Parrot asked curiously.
“I am a fairy penguin*, a type of bird,” Penguin replied nonchalantly.

Excited to meet a creature that was seemingly of its own kind, Parrot exclaimed: “You are also a bird? Are you able to fly too?”
But Penguin said: “No, I do not know how to fly, but I can swim. Do you want to watch me swim?”

Then without waiting for Parrot’s reply, Penguin had already splashed into the water and took a real deep dive.

When she rose up to the shore, there was a big fish in her mouth and she mumbled: “Hey look! I can also catch fish. Here, this is for you.”

 *Fairy penguins are the smallest of all penguin species. They stand approximately 33cm tall and weigh around one kilogram, with males weighing slightly more than females. Little penguins breed in colonies along the southern coastlines of Australia and New Zealand, with Phillip Island in Victoria home to an estimated 32,000 breeding adults.

 

()() (hái) (cóng) (lái) (méi) (yǒu) (chī) (guò)。” (yīng) () (yóu) () () (yòng) (jiān) (jiān) (de) (zuǐ) () (zhuó) (le) (zhuó) (),“ (èn)(wèi) (dào) (hái) () (cuò)(píng) (shí) () (dōu) (chī) (jiān) (guǒ)() (chī) (guò) (jiān) (guǒ) (ma)?” (yīng) () (fǎn) (guò) (lái) (wèn) () (é)

“ (méi) (yǒu) (chī) (guò)() (guò) () (yuàn) () (cháng) (shì) ()  (xià)。” (xiǎo) (lán) () (é) () (shan) (zhe) () (yǎn) (jīng)

“I have never eaten fish before,” Parrot said, poking his beak hesitantly at the fish. “Hmm, the taste is not bad… Usually I only eat nuts. Have you tried nuts?”

Penguin replied with eyes blinking: “Never, but am willing to have a try.”

 

(zhè) (xià) 鹦鹉(yīngwǔ) 带劲(dàijìn) (le)() 扑腾(pūteng) (zhe) 翅膀(chìbǎng) 一下子(yíxiàzi) (jiù) 飞走(fēizǒu) (le)(kàn) (zhe) (fēi) (dào) 空中(kōngzhōng) (de) 鹦鹉(yīngwǔ)(xiǎo) 企鹅(qǐé) 好生(hǎoshēng) 羡慕(xiànmù),“ (yuán) (lái) (fēi) (shì) (zhè) (yàng) (zi) (de) (ya)(zhè) (me) (kuài)(ér) (qiě) () () () (zhè) (me) (gāo) (de) () (fāng)!”

Upon hearing her reply, Parrot flapped his wings and soon disappeared skyward in a flash.

“So, this is flying. So fast and so high!” Penguin looked on and gushed to herself in envy.

 

(xiǎo) 企鹅(qǐé) 不禁(bùjīn) () 扑腾(pūteng) () 自己(zìjǐ) (de) 翅膀(chìbǎng) (lái)不过(búguò) 除了(chúle) 抖落(dǒuluò) 一些(yìxiē) 细碎(xìsuì) (de) 羽毛(yǔmáo)终究(zhōngjiū) 还是(háishì) (méi) (néng) (fēi) 起来(qǐlái)

Penguin could not help flapping her own wings. However, other than losing a few fine feathers, her attempt to fly was futile.

(yīng) () (hěn) (kuài) (jiù) (huí) (lái) (le)(zuǐ) () (hái) (xián) (zhe) () () (xíng) (zhuàng) () () (de) (jiān) (guǒ)(xiǎo) () (é) (xīn) () (zài) (yān) (de) (yòng) (jiǎo) (pèng) (le) (pèng)(jiān) (guǒ) () (liū) (liū) () (gǔn) (lái) (gǔn) ()

Parrot soon returned, bearing nuts of various shapes in its beak. Penguin touched the nuts with her foot absently and the nuts started to roll around.

 

(qǐng) (wèn)(tiān) (shàng) (hǎo) (wán) (ma)(tiān) (shàng) (kàn) (dào) (de) (dōng) 西() () () (shàng) () (yàng) (ma)?” (liǎng) () (jiān) (guǒ) (xià) () (hòu)(xiǎo) () (é) (shí) (zài) () (zhì) () (zhù) (nèi) (xīn) (de) (hào) ()。“ (hǎo) (wán) (ā)! (tiān) (shàng) (méi) (yǒu) () (shàng) () (me) (yōng) ()(ér) (qiě) (tiān) (shàng) (de) (jǐng) () () () (shàng) () (wán) (quán) () (tóng)。”

(yīng) () (shuō) (wán)(dùn) (le) (dùn) () (),“ () (xiǎng) () (xiǎng) () (tiān) (shàng) (kàn) (kan)?” (xiǎo) () (é) () (shàng) (diǎn) (le) (diǎn) (tóu)(zhè) (zhèng) (shì) () (xīn) (li) (xiǎng) (de) (ne)(liǎng) (zhī) (niǎo) (duì) (shì) () (yǎn)(dōu) (àn) (àn) (de) (wéi) (zhè) (ge) (yǒu) (diǎn) (fēng) (kuáng) (de) (zhǔ) () (ér) (xīng) (fèn) (zhe)

After swallowing two nuts, Penguin could not contain her curiosity any longer and asked: “May I know if it is fun up in the sky? Do things look the same from up there compared to from the ground?”

“Of course, it is fun! It is less crowded in the sky and everything looks totally different from above,” answered Parrot. After a pause, he continued: “Do you want to go take a look?”

Without hesitation, Penguin nodded as this was exactly what she was hoping to do. The two birds eyed each other with hidden excitement at this somewhat crazy idea.

 

(rán) (hòu)(rán) (hòu),  () (men) (de) (yīng) () (jué) (dìng) (yòng) (zhuǎ) (zi) (zhuā) () (xiǎo) () (é) (de) (chì) (bǎng)() () (fēi) (dào) (tiān) (shàng) () (wán) (wán)() (kāi) (shǐ)(yīng) () (yǒu) (diǎn) (yáo) (yáo) (huàng) (huàng)() (zhǐ) (néng) () (teng) (zhe) (chì) (bǎng) (màn) (màn) (de) (fēi) (dòng)

(xiǎo) (lán) () (é) () () () (de) () (shàng) (yǎn) (jīng)(gǎn) (jué) () () () () () () (dōu) (yào) (tíng) (zhǐ) (le)(xīn) () (yào) (cóng) (hóu) (lóng) () (tiào) (chū) (lái)

(rán) (hòu) (yīng) () (màn) (màn) () (kāi) (shǐ) (yuè) (fēi) (yuè) (wěn)() (yuè) (fēi) (yuè) (gāo) (le)

呼呼(hūhū) (guā) (guò) (de) (fēng) (zuān) (jìn) (xiǎo) 企鹅(qǐé) (de) 头颈(tóujǐng) () 耳朵(ěrduo) ()() (shì) (zhe) (xiǎo) (xīn) () () (de) 张开(zhāngkāi) 其中(qízhōng) () (zhī) 眼睛(yǎnjīng)打量(dǎliang) 周围(zhōuwéi)

So, Parrot decided to take flight for some fun, together with Penguin in its claws. Initially, Parrot staggered a little and could only fly slowly.

Penguin’s eyes remained firmly shut and she felt as though she would stop breathing and that her heart would pop out of her throat!

Soon, Parrot was able to regain his balance and managed to soar higher and higher steadily. 

With wind piercing her neck and through her ears, Penguin cautiously opened one eye to assess her surroundings.

 

(yuán) (lái) () (de) (jiā) (cóng) (gāo) (chù) (kàn) (shì) (zhè) (yàng) (zi) (de)(tài) (měi) (le)!” () (hái) (cóng) (lái) (méi) (yǒu) (cóng) (zhè) (ge) (jiǎo) () (kàn) (guò) () () (shēng) (huó) (de) (xiǎo) (dǎo) (ne)

() (hǎi) (hǎo) (píng) (jìng) (ā)(hái) (shǎn) (zhe) (yín) () (ne)!” “ () (hái) (kàn) (dào) (le) () (men) (de) (yǐng) (zi)。” (xiǎo) () (é) () (shēng) (gào) () (yīng) ()

“My home looks so beautiful when viewed from a height!” Penguin exclaimed loudly to Parrot when she saw the island where she stays from this never-before angle. “The ocean is so calm and I can see our reflection in the glistening silver water.”

 

(liǎng) (zhī) 小鸟(xiǎoniǎo) 最后(zuìhòu) (tíng) (zài) () () (lüè) (gāo) (de) 礁石(jiāoshí) (shàng)鹦鹉(yīngwǔ) 不禁(bùjīn) 大叫(dàjiào) (zhe) (shuō)刚才(gāngcái) (tài) 好玩(hǎowán) (le)”, () (é) (tān) (ruǎn) (zài) () (shàng)(cháng) (chū) () (kǒu) (),“ (jǐng) () (zhēn) (shì) (tài) (měi) (le)”。

然后(ránhòu) 他们(tāmen) (zhuǎn) 过头(guòtóu) (kàn) (zhe) 彼此(bǐcǐ)(xiào) (zhe) (qiān) () (le) (shǒu)一起(yìqǐ) (zuò) (kàn) 远处(yuǎnchù) 夕阳西下(xīyángxīxià) (de) 美景(měijǐng)(zhōu) (wéi) (de) () (qiè) (dōu) () (zhe) () (céng) (shén) () (de) (guāng) (yùn) , (xiàng) (zài) (tóng) (huà) () (shi) () () (yàng)

() () (de) (shì) (jiè) (zhēn) (shì) (tài) (měi) (hǎo) (le)

Finally, the two birds came to a rest on a slighted elevated reef. Parrot could not help squawking with pleasure: “That was so much fun!” To which, Penguin let out a huge sigh while lying out flat, saying: “The scenery is really beautiful!”

Afterwards, both Parrot and Penguin sat ‘wing-in-wing’ laughing and watching the distant setting sun. Everything else swirled around them in a mysterious blur, as though in a fairy tale.

Right at that moment, the world was indeed a lovely place!

 

词语解释 Vocabulary definitions

1.    (mǎn) () (zài) () () (háo) () (zài) ()(xíng) (róng) (duì) (shì) (qing) () (diǎn) () () (zhòng) (shì)

2.    (hán) (hu) () (qīng)(zhǐ) (shuō) (huà) (shēng) (yīn) () (qīng) (chǔ) (huò) (shì) () (méi) (yǒu) (fēn) (biàn) (qīng) (chǔ)

3.    (xīn) () (zài) (yān) (xīn) (si) () (zài) (zhè) ()(zhǐ) () (xiǎng) () () (zhōng)

4.    (xiǎo) (xīn) () () (xíng) (róng) (jǐn) (shèn) (xiǎo) (xīn)() (diǎn) () (gǎn) (shū) ()

5.    (tān) (ruǎn) (zhī) () () ()(nán) () (dòng) (tan)

6.    (guāng) (yùn) (biān) (yuán) () (hu) (de) (guāng(huán)

Tue 17/07/2018