Slow Chinese Review: 单身是一种选择 Lesson 166

Review of Lesson 166 “Being single is a choice” from Slow Chinese

 What is this podcast about? This Chinese podcast is about a video showing the high pressure of so-called “leftover women” in China which they get from their parents. They’re forced to marry someone although most of them are reluctant.

Which level does this podcast belong to? This lesson from Slow Chinese is suitable for advanced Mandarin learners who already know some advanced Chinese grammar as well as some knowledge of Chinese culture.

How many presenters are in the studio?  One female presenter is in the studio.

How clear are the monologues? The monologue is read at a slow speed. Each word is pronounced clearly.

How many times are the monologues repeated? The monologue is read for only one time. However the learners can replay it as many times as they want.

What languages are spoken in the studio? Mandarin is the only language spoken in the recording.

Does this podcast have a clear level? Yes, the monologue is written in Chinese characters, which is suitable for advanced Mandarin learners to read. Moreover, the recording is read in a slow speed, which is a good material to train listening skills.

What is the structure of this podcast? It starts with a brief introduction of a promo called Marriage Market Takeover, and then talks about the high pressure those single women are facing from their parents and the society. Also, it holds a positive attitude towards those women who choose singlehood. Finally, it asks for the audience’s opinion on this issue.

Why is Slow Chinese a good choice of podcast? This lesson contains a social topic which affects modern Chinese women, and maybe also affects other women wordwide. That is, choosing to be single needs guts in a country like China, by listening to this you can know more about the traditional Chinese view on family, marriage, etc. Also, it can enlarge your vocabulary and enhance your listening comprehension.

What are the drawbacks of this podcast? It lacks grammatical notes and a list for the new vocabulary. Also, it doesn’t have English translation. so it can be difficult to understand it fully.

Summary: In general, this lesson is very suitable for advanced learners of Mandarin, especially for those who want to know more about modern China. It can make people think about what marriage is and the meaning of singlehood

This podcast can be listened to online at Slow Chinese