过去的故事和个人经历
Chapter Overview and Learning Objectives
In Chapter 3, you described how a habit changed by contrasting 以前 and 现在 and marking the shift with change-of-state 了. This chapter moves from a single change to a connected story. You will integrate the perfective 了 you already know for completed actions with the experiential 过 you already know for life experience, and you will learn to sequence events clearly using 后来 and 然后 so that a listener or reader can follow what happened first, next, and afterward. By the end of the chapter you will write and tell a short personal biography.
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Distinguish perfective 了 (a specific completed action) from experiential 过 (a past experience, without reference to a specific time) in connected narration.
- Sequence a series of past events using 后来 and 然后.
- Use 的时候 to anchor an event to a point or period in the past.
- Ask and answer questions about someone's past experiences and personal history.
- Tell and write a short, connected biography of four to six sentences.
Communication Scenario
The online exchange group is starting a new activity called "我的故事" (My Story), where members share a short account of one important part of their past — where they grew up, how they started studying Chinese, or a memorable trip or experience.
- You will read 玛丽's post about how she started learning Chinese.
- You will listen to 王先生 tell the story of his first trip abroad.
- You will write your own short "我的故事" biography.
- You will speak with a partner about one experience from your past.
Core Vocabulary
This chapter adds vocabulary for narrating personal history and sequencing events. All new items are productive and will recur throughout Volume II.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Part/Function | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 故事 | gùshi | noun | story | 这是我的故事。This is my story. |
| 经历 | jīnglì | noun | experience | 这是一个有意思的经历。This is an interesting experience. |
| 出生 | chūshēng | verb | to be born | 我在北京出生。I was born in Beijing. |
| 长大 | zhǎngdà | verb | to grow up | 我在上海长大。I grew up in Shanghai. |
| 搬家 | bānjiā | verb-object | to move (house) | 我们搬家了三次。We moved three times. |
| 决定 | juédìng | verb | to decide | 我决定学中文。I decided to study Chinese. |
| 然后 | ránhòu | adverb/connector | then; after that | 我先工作，然后学习。I worked first, then studied. |
| …的时候 | …de shíhou | time-marking structure | when…; at the time when… | 我小的时候，我们住在北京。When I was young, we lived in Beijing. |
Recycled Volume I and Chapter 1–3 vocabulary — 以前、后来、去年、认识、习惯、变化 — is used throughout this chapter and is not retaught in full.
Pronunciation Review
This chapter introduces no new sounds. Use the checklist below to confirm control of familiar sound patterns in new words.
- The neutral tone in the second syllable of 故事 (gùshi) and 时候 (shíhou).
- Third-tone sandhi in 决定 (juédìng) when a third-tone syllable precedes it in a longer sentence, for example 我决定 (wǒ juédìng), commonly pronounced with the rising sandhi shape on 我.
- Keeping the fourth tone crisp and falling in 出生 (chūshēng) and 搬家 (bānjiā) — do not let the stressed syllable flatten.
- Smooth linking of 然后 (ránhòu) into the following clause without a full pause, so the sequence reads as one connected thought rather than two separate sentences.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns: Integrating 了 and 过, and Sequencing Past Events
You have already met perfective 了 (marking a specific completed action) and experiential 过 (marking that something has happened at some point, without reference to a specific time). This chapter's task is narration: connecting several past events into one story. That requires choosing correctly between 了 and 过 sentence by sentence, and linking sentences with 后来 and 然后 so the sequence is clear.
Pattern 1 — Perfective 了 vs. experiential 过 in narration
我1998年出生了。 Wǒ yī jiǔ jiǔ bā nián chūshēng le. I was born in 1998. (a specific completed event)
我去过中国三次。 Wǒ qùguo Zhōngguó sān cì. I have been to China three times. (an experience, not tied to one specific occasion)
Use 了 for a specific action that happened and is now complete — often with a specific time, a specific event, or a next step in a story. Use 过 for something that has happened at least once in the past, without pinning it to one moment; 过 answers the question "have you ever…?" rather than "what happened next?"
Pattern 2 — Sequencing events: 后来 and 然后
我小的时候住在北京，后来我们搬家了，搬到了上海。 Wǒ xiǎo de shíhou zhù zài Běijīng, hòulái wǒmen bānjiā le, bāndàole Shànghǎi. When I was young I lived in Beijing; later we moved, and moved to Shanghai.
我大学的时候学了法语，然后决定学中文。 Wǒ dàxué de shíhou xuéle Fǎyǔ, ránhòu juédìng xué Zhōngwén. In college I studied French, then decided to study Chinese.
后来 introduces a new stage in a longer story and often opens a new sentence. 然后 links two actions taken by the same person in fairly close sequence, and usually sits closer to the middle of a single connected sentence. Both words follow the subject or the previous clause; do not place them at the very front of the entire story unless you are marking a shift to a new period of time.
Pattern 3 — Anchoring an event with …的时候
我小的时候，我们住在北京。 Wǒ xiǎo de shíhou, wǒmen zhù zài Běijīng. When I was young, we lived in Beijing.
我认识玛丽的时候，我还没习惯这儿的生活。 Wǒ rènshi Mǎlì de shíhou, wǒ hái méi xíguàn zhèr de shēnghuó. When I met Mary, I still hadn't gotten used to life here.
…的时候 attaches to the end of a clause to mean "when [that clause] was happening." It recycles the 的 you already know from possession and modification, here marking a time clause instead of an object. Notice that the second example also recycles the 还没 pattern from Chapter 3.
Keep this narration controlled: this chapter does not introduce new complement types, new modal verbs, or the 因为...所以... connector, which are scheduled for later chapters. Build your story from 了, 过, 后来, 然后, and …的时候 working together.
Model Dialogue
玛丽和安娜 — Mary and Anna:
安娜：玛丽，你是怎么开始学中文的？
玛丽：说来话长。我小的时候住在多伦多，后来我们搬家了，搬到了一个中国朋友很多的地方。
安娜：真的吗？然后呢？
玛丽：然后我认识了一个中国朋友，她教了我几个词。我觉得很有意思，后来就决定学中文了。
安娜：你去过中国吗？
玛丽：去过，我去过中国两次，一次是大学的时候，一次是去年。
安娜：第一次去的时候，你会说中文吗？
玛丽：那时候我还不太会说，但是后来慢慢习惯了，也慢慢会说了。
This dialogue integrates perfective 了 (搬家了, 决定学中文了), experiential 过 (去过中国两次), the sequencers 后来 and 然后, and …的时候 (大学的时候, 第一次去的时候) within one connected personal story.
Guided Practice
练习一 — Exercise 1: Choose 了 or 过 to complete each sentence.
- 我去年搬家＿。 (specific completed event)
- 我去＿中国两次。 (life experience, not tied to a specific time)
- 她昨天决定＿学中文。 (specific completed event)
练习二 — Exercise 2: Combine each pair of sentences using 后来 or 然后.
- 我小的时候住在北京。我们搬家了，搬到了上海。
- 我先认识了一个中国朋友。我决定学中文了。
- 我以前不习惯这儿的天气。我慢慢习惯了。
练习三 — Exercise 3: Add …的时候 to anchor each event to a time or period.
- 我小＿，我们住在北京。
- 我认识玛丽＿，我还没习惯这儿的生活。
- 我第一次去中国＿，我还不太会说中文。
Listening Practice
Ask a partner, instructor, or fluent speaker to read the passage below aloud twice at a natural pace before answering.
If no speaker is available, this is a Listening Script for Independent Use. Read it aloud yourself, slowly at first, then at a natural pace. Any spoken model should be verified by a fluent Mandarin speaker before being treated as a pronunciation standard.
王先生的第一次旅行 — Mr. Wang's First Trip Abroad:
我第一次出国旅行是大学的时候。那时候我还没去过别的国家，一开始有一点儿紧张。我先坐飞机到了一个大城市，然后坐火车去了一个小地方看朋友。在那儿，我认识了很多新朋友，也吃了很多没吃过的菜。后来我决定每年都去一个新地方旅行。现在我已经去过五个国家了，但是我还没去过中国，我很想去。
听力任务 — Listening task:
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 王先生第一次出国旅行是什么时候？ (When was Mr. Wang's first trip abroad?) | ______ |
| 他先坐什么去了大城市？ (What did he take first to get to the big city?) | ______ |
| 他后来决定做什么？ (What did he later decide to do?) | ______ |
| 他去过中国吗？ (Has he been to China?) | ______ |
Speaking Practice
控制性练习 — Controlled practice: guided interview
With a partner, take turns asking and answering: 你在哪儿出生？你在哪儿长大？你搬过家吗？你去过别的国家吗？你是怎么开始学中文的？
交际任务 — Communicative task: 我的故事
With a partner, take turns telling a short version of your own story. Include at least one 了 for a specific completed event, at least one 过 for a life experience, one …的时候 time anchor, and one connector (后来 or 然后). Ask a follow-up question about your partner's story.
独立练习 — Solo alternative
Record yourself telling the story of one important experience — where you grew up, how you started something new, or a memorable trip — using at least four connected sentences.
Reading Practice
Read the short passage below, then answer the comprehension questions. Pinyin support remains reduced, as in Chapters 1 through 3; rely on familiar characters and context.
理解问题 — Comprehension questions:
- 玛丽在哪儿出生，在哪儿长大？
- 玛丽是怎么认识小美的？
- 玛丽去过中国几次？分别是什么时候？
- 玛丽第一次去中国的时候，中文说得怎么样？
Writing Workshop
Write a connected short biography of four to six sentences titled 我的故事, describing part of your personal history.
写作任务 — Writing task: Type your paragraph with Pinyin input if possible, or handwrite the characters you have already been assigned for handwriting. Your paragraph must include:
- An opening sentence stating where you were born or grew up, using 出生 or 长大.
- At least one …的时候 time anchor, placing an event at a specific period.
- At least one perfective 了 marking a specific completed event.
- At least one experiential 过 describing a life experience.
- At least one sequencing word (后来 or 然后) connecting two stages of your story.
- A closing sentence connecting your story to the present, recycling change-of-state 了 from Chapter 3 if appropriate (for example, 现在我已经…了).
修改清单 — Editing checklist:
- All six required elements are present and connected, not a disconnected list of sentences.
- 了 is used only for specific completed events, and 过 is used only for general life experience.
- …的时候 attaches to the end of the clause it describes, not the beginning.
- 后来 and 然后 are not confused with each other or overused in the same short paragraph.
- A Chinese period (。) ends each sentence, and commas (，) separate connected clauses.
Culture and Communication
When sharing a personal history in many Mandarin-speaking contexts, speakers commonly move through a story in a clear time order — where something began, what changed, and where things stand now — rather than starting with an evaluation or a dramatic highlight. How much personal detail people share, and how directly they discuss difficult periods such as a move, a setback, or a difficult adjustment, varies by relationship, generation, and individual personality, so it is common to keep an early version of a personal story brief and add detail only as a friendship develops.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using 过 for a specific completed action: say 我去年搬家了 for a specific event, not a form built with 过, which is reserved for general life experience.
- Placing …的时候 at the front of the clause: the structure attaches to the end of the clause it describes, as in 我小的时候, not before the subject.
- Confusing 后来 and 然后: 后来 usually opens a new stage of a longer story; 然后 usually links two actions by the same person in close sequence within one sentence.
- Dropping all aspect marking in narration: a connected story in Mandarin still needs 了 and 过 to show what is complete or experienced — do not rely on time words alone.
Chapter Summary
This chapter developed your ability to narrate a connected personal story. You added vocabulary for personal history and sequencing, integrated perfective 了 and experiential 过 for narration, learned to anchor events in time with …的时候, and learned to sequence stages of a story with 后来 and 然后. No major new grammar system beyond this integration and sequencing was introduced.
Chapter Review
部分 A — 语法复习 (Grammar Review)
1. Choose 了 or 过 to complete the sentence:
- 我去＿中国三次。
2. Combine using 后来 or 然后:
- 我先认识了一个朋友。我决定学中文了。
部分 B — 阅读 (Reading)
1. Return to the reading passage about 玛丽's story above and answer:
- 玛丽第一次去中国的时候，中文说得怎么样？
部分 C — 写作 (Writing)
1. Write your four-to-six-sentence "我的故事" biography, following the Writing Workshop steps above.
部分 D — 口语 (Speaking)
1. Complete the guided interview and the "我的故事" task with a partner or recording.
Recognition Check
Say each of the following aloud and confirm accurate tones and connected phrasing: 我小的时候住在北京, 我去过中国两次, 后来我们搬家了, 然后我决定学中文了. If any of these feel uncertain, review this chapter before continuing to Chapter 5.
Practical Performance Task
Chapter 4 Performance Task
我的故事 — My Story
Complete the following four connected tasks in order.
- Listen to 王先生's description of his first trip abroad and complete the listening table above.
- Read 玛丽's passage about how she started learning Chinese and answer the comprehension questions.
- Write your own four-to-six-sentence "我的故事" biography, following the Writing Workshop steps and editing checklist.
- Speak through the guided interview and the "我的故事" task with a partner, recording, or instructor.
Answer Key
Guided Practice — Exercise 1
- 了
- 过
- 了
Guided Practice — Exercise 2
- 我小的时候住在北京，后来我们搬家了，搬到了上海。 (When I was young I lived in Beijing; later we moved to Shanghai.)
- 我先认识了一个中国朋友，然后决定学中文了。 (I first met a Chinese friend, then decided to study Chinese.)
- 我以前不习惯这儿的天气，后来慢慢习惯了。 (I wasn't used to the weather here before; later I gradually got used to it.)
Guided Practice — Exercise 3
- 的时候
- 的时候
- 的时候
Listening
- Mr. Wang's first trip abroad was in college.
- He first took a plane to a big city.
- He later decided to travel to a new place every year.
- No, he has not yet been to China, but he would very much like to go.
Reading — Comprehension
- Mary was born and grew up in Toronto.
- Mary got to know Xiaomei after moving to a place with many Chinese friends when she was in college; Xiaomei taught her a few Chinese words.
- Mary has been to China twice: once after graduating from college, and once last year.
- The first time she went, she couldn't speak Chinese very well yet, but she gradually got used to it and gradually learned to speak.
Chapter Review — 部分 A
- 过
- 我先认识了一个朋友，然后决定学中文了。
Chapter Review — 部分 B
The first time Mary went to China, she couldn't speak Chinese very well yet, but afterward she gradually got used to it and gradually learned to speak.
Looking Ahead
现在你会做什么 — What you can do now
You can distinguish perfective 了 from experiential 过 in narration; anchor an event in time with …的时候; sequence stages of a story with 后来 and 然后; and tell or write a short, connected personal biography.