The Nutcracker · chapter 1 of 4
The Gift
圣诞节的礼物
On Christmas Eve, Clara gets a nutcracker from her godfather, and Fritz breaks it. At midnight the toy stands up and speaks. Something is coming.

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Read what you hear
- Narrator 圣诞节的晚上,家里有很大的树。树上有很多灯。
Shèngdànjié de wǎnshang, jiā lǐ yǒu hěn dà de shù. Shù shàng yǒu hěnduō dēng.
It was Christmas Eve. In the house stood a very big tree covered in lights.
- Clara 哥哥,你看!这个树真漂亮!我好高兴!
Gēge, nǐ kàn! Zhège shù zhēn piàoliang! Wǒ hǎo gāoxìng!
Look, big brother! This tree is so beautiful! I'm so happy!
- Fritz 我的礼物在哪儿?我现在就要礼物!
Wǒ de lǐwù zài nǎr? Wǒ xiànzài jiù yào lǐwù!
Where is my present? I want my present right now!
- Mother 别急,孩子们。你们的教父来了。
Bié jí, háizimen. Nǐmen de jiàofù lái le.
Don't rush, children. Your godfather is here.
- Godfather Drosselmeyer 圣诞节快乐,孩子们!我给你们带了礼物。
Shèngdànjié kuàilè, háizimen! Wǒ gěi nǐmen dài le lǐwù.
Merry Christmas, children! I've brought you presents.
- Clara 教父,你来了!我好想你!
Jiàofù, nǐ lái le! Wǒ hǎo xiǎng nǐ!
Godfather, you came! I missed you so much!
- Fritz 教父,我的礼物是什么?是大马吗?
Jiàofù, wǒ de lǐwù shì shénme? Shì dà mǎ ma?
Godfather, what's my present? Is it a big horse?
- Godfather Drosselmeyer 克拉拉,这个给你。它是一个胡桃夹子。
Kèlālā, zhège gěi nǐ. Tā shì yí gè hútáo jiāzi.
Clara, this is for you. It is a nutcracker.
- Clara 这个胡桃夹子好可爱!你看它的大嘴巴!
Zhège hútáo jiāzi hǎo kě'ài! Nǐ kàn tā de dà zuǐba!
It's so cute! Look at its big mouth!
- Godfather Drosselmeyer 它是一个小士兵。它不大,可是它什么都不怕。
Tā shì yí gè xiǎo shìbīng. Tā bú dà, kěshì tā shénme dōu bú pà.
It's a little soldier. It isn't big, but it isn't afraid of anything.
- Fritz 给我看看!我也想玩这个小士兵!
Gěi wǒ kànkan! Wǒ yě xiǎng wán zhège xiǎo shìbīng!
Let me see! I want to play with this little soldier too!
- Clara 不行,哥哥!这个小士兵是我的!
Bùxíng, gēge! Zhège xiǎo shìbīng shì wǒ de!
No, brother! This little soldier is mine!
- Fritz 看!我有一个很大的胡桃。我来夹一夹!
Kàn! Wǒ yǒu yí gè hěn dà de hútáo. Wǒ lái jiā yì jiā!
Look! I have a really big nut. I'll crack it!
- Clara 这个胡桃太大了!你别夹它!
Zhège hútáo tài dà le! Nǐ bié jiā tā!
That nut is too big! Don't crack it!
- Fritz 一,二,三……我要夹了!
Yī, èr, sān… wǒ yào jiā le!
One, two, three... I'll crack it with all my might!
- Clara 啊!它的嘴巴坏了!我的小士兵!
A! Tā de zuǐba huài le! Wǒ de xiǎo shìbīng!
Ah! Its mouth is broken! My little soldier!
- Fritz 对不起,克拉拉!是这个胡桃太大了!
Duìbuqǐ, Kèlālā! Shì zhège hútáo tài dà le!
Sorry, Clara! It's this nut, it was too big!
- Clara 别怕,小士兵。我现在帮你看看。
Bié pà, xiǎo shìbīng. Wǒ xiànzài bāng nǐ kànkan.
Don't be afraid, little soldier. Let me look after you.
- Godfather Drosselmeyer 好孩子。今天晚上,你要看着它。
Hǎo háizi. Jīntiān wǎnshang, nǐ yào kànzhe tā.
Good girl. Tonight, keep an eye on it.
- Narrator 十二点了,大家都睡了。
Shí'èr diǎn le, dàjiā dōu shuì le.
It was twelve o'clock, and everyone was asleep.
- Clara 我睡不着。小士兵,你现在好吗?
Wǒ shuì bù zháo. Xiǎo shìbīng, nǐ xiànzài hǎo ma?
I can't sleep. Little soldier, are you all right now?
- Clara 什么声音?谁在那儿?
Shénme shēngyīn? Shuí zài nàr?
What's that sound? Who's there?
- Clara 老鼠!这么多老鼠!我很怕!
Lǎoshǔ! Zhème duō lǎoshǔ! Wǒ hěn pà!
Mice! So many mice! I'm scared!
- The Nutcracker 克拉拉,你别怕!我是你的胡桃夹子!
Kèlālā, nǐ bié pà! Wǒ shì nǐ de hútáo jiāzi!
Clara, don't be afraid! I'm your nutcracker!
- Clara 你会说话?你还会动?
Nǐ huì shuōhuà? Nǐ hái huì dòng?
You can talk? You can move?
- The Nutcracker 对!可是鼠王来了。请你快帮我!
Duì! Kěshì shǔwáng lái le. Qǐng nǐ kuài bāng wǒ!
Yes! But the Mouse King is coming. Please, help me quickly!
What changed in the story?
- What present does Clara get from her godfather?
“克拉拉,这个给你。它是一个胡桃夹子。”
- Who breaks the nutcracker's mouth?
“看!我有一个很大的胡桃。我来夹一夹!”……“啊!它的嘴巴坏了!我的小士兵!”
- How does Fritz explain what happened?
“对不起,克拉拉!是这个胡桃太大了!”
- What does Clara feel when she sees the mice at midnight?
“什么声音?谁在那儿?”
- Who tells Clara that the Mouse King is coming?
“你会说话?你还会动?”