The Picnic That Almost Wasn't (Part 1)

HSK 3 · 209 characters · I'm Afraid It Won't Work

The whole family finds reasons why the weekend picnic probably won't happen — and then it does.

这个zhè ge周末zhōu mò，我们wǒ men全家quán jiā想xiǎng去qù湖边hú biān野餐yě cān。This weekend, our whole family wanted to have a picnic by the lake.

爸爸bà ba看了kàn le看kàn天tiān，说shuō：“明天míng tiān恐怕kǒng pà要yào下雨xià yǔ。”Dad looked at the sky and said, "I'm afraid it's going to rain tomorrow."

妈妈mā ma说shuō：“我wǒ上午shàng wǔ要yào开会kāi huì，恐怕kǒng pà十二shí èr点diǎn以后yǐ hòu才能cái néng出发chū fā。”Mom said, "I have a meeting in the morning — I'm afraid we can't leave until after twelve."

哥哥gē ge说shuō：“吃的chī de东西dōng xi还没hái méi买mǎi，现在xiàn zài去qù超市chāo shì恐怕kǒng pà来不及lái bu jí了le。”My older brother said, "We haven't bought the food yet — I'm afraid it's too late to go to the supermarket now."

我wǒ看了kàn le看kàn钱包qián bāo，说shuō：“这个月zhè ge yuè我wǒ花huā了le太多tài duō钱qián，恐怕kǒng pà买mǎi不了bù liǎo什么shén me好吃hǎo chī的de。”I checked my wallet and said, "I've spent too much this month — I'm afraid I can't buy anything nice."

奶奶nǎi nai笑着xiào zhe说shuō：“我们wǒ men家人jiā rén这么zhè me多duō，一yī辆liàng车chē恐怕kǒng pà坐zuò不下bù xià吧ba？”Grandma laughed and said, "With this many of us, I'm afraid one car won't fit everyone, right?"

大家dà jiā你nǐ一句yī jù我wǒ一句yī jù，好像hǎo xiàng这次zhè cì野餐yě cān去qù不成bù chéng了le。Everyone chimed in one after another, and it seemed the picnic was off.

没想到méi xiǎng dào，第二天dì èr tiān天气tiān qì特别tè bié好hǎo，一点yī diǎn雨yǔ也yě没méi下xià。Unexpectedly, the next day the weather was wonderful — not a drop of rain.

妈妈mā ma的de会huì很hěn早就zǎo jiù开kāi完了wán le，我们wǒ men十shí一点yī diǎn就jiù出发chū fā了le。Mom's meeting ended early, and we set off at eleven.

吃的chī de东西dōng xi虽然suī rán简单jiǎn dān，可是kě shì大家dà jiā都dōu吃chī得很de hěn开心kāi xīn。The food was simple, but everyone enjoyed it.

爸爸bà ba笑着xiào zhe说shuō：“看来kàn lai大家dà jiā担心dān xīn的de事情shì qing，不一定bù yī dìng都dōu会huì发生fā shēng。”Dad laughed and said, "It seems the things we worry about don't always happen."