Mimic and/or Shadow with the Audio. Extend your “Input” into “Output”.
Pay Special Attention to:
Your pronunciation
The pauses
The tone
The stress
The emotions
Review the terms and expressions and the usage examples for better understanding. You can also read the English translation for reference.
Terms and Expressions:
跌入低谷 (diē rù dī gǔ) literally means "to fall into a low valley," but it's often used metaphorically to describe hitting rock bottom, experiencing a major setback, or going through a difficult period in life, work, or emotions.
Here are a few examples:
经历失败后，他的信心跌入低谷。
Jīnglì shībài hòu, tā de xìnxīn diē rù dī gǔ.
After his failure, his confidence hit rock bottom.
球队连败多场，士气跌入低谷。
Qiúduì liánbài duō chǎng, shìqì diē rù dī gǔ.
After several consecutive losses, the team's morale was at an all-time low.
且视他人之疑目如盏盏鬼火，大胆地去走你的夜路 (qiě shì tārén zhī yímù rú zhǎnzhǎn guǐhuǒ dàdǎn de qù zǒu nǐ de yèlù)
Explanation:
且视 (qiě shì) – "Just regard" or "simply take"
This suggests adopting a certain attitude or perspective.
他人之疑目 (tārén zhī yímù) – "The doubtful gazes of others"
"疑目" refers to skeptical or questioning looks, implying suspicion or doubt from others.
"鬼火" (guǐhuǒ) refers to "ghostly flames," a natural phenomenon where gases from decaying matter ignite, creating eerie floating lights. This metaphor compares people’s doubtful gazes to these lights—something eerie but ultimately harmless.
大胆地去走你的夜路 (dàdǎn de qù zǒu nǐ de yèlù) – "Bravely walk your own night path"
"夜路" (yèlù) represents a difficult or uncertain journey, symbolizing life's challenges. "大胆地" (dàdǎn de) means "boldly" or "courageously," urging one to move forward without fear.
This phrase means:
👉 Treat others' doubts like flickering ghost lights—something unsettling but insignificant—and move forward boldly on your path, even if it’s dark and uncertain.
It encourages courage, perseverance, and self-belief in the face of skepticism. The "ghost lights" metaphor suggests that others' doubts may seem intimidating but are ultimately powerless to stop you unless you let them.
闲言碎语 (xián yán suì yǔ) refers to idle gossip, unnecessary chatter, or trivial remarks. It describes words that are not useful or constructive, often carrying a negative connotation.
Here are a few examples:
别理那些闲言碎语，做好自己的事就行了。
Bié lǐ nàxiē xián yán suì yǔ, zuò hǎo zìjǐ de shì jiù xíng le.
Ignore the gossip and just focus on your own work.
Even after achieving success, they feel too ashamed to applaud themselves; but the moment they hit a low point, they start doubting themselves. In Notes from a Sickbed, Shi Tiesheng wrote: "See the doubtful gazes of others as flickering ghostly lights and walk your path through the night with courage."
Those who struggle with self-doubt must learn to tune out the noise and focus on their own journey. Every person is multidimensional—like a diamond with many facets. Viewed from different angles, each side has its own brilliance.
You can flex your muscles by doing a Paraphrasing practice to round things up.
Still not sure how to do this practice? You can watch how to below:
