freeCodeCamp/curriculum/challenges/english/blocks/zh-a1-learn-single-finals/6cfe60a920b3b428784fe194.md

id, title, challengeType, dashedName, lang

id	title	challengeType	dashedName	lang
6cfe60a920b3b428784fe194	Task 3	24	task-3	zh-CN

--description--

The first simple final you'll learn is a.

To pronounce a, open your mouth wide naturally, keep your jaw relaxed, and the tongue lies flat and low in the mouth. Make sure the sound is steady and clear. Do not round your lips or spread them too much.

Each Pinyin syllable is spoken with a specific tone, and these tones are just as important as the initials and finals in determining its pronunciation.

A change in tone can completely alter the meaning of a syllable, even when the initials and finals remain exactly the same.

There are four main tones:

• First tone (ˉ): a high and level tone that stays steadily high without rising or falling.

• Second tone (ˊ): a rising tone that starts in the middle and moves upward to a high point.

• Third tone (ˇ): a low dipping tone that starts in the middle, falls to a low point and then rises again.

• Fourth tone (ˋ): a sharp falling​ tone that starts high​ and drops quickly​ to the bottom.

There is also a neutral tone, which is short and soft. It is not marked with any tone mark.

Note: In this curriculum, when you use the Pinyin Tone input and the Pinyin-to-Hanzi input, the number following a Pinyin should follow this convention:

• 1 indicates the first tone.

• 2 indicates the second tone.

• 3 indicates the third tone.

• 4 indicates the fourth tone.

• 5 indicates the neutral tone.

Let's practice pronouncing the final a with different tones.

--assignment--

I've listened to the audio and practiced pronouncing this final.

--scene--

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  "setup": {
    "background": "company1-breakroom.png",
    "characters": [
      {
        "character": "Chen Na",
        "position": {
          "x": 50,
          "y": 15,
          "z": 1.4
        },
        "opacity": 0
      }
    ],
    "audio": {
      "filename": "ZH_A1_pinyin_single_finals.mp3",
      "startTime": 1,
      "startTimestamp": 26,
      "finishTimestamp": 32.76
    }
  },
  "commands": [
    {
      "character": "Chen Na",
      "opacity": 1,
      "startTime": 0
    },
    {
      "character": "Chen Na",
      "startTime": 1,
      "finishTime": 1.7,
      "dialogue": {
        "text": "ā",
        "align": "center"
      }
    },
    {
      "character": "Chen Na",
      "startTime": 2.99,
      "finishTime": 3.72,
      "dialogue": {
        "text": "á",
        "align": "center"
      }
    },
    {
      "character": "Chen Na",
      "startTime": 5,
      "finishTime": 5.88,
      "dialogue": {
        "text": "ǎ",
        "align": "center"
      }
    },
    {
      "character": "Chen Na",
      "startTime": 7.38,
      "finishTime": 7.76,
      "dialogue": {
        "text": "à",
        "align": "center"
      }
    },
    {
      "character": "Chen Na",
      "opacity": 0,
      "startTime": 8.26
    }
  ]
}