MANDARIN AB INITIO

EXAM TIPS!
 How to improve your understanding
of a passage
• Spend some time working out the title or the
opening sentences since this will give you a clue as
to what the text is about.
• Find connecting words and phrases. These join
sentences is a logical way. For example, showing
cause and effect(因为……所以) or a contrast(但是).
• Look at the sentence structure, especially when
you come across a long sentence – don’t jump to
conclusions.
• Distinguish between facts and opinions.
 Reading strategies
•Skimming. This strategy is used when you read
for general meaning or ‘the big picture’. For this
purpose, do not read word by word. Read
quickly to gain a rough idea of what the text is
about.
•Scanning. This strategy is used when you read
for specific information such as ‘who’, ‘what’,
‘when’, ‘where’, ‘why’, or ‘how’. For this purpose,
you need to locate the sentences first and then
find the information you want.
Don’t worry about understanding every word of
question. If you know the question word and a
couple of key words you should be able to guess
the meaning of the question.
 Matching questions and answers!
The following strategies are helpful when matching
questions and answers.
.If the questions and answers contain words of similar or
contrary meanings, they are probably, but not always, a
match.
.Do the easiest first and the hardest last.
.You don’t have to understand every word to be confident
in you choice.
.Pay attention to patterns of questions and answers in
Chinese. For example, for the question 你吃早饭了吗,
the more correct answer is either 吃了 or 没吃呢, rather
than 是的 or 不是, the literal translation of ‘yes’ or ’no’.
 Finding the right information to
answer a question.
•Pay attention to the words indicating change,
such as 但是 and 不过. Usually the phrase
following these words is emphasised and is
where the opinion lies.
•For a sentences starting with ‘因为’, there is
usually a question asking for reason.
•Double negation such as ‘没有……不行’ is a
strong positive statement.
 ‘wh’ questions
When you answer a ‘wh’ question in Chinese
(except ‘why’ questions), you can often use the
same structure as the question sentences. You
simply replace the question word with the
answer, for example:
你是哪国人？
我是中国人。
你在哪儿上学？
我在泰国上学。
 Give your opinions!
To gain top marks, use a wide vocabulary, give
your opinions and reasons for your opinions. Use
the structure 我觉得with因为plus a reason to
express your opinions about anything. Examiners
will be looking for this! For example:
1。我觉得汉语老师很厉害(awful), 因为她常常
给我们很多作业。
2。我觉得体育老师很友好，因为他经常问
“你怎么样？”
 Question words!
In your writing, use the six following question
words to check that you have covered everything:
Who? When? Where? What? Why? How?
It is useful to memorize the question words in
Chinese and practise them constantly when you
revise. You will then find it easier to identify
quickly the type of question you are being asked
and gain valuable time in examinations.
 Number ‘two’
Examiners will be impressed if you can
demonstrate your knowledge and use of the
number ‘two’ in Chinese. Be aware that when
‘two’ is followed by a measure word, the usual
二 becomes 两，for example:

两个小时
 Measure words!
Measure words are an important element of
Chinese grammar. The most commonly used
measure word is 个. In the writing exam it is
better to use the measure word 个 for
everything than not to use any measure word at
all. For example, in case you cannot remember
the measure word for ‘a gold medal’, which is 一
块金牌, it is better to say 一个金牌 than to say
一金牌.
 Measure words!
Remember that measure words are not only use
between number and objects, they are also used
between 这/那 and objects, or between 每 and
objects. Always double check whether you have
put an appropriate measure word after 这, 那
and 每 in both speaking and writing.
 The use of ‘是’
Candidates in Writing and Speaking assessments
very often lose marks because they use 是 when
they do not need to. Remember to omit 是 if it is
followed by a verb-adjective. For a simple
statement such as the ‘programme is very good’,
it is correct to say 节目很好 but it is wrong to
say 节目是很好.
 Likes and dislikes
It helps to impress examiners if you use 对… (没)
有兴趣 in addition to 爱 and 喜欢 when talking
about likes and dislikes, as variety is always
better than repetition.

我对打篮球很有兴趣。
 Conjunctions!
It is advisable to write short simple sentences
and to write them correctly. However, examiners
will be impressed and award higher marks if you
can use some conjunctions such as 虽然…, 但是,
因为…, 所以, 一边…一边.
 Frequency words!
To gain a higher mark, try to add frequency
words (how often?) to your activities. The words
we have learned so far to indicate frequency are
天天/每天 (every day), 一般 (normally), and 很
少 (rarely). Remember to put the frequency
words straight after the subject.
 Degree words!

Don’t forget to use the degree words such as 特

别, 非常 and 不太.

*挺……的
 Comparisons!
Make comparisons to improve your marks, for
example:

他比我大三岁。
我比他高很多。
他跟我一样/不一样。
 Letter format
You will gain marks by using the correct format
for writing a letter. Learn the phrases used for
opening and closing a letter by heart.

亲爱的 Dear
尊敬的 respectful
祝好 best wishes
 Describing personality
Remember to use variety of adjectives to
describe the appearance and personality of
someone. Avoid using the same vocabulary
repeatedly in the same piece of writing. It will be
helpful to use some conjunctions appropriately
in order to raise the level of your writing. eg. in
addition to using 因为…所以/虽然…可是, you
can use 如果…
 Check!
Check the characters and word order. Make sure
that you have not accidentally missed out
components of characters that you know well.
Make sure you remember that 都 and 也 come
directly before a verb.