HSK Tests in my Future

By Confused Laowai | Date: August 18th, 2010 | Category: General

My teacher gave us some HSK resources yesterday. Apparently there is a test taking place in October here in South Africa. Last year I took a mock HSK exam for level 1 and 2. Passed one easily, but with two I failed on the listening. The reading was easy. Did a quick test exam for level two again yesterday only for reading part. It was rather easy.

I got books for level 1, 2 and 3 now here with me. Going to start working through them. I want to go for level 3. I predict it might just be easier than I expect. My problem will be the listening. Will just have to watch a lot more Chinese series. Have any you guys written HSK tests before? How was it? And what level did you write?

Is HSK valuable in the end though? I reckon it is only for job applications and university entrance tests. Like how many people will ask me for my HSK level? Even so, I don’t mind, this is a nice challenge and goal apart from my University work.

In other good news. I got 90% for a recent Mandarin test! Hooray!

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  • http://www.sarajaaksola.com Sara

    I did HSK 3 last spring but didn’t pass. I was 12 points short. I didn’t really know much. Only one part in the reading I understood. So I got pretty close by guessing. I will do the test again in November and hope to pass it then. I will study hard to get HSK3 at least because then I can skip courses when I start in a new university 2011.

  • http://twindie.net NielDLR

    Ah, that’s great motivation! Extra coursework would be really lame.
    How was the listening part? Did you get tested on that as well?

  • http://www.chengduliving.com Charlie

    You know, I really don’t think that the HSK is worth much more than personal gratification. I’ve been preparing for it myself the last few months (I’m aiming for a 6) but the more involved I get in the content of the HSK the more I find that the content is pretty impractical. But like you, I have some appreciate for the challenge of it and having a tangible form of achievement after years of studying seems like a gratifying reward for enduring the general pain that studying for HSK is.

  • http://twindie.net NielDLR

    What I like about HSK though is their choice of vocabulary to learn.
    It seems like a nice set of words to help you cope in the language. I
    reckon at level 6 it becomes a bit more open and impractical like you
    said. Good luck though! When are you writing?