HSK2 exam

How to prepare for a HSK exam

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Video on how to prepare for a HSK Exam

How to prepare, five tips from Qiao qiao

So yes, you need to study the HSK exam hard and learn all the Chinese words. Of course! But what else? Some tips to help you improve your efficiency for the HSK exam preparation

1: The intention of the questions

Do you sometimes get the question on a mock exam, and the question is like: “Online shopping is convenient”, and you need to answer with a yes or no. And you feel like “Hmmm yeah it’s a bit of both? Even the text said so?” Well you need to understand the method of questioning of the HSK exams. For every text, remember three things:

What happened?
When, where, and how?
What does the speaker want to tell us?

2: Secondly, don’t just mindlessly learn vocab

So how to learn the HSK words smart? Here are some useful methods for you:

The first one is to learn HSK words in context. If you learn HSK in a specific context, you will know the meaning of the words accurately and you won’t forget quickly.

The second is to learn HSK words on the same topic. Like, if you learn the words 旅游 (travel). You try your best to remember some words relating to the topic, like 地图 (map) 行李箱 (luggage) 票 (ticket). So if you learn one word you can learn a lot of words on the same topic

Thirdly, learn HSK words using morphemes. For example, like 失去 (lose). Like 失望, 失 is from 失去 (lose) and 望 (hope) so 失望 is lose hope, 失眠, 失… 失去，眠 (sleep), so lose sleep 失去睡眠 we say 失眠. Last one, 失业, 失 means 失去, 业 means 工作 (job), lose jobs: 失去工作 we say 失业. So using this method you can learn a lot of words. In the Chinese language there are a lot of synonyms, so it’s necessary for you to learn the method of synonym discrimination. In short, it is very important to master the meaning and usage of words.

3: Time management

For you to prepare for the exam, have you met a problem like there isn’t enough time? How to plan the time wisely? Here are some tips:

Firstly, to understand the question type and exam time in advance. For example, HSK5 the listening has two parts
45 questions, a total of 35 minutes. Reading has three parts, 45 questions, a total of 45 minutes, which means you only have one minute to finish one question.

Secondly, plan the time according to the difficulty of the questions. Like, HSK6 the reading has four parts. The first part is to pick out one sentence with grammatical errors. This part is the most difficult for most examinees. I suggest you can do this part last.

Thirdly, find time for error checking. You only have 45 minutes to finish the HSK6 writing, you better leave 3 minutes to check to see if there are any Chinese character, vocabulary and grammar problems.

Finally, before you attend the exam, do the mock papers or past papers to practice on your own time planning
and repeatedly practice until you are very adaptable

4. Find out your weaknesses

How to find out what I’m not good at? The first thing you need to find out is to do a past paper within the specified time, and you will be able to know your weaknesses.

Secondly, you can find a professional teacher to help you diagnose your problems. Like, if you attend GoEast’s HSK Exam preparation course, the teacher will help you plan the learning content, and help you improve the efficiency of your exam preparation.

5. HSK mock exams

Last but not least, make the mock tests, of course. You can download PDF mock exams here. Why?

The first reason is to feel the real thing and adapt to the rhythm of the exam.
The second is to find what problems you still have, and then focus on solving them to raise points in the end.

Tips on the HSK 2 Exam specifically:

Learned enough Chinese? HSK 2 is the Chinese proficiency exam for students who have mastered 300 commonly used Chinese words (including 150 from HSK 1) and related Mandarin grammar patterns. The test is made up of two parts: Chinese listening comprehension and Chinese reading comprehension. It contains a total of 60 questions to be completed in 50 mins. The HSK 2 exam does not test Chinese character knowledge.

You can take the test in Shanghai or other places in China. Here we write about more details on how and when to schedule a class.

Here are some Chinese language learning tips for HSK 2 exam:

1. Be familiar with the 300 words and the grammar patterns

It’s very important to focus on the HSK 2 Mandarin vocabulary. It’s important to know the correct words so you can understand the meaning of an entire sentence. Find an HSK 2 standard vocabulary list online. Make your own flashcards, either physically or via an app (such as Quizlet). Download the outline of the HSK 2 test. You can see all the grammar patterns required in the outline.

2. Do as many exercises as you can

Download the sample exams at the official HSK site or do the mock exams online. It is the best way to practice and see the different ways grammatical points are tested. Don’t be too hash on yourself. You should prepare for the HSK test in advance, so set your goal first, then stick to it.

3. Set a deadline and make a study plan

It is very important to plan ahead! First, set your goal. Decide which month you want to take the exam and register 2-3 months in advance. After you understand the structure of the test, create a detailed study plan, including how many words and how many mock exams you will complete each week.

4. Attend a HSK preparation class

A teacher familiar with the exam will help you understand word and grammar meanings plus show you strategies to pass the test. By engaging in group study, you will have the chance to learn from your partners and increase your confidence. GoEast can provide this online as well as in Shanghai.

Here are some useful websites to help you master the HSK 2 exam:

HSK Test Registration http://www.chinesetest.cn/index.do
HSK 2 Outline http://cnhsk.org/Exam/userfiles/file/dagang/HSK2.pdf
HSK Mock Exams http://mnks.cnhsk.org/Mnks/Simulate/DefaultNew.aspx

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