How to breakthrough the advanced level?

[Guest yangbin]

Hi all!

well I have a question, and need some point of views.

I would like to know what is the best way to improve your chinese when your level is around "advanced"!

I mean, for me, from novice to intermediate this is not hard, from indermediate to advanced it starts to be tricky, but from advanced to really really advanced... let say "fluent" it is really hard!

so my question is how to do it?

In my situation im hezitating between different ways. Im not a language student, but i got these possibilities :

1/ following some courses of chinese, im mean, keep studying the language, there are some good 'selective courses in my uni like 'chengyu and culture' etc.

2/ following few courses with chinese students, like history, or politic or whatever with them!

3/ working on the HSK, even if personnally, think this exam doesnt really show your 'real' level in chinese! (the exemple of korean students is perfect)!

So, if some of you are really good in chinese, if ya were at this level before, how did ya do?

How all the foreign hosts on CCTV did to become so good? they of course have been living in china for a while (5 years at least), but I dont think they were language students for so long!

thx!

JP

[myann23]

In my opinion you should start using authentic materials as soon as possible. Radio, podcasts, newspapers, books. etc because once you start knowing those pretty well, then...well...you're set. Right now I'm probably lower intermediate. I'm trying to learn as much words as I can before going back to the states so I can reach the critical mass of vocabulary needed to be able to listen to mid-intermediate level stuff. I really need to work on my grammar though...

How did you get from intermediate to advanced?

Mike

[Guest yangbin]

well, i wouldn't like to say that im advanced in chinese,because im not! I mean, this is hard to judge myself! but im following a course of international politic in chinese, and i can understand 75%. (still need to work hard on it)! I would say that i should reach this level of advanced within 3 good months!

Right now, i buy magazines, and learn all the vocabulary that i dont know!

From intermediate to my level now, well , I just studied with chinese manuels, watched a lot of dramas, and above all i tried to speak chinese all the time!

but, now i dont know what could be the best way, keep studying in chinese class (which according to a vietnamese friend who is fluent, would be the best), or going to a class with chinese.,or focusing on HKS...etc.

[heifeng]

My suggestions:

1)If you wanna jump from advanced to professional, and not go the HSK route (which helps, but more in a 'linguistic' way,and can probably only up you on the advanced level anyway), I vote this as one route, which is still pretty interesting. It will take you outta your 'studying' chinese fishbowl and and push you to learn how to say a variety to things in a professional way in Chinese.

2)Otherwise, if you are not 'into' using any exams as a 'target' or a means to push yourself, try to find an office or an environment that you can go to frequently and interact with employees in a PROFESSIONAL way actually using Chinese. Keep in mind really using Chinese as a tool to do something will help you the most. Good Luck.

[Guest yangbin]

Hi,

thanks for your answer!

well, to find a professional environment is quite difficult in a way that im student,and quite busy!

But, I have the feeling that you think focusing on HSK (or other kind of exam) is the best way to make progress, am i wrong? So could you explain it to me? I mean, I have this idea that exams don't really show your "real" level in a target language! I know some people who were glad to boast their certificate of english, but could'nt speak a word, same in chinese with a lot of korean who obtained 8 at the HSK!(even if i know a lot who can speak really fluently)

So, yeah, you really think that exams are a good way to go further in your study of chinese?

thank you

[heifeng]

exams CAN be (for lack of a better alternative)....but not the chuzhong HSK....at least check out this link too and the C.Test link, etc.

[imron]

I have this idea that exams don't really show your "real" level in a target language!

I think the trick is not to use these exams to show your level in the target language, but rather use it to give you a target to study towards.

Many people who find themselves in a language rut do so because they don't have a clear direction of how they should be studying, or where they should be focusing their energy.

Targeting an exam and a given score gives you something to aim towards, and as long as you keep aiming higher and higher after each exam, then the studying you'll be doing will be improving your Chinese. It also gives you a way to measure your progress.

[Guest yangbin]

So, I should try to focus on exams, and like this i could improve my chinese?

However there are fews things that bother me.

1/ Im not student in language, i have no real class of chinese where i could prepare it!

2/ i have some korean friends who got 9 at the hsk, and even if they speak great, they are not fluent at all!

what about following courses with chinese students? is it good or not? Some people tell me this is not good, cause i dont study chinese, other tell me that this is good cause i stop learning "baby chinese" if i do that!

what about all these foreigners on tv? did they study chinese at uni for 5 years? or just 2 years and then studied by them self?

thank you for your answers

[choisum]

Here's my tuppence worth...

Exams are great for the technical side of Chinese, and there is definitely a gap between passing exams and communicating in the real world.

The critical thing isn't passing exams, but acquiring Chinese Learning skills.